As promo firms respond to the tariffs announced and then partially paused this week, as well as the ensuing uncertainty, PPAI is taking steps to advocate for the industry’s interests and providing guidance to help members prepare for whatever comes next.
ICYMI: Navigating Tariffs: Strategies For Distributors And Suppliers
Briefly, here’s where things stand as of Feb. 7:
- IN EFFECT: An additional 10% tariff on imports coming from China, which quickly led to Beijing announcing retaliatory tariffs. Also, the de minimis exemption that allowed packages worth less than $800 to enter the U.S. without having to pay a tariff or duty has been eliminated.
- ON HOLD: 25% tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports that were to take effect Feb. 4 have been paused until early March after meetings with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum.
PPAI, with assistance from our lobbyists at Thorn Run Partners, sent a letter to top congressional leaders on Feb. 6 urging them to work toward a balanced trade policy that protects American interests while ensuring that American businesses, such as those in the promotional products industry, are not disproportionately burdened.
The letter, signed by PPAI President and CEO Drew Holmgreen, describes the concern that the recently announced tariffs on the United States’ three largest trading partners will have severe unintended consequences for American businesses and consumers. The letter also describes promo as a $27 billion market in the U.S. that is fueled by companies of every size, from sole proprietorships to billion-dollar corporations.
“The proposed tariff increases could have significant implications for the promotional products industry, affecting costs and the ability for our global community to deliver the immense brand value and inherent joy that comes from promotional merch,” says Holmgreen. “At PPAI, we believe it’s important to engage in these conversations to ensure our industry’s needs are understood. We encourage this community to raise its voices, connect with policymakers and advocate for trade policies that support a healthy, innovative and resilient marketplace.”
RELATED: ‘Nothing Is Secure:’ Promo Reacts To Tariff Roller Coaster
Send Your Own Letters
Below, we provide the text of PPAI’s letter so our members can use it as a template to send your own letters to your representative and senators. Note: It’s best to send each email individually with specific salutations, rather than using BCC, as the spam filter for the Capitol email system generally blocks such messages.
You can find your members of Congress here, then you’ll have to click through to their websites to locate their contact information. Each official’s office handles this differently – some feature a “Contact Me” button at the top of the homepage, while others are less prominent.
Download the letter below and copy the text to customize with each official’s name and address and your own. You can print and send by U.S. Mail, or copy and paste each letter into an email or into the contact forms on the officials’ websites (recommended).
Other Ways You Can Help
- Support PPAI’s advocacy efforts: Participate in ongoing lobbying initiatives focused on tariff relief and exemptions for the promotional products industry.
- Share your business impact story: Contribute to PPAI’s tariff impact survey to help strengthen the industry’s case for exemptions or policy adjustments.
- Apply to attend LEAD: PPAI members and staff will travel to Capitol Hill in April for Legislative Education and Action Day, the Association’s annual event to advocate for the promotional products industry. Tariff concerns will be one of the key issues we will be discussing with members of Congress. Learn more about LEAD here, and apply to attend here (through Feb. 14).
