Advocacy Update: New Details on Section 232 Furniture tariffs

On September 29, 2025, the White House announced sweeping tariffs under Section 232 targeting imports of timber, wood products, furniture, and cabinetry. Since that announcement, HFA has been working closely with our Washington-based lobbyist and trade advisors to understand its potential impact on the home furnishings industry.

We are still collecting information daily. Here are a few updates:

• Beginning at midnight on October 14, 2025, imports of soft wood, kitchen cabinets, bathroom vanities, and upholstered furniture will be subject to Section 232 tariffs. Importantly, there is no ‘on the water’ exemption.
  • Those effective rates, as of October 14, 2025, are:
    • Soft wood – 10%
    • Kitchen Cabinets – 25%; increase to 50% beginning January 1, 2026
    • Bathroom Vanities – 25%, increase to 50% beginning January 1, 2026
    • Upholstered furniture (sofas, chairs, sectionals) – 25%; increase to 30% beginning January 1, 2026
• These Section 232 tariffs will apply to all countries EXCEPT for the UK, the European Union, and Japan.
  • These nations have specific language in their trade agreements that caps these Section 232 tariffs at 10%, 15%, and 15%, respectively.
• Further, these Section 232 tariffs WILL NOT stack on top of reciprocal tariffs or International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) duties affecting Brazil (40%), India (25%), Canada (10%), and Mexico (10%).
• However, these new Section 232 tariffs WILL stack on top of China’s existing 20% IEEPA tariff and Section 301 duties of 7.5% to 25%.
• These Section 232 tariffs will apply to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) Codes listed in the Presidential Proclamation.
  • Following an analysis of those HTS codes, these 232 tariffs focus on upholstered furniture seating, and the exposure to case goods/wood furniture is limited.
  • However, HFA members should contact their suppliers and/or customs brokers/staff to determine which HTS codes are being used to import products now and cross-reference those to the Annex in the Presidential Proclamation.
• In his Proclamation of these Section 232 duties, the President instructed the US Trade Representative to continue negotiating with other trading partners to mitigate the impact of timber imports on US national security.

In other words, additional countries may be eligible for an alternative rate as those trade deals are finalized.

What HFA Is Doing (and What You Should Do Now)

We remain fully engaged at the federal level—working with trade counsel, customs experts, and lawmakers to push for clarity, fairness, and relief where possible. As more details (exclusion processes, guidance, or negotiated adjustments) become available, we’ll share those immediately with members.

In the meantime, we strongly encourage all members to:

1. Audit your import pipeline — identify products, HTS codes, and country of origin.
2. Engage your vendors/customs brokers now to assess exposure.
3. Model pricing and margin impacts to prepare for cost shifts starting October 14.
4. Stay connected to HFA alerts and briefings—we’ll help you interpret updates in real time.

We understand how immediately disruptive and uncertain this is for your business. Rest assured: HFA is actively fighting on your behalf, and we’ll communicate new guidance as soon as it arrives.

Sincerely,

Peter Theran

HFA CEO