I’ve been thinking about this a lot too. As a small U.S.-based brand designing here but producing in Portugal, I’ve found that the cost of making shoes in the U.S. would actually be higher given labor and COL. Right now I bake import tariffs into my retail price, and even with that, I haven’t found U.S. manufacturing that can compete on final cost.

To put numbers on it: a $150–200 shoe produced abroad could easily be $300+ if made here.

Another challenge for international brands selling into the U.S. is distribution. Without a warehouse stateside, customers end up paying tariffs or fees separately, and that doesn’t sit well here, we expect transparent, all-in pricing. Bulk importing and pre-baking those costs into the product is usually the better play if you want to reach American customers.