How Trump's Trade War Could Affect Stores and Shoppers

[View on the web]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( News [Why Trump’s Trade War Could Mean Paying More for Clothes]( [Donald Trump]( Donald Trump was supposed to be bad for civil rights, bad for the environment, and bad for women, but he was always supposed to be good for business. After all, Trump is a businessman. But now that he’s ignited what China is calling the [“largest trade war” in history](, he’s managed to alienate the business community, too. The second year into his presidency, he’s clashing with business leaders, including those from retail and fashion. The current dispute — it’s not [Trump’s only disagreement with business leaders]( — started after the [president’s decision in March to impose a 25 percent tariff]( on imported steel and a 10 percent tariff on imported aluminum. (A tariff, or duty, is essentially a tax placed on goods made overseas, and ultimately consumers pay the price.) At the time, Matthew Shay, president of the [National Retail Federation](, a trade group representing retailers from the US and other countries, said Trump had an “[apparent desire to ignite a trade war](.” That’s exactly what’s happened. In addition to the steel and aluminum tariffs, the Trump administration is placing [25 percent tariffs on $34 billion worth of Chinese products]( and restricting Chinese investments in the US technology sector. In retaliation, [China is hiking duties on $34 billion worth of US goods](. These tariffs went into effect today, despite the efforts of top retail brands and economists to persuade the Trump administration not to impose them. Instead of helping the United States, they’re going to hurt businesses, consumers, and the economy overall, experts say. Jeffrey Sachs, a professor and director of the Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University, went so far as to call [Trump’s trade war “insane.”]( And it could have a major impact on retail. Phil Levy, senior fellow on the global economy at the [Chicago Council on Global Affairs](, a nonpartisan organization that provides insight on world affairs, told Racked: “I think this will be a problem for retail. I think they’re going to raise costs and hurt American consumers and hurt businesses that cater to Americans. I think it’s going to hurt and not do much good.” In addition to his current role, Levy has taught at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business and served as senior economist for trade for President Bush’s Council of Economic Advisers. He points out that because retail is already struggling, the tariffs will be challenging for the industry. “It’s going to be a big increase in their costs,” Levy said. “The president has this misperception that every dollar from a sale of a product [not made domestically] is a loss to the US, but that’s just not true. US businesses and consumers have decided this is the best thing they can buy at that price now. If you look at the retail industry, it’s not an industry that’s been flourishing, where they can easily take a hit. I think this is going to be painful.” More than [41 percent of clothes and 72 percent of shoes sold domestically are Chinese-made](. While apparel and textiles are not currently the focus of the US-China trade war, Jon Gold, the National Retail Federation’s vice president of supply chains and customs policy, said those goods were still a source of worry for retailers. 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This isn’t exactly a coincidence: [More than one academic]( has likened traditional depictions of [female superheroes to porn stars](. Which is why even as the genre has made steps in increasing its racial diversity, a plus-size superhero comes as such a surprise. As noted by the Atlantic, her 2016 update also [did away with the fat jokes]( that surrounded her presence in earlier comic books, which likely isn’t unrelated to the fact that it’s the first time the series has been written by a woman, Orphan Black’s Jody Houser. In an [interview with People]( in 2015, Houser said of Faith’s size that “it’s definitely not something that she has a problem with. She’s very comfortable with herself. I’m not going to ignore her size, but I don’t want it to be a big issue or a big plot line with her, and I think it would be out of character to make it that.” The live-action film will also be penned by a woman, Maria Melnik of American Gods, reflecting the increasing diversity in the superhero genre on both sides of the camera. [Read the rest of the story here >>]( Did a friend forward you this email? [Sign up for the Racked email newsletter](. [MORE GOOD STUFF TO READ TODAY](#) - [Detroit’s Earrings from Sorry to Bother You Capture the Movie’s Revolutionary Spirit — And They’re for Sale]( - [The Making of Asos’s Wheelchair-Friendly Jumpsuit]( - [Mister Rogers Used His Sweaters and Shoes to Send a Message]( Ad from our sponsor From the Archives A selection from the editors at Racked [a man in a flag print shirt]( [Your Stars and Stripes T-Shirt Technically Violates the Flag Code]( Wearing the American flag might be more controversial than you think. 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