August 15, 2026

US Silk Industry News, August 2026: Section 122 Surcharge Expires, New Section 301 Duties Take Effect

The last week of July 2026 rewrote the US tariff picture again. The 10% Section 122 global surcharge — in force since February 24, 2026, after the Supreme Court struck down the IEEPA tariffs — reached its 150-day statutory limit around July 24. In its place, the administration moved to Section 301 duties of 10–12.5% on imports from roughly 60 trading partners, tied to investigations into forced-labor enforcement. Industry groups described a "dizzying week for trade policy" that left sourcing executives reassessing supply chains. For US buyers of silk bedding and accessories, the duty math on every purchase order just changed.

The 2026 US tariff timeline for textiles

Date	Action
February 20, 2026	Supreme Court strikes down IEEPA country-specific tariffs
February 24, 2026	10% Section 122 temporary surcharge takes effect on most imports
June 2, 2026	USTR proposes Section 301 forced-labor duties of 10–12.5% on ~60 countries, covering textiles and apparel
July 6–7, 2026	Comment period closes and hearings held
~July 24, 2026	Section 122 surcharge expires at its 150-day limit; new Section 301 duties take effect in late July

What do the July 2026 tariff changes mean for US silk importers?

The flat 10% Section 122 surcharge expired around July 24, 2026, and was replaced by Section 301 duties of 10–12.5% covering most US trading partners. For China-origin silk goods, the new duties stack on top of the existing 25% Section 301 tariffs and the base MFN rate, keeping China the highest-duty origin for silk bedding and accessories. Every US importer should re-run landed costs at HTS level with a customs broker before placing Q4 orders.

The practical effect differs by origin. For non-China origins, the change is modest — the expired 10% surcharge is effectively swapped for a 10–12.5% duty. For China-origin goods, including most of the world's mulberry silk, the stack stays deep: base MFN duty, the long-standing 25% Section 301 textile tariff, and now the additional forced-labor-linked layer. A silk pillowcase program that was costed in May needs new numbers in August.

The forced-labor angle matters for silk specifically

The new duties rest on Section 301 investigations into whether trading partners adequately ban and enforce against forced-labor goods. That legal basis puts supply chain documentation at the center of compliance, and it aligns with enforcement patterns US importers already know from UFLPA. Silk buyers should expect closer scrutiny of origin claims and production records.

For brands, the response is documented provenance: sericulture and reeling records, fabric traceability, and third-party certifications that travel with the goods. Verbal assurances from intermediaries carry no weight in a forced-labor framework. This is one reason we ship OEKO-TEX documentation and full production records with every bulk order of custom silk pillowcases and silk bedding bound for the US — the paperwork is part of the product now.

Demand is not the problem

The cost side tightened while the demand side kept growing. US consumer demand for silk pillowcases is running about 8% above last year, with category sales projected to peak around US$41 million in November on holiday gifting. Duty changes of 0.5–2.5 percentage points for most origins will not decide whether a silk program works in that market — but they will punish sloppy costing. The buyers who re-run their math now, before Q4 production slots fill, keep their margins. The ones who reorder on old assumptions will find the difference on the customs entry.

Our advice to US clients this month: confirm holiday quantities early, re-cost at current duty rates, and keep certification and origin documentation complete for every shipment. If you need updated quotations reflecting the post-July duty environment, contact our team.