MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — The Trump administration on Thursday said tariffs on China will be increased to at least 145 percent. This comes one day after the president announced a 90-day pause on what he calls reciprocal tariffs for most countries.

What You Need To Know

  • Kristin Bear says she is worried about the tariffs affecting her retail business; she gets her clothing from seven factories she works with in China
  • She has owned her clothing brand, Kilo Brava, and her storefront in Sarasota called Bambola since 2019
  • She says the tariffs, if they keep increasing, have the potential to close down her business

A Bay area business owner with factories in China says she is already feeling the impacts, and she worries about the future of her company.

By the time her products hit the rack, Kristin Bear says they’ve been on quite the journey — one that started across the world.

“So our wholesale business is very busy. We are always in the back packing up orders for stores all around the country,” she said.

Before each item reaches the store, it’s made in — and shipped from — China.

“We have seven different factories all across China. This is one of the pieces from our swimwear line. It’s made in one of the top ethical factories in China,” she said.

She started a women’s clothing brand called “Kilo Brava” in 2019, featuring swimwear and intimate apparel. She sells the clothing to wholesalers and to customers at her store in Sarasota, called Bambola.

“The print is exclusive. I designed everything by hand,” she said.

But now, with a dramatic increase in tariffs on products from China, Bear worries about the fate of her business.

“These tariffs could essentially kill my business, or any similar business like mine, that designs its own products, manufacturers them in China, and then imports them back into the States,” she explained.

She receives an average of five shipments a month from China and is worried about the next one.

“Our next order with the factories needs to be placed this May. So in May 2025, we have to place a huge order on all of our new products for our new collection. And if things don’t change by then, I think we’re going to have to cancel the whole season,” she said.

Bear says the tariffs have already made an impact.

“The tariffs have risen. For example, on a $12,000 shipment last week, we had a tariff bill of $6,000 that we had to pay that day — or they wouldn’t release the boxes to us. And that was only five boxes of goods. Currently, our typical shipments are about 20 to 60 boxes per shipment,” she explained.

This business started in her garage. She says it has been a lot of hard work to get to where she is now — and the uncertainty is daunting.

“I feel paralyzed at the moment. Some days I want to wake up and cry. Other days, I am laughing about it because I don’t know what else to do. It’s exhausting and stressful,” she said.

It’s a stress that Bear says is worth pushing through to keep her business moving forward.