Blocked at the Border: When Tariffs Stall the Sustainable Economy

In the global push toward sustainability, many companies and consumers have shifted to eco-friendly alternatives—aluminum bottles instead of plastic, bamboo goods over single-use plastic, and a renewed reliance on recyclable materials like glass and paper.  These products not only contribute to a healthier planet but also promote a better quality of life for individuals. However, the current tariffs and subsequent trade war instigated by the Trump administration is significantly disrupting this process, and possible stalling valuable progress.

What Are Sustainable Products?

Sustainable products are goods that are made in a way that is environmentally friendly or ethically produced. This includes everything from biodegradable materials, fair-trade items, to products that use renewable resources in their manufacturing processes. They are designed to minimize environmental impact, conserve resources, and promote social equity. There is heavy emphasis on providing alternatives to plastic, which is a highly problematic for waste and public health reasons.

Aluminum: Penalizing a Plastic Alternative

Aluminum bottles, cans, and packaging materials gained traction as an eco-friendly substitute for plastic. But with the U.S. imposed 25% tariff on imported aluminum, the cost of producing aluminum goods—including recycled aluminum—jumped. Many eco-conscious brands rely on imported aluminum due to insufficient domestic supply or specialized alloy requirements. The result? Higher production costs that were often passed on to consumers, making sustainable options less accessible. Coca Cola has already announced that they may switch to more plastic containers (and they already create the most plastic waste!) due to increased prices of aluminum cans from Canada.

Bamboo Products: Tariffs Hinder Sustainable Alternatives

 Bamboo is fast-growing, biodegradable, and increasingly popular in everything from toothbrushes to utensils. But because much of the world’s bamboo is grown in Asia—especially China—the Trump tariffs significantly affect the import cost of bamboo products. U.S. businesses trying to move away from plastic face rising expenses, slowing adoption of bamboo as a mainstream sustainable material.

Paper and Cardboard: Collateral Damage

Tariffs on pulp, paperboard, and other related products affected the packaging industry too. Sustainable brands that use paper and cardboard instead of plastic for packaging are being hit with rising costs. Additionally, some raw materials for recycled paper and fiberboard—imported due to shortages or cost advantages—have become more expensive or harder to obtain, creating further hurdles for sustainable manufacturers. For example, the U.S. imports a significant portion of its tissue supply, and Canadian pulp is a key ingredient in many American-made toilet paper brands.

Glass: Caught in the Crossfire

Although glass is often made domestically, the equipment, additives, and certain specialty glass components are frequently imported. The glass industry faces increased costs due to tariffs on imported materials and components. A 25% tariff on goods from Canada and Mexico, along with a 20% increase on existing tariffs for Chinese imports, has raised concerns about pricing and supply chain stability in the glass sector.

Recycling at Risk: Trade Policies That Undermine Circular Economies

Tariffs don’t just affect new products—they also interfere with what happens after use. The recycling industry, which is a cornerstone of the circular economy, has been deeply impacted by trade wars and protectionist policies.

For years, the U.S. exports large volumes of recyclable materials—especially paper, plastics, and scrap metal—to countries like China, India, and Southeast Asian nations. But in response to trade tensions, countries imposed stricter contamination rules or retaliatory tariffs on imported recyclables. China’s “National Sword” policy, for example, drastically reduced the materials it would accept. That, combined with U.S. tariffs on certain equipment and materials, has left American recycling systems overloaded and under-equipped to process waste domestically. Something that explored in great detail in our May Book club read: Wasteland by Oliver Franklin-Wallis.

With fewer international buyers and tariffs making equipment upgrades more expensive, local recycling centers have faced ballooning operational costs. Many municipalities scaled back their recycling programs or increased restrictions on what could be recycled. This undermines public trust in recycling and reduces the volume of materials actually kept in the loop.

A Silver Lining: Rethinking Consumption in a Tariff-Tangled Economy

While tariffs have undoubtedly complicated access to sustainable materials, they’ve also triggered an unexpected positive shift—encouraging consumers to buy less, reuse more, and question the cycle of overconsumption. With prices rising consumers are becoming more intentional.

The cost incentive may now lean even more toward refilling containers you already have, rather than constantly purchasing a new bottle. This obviously is good for businesses like ours, and we will try our best to maintain pricing for products. All of our suppliers are based in the US but we still don't know the full impact of tariffs on raw materials for bulk products. We are in the process of switching our dishwasher tabs to a US company as our Canadian supplier costs became too high.

Similarly, fast fashion, which relies heavily on cheap overseas labor and imported textiles, is feeling the squeeze. Tariffs have made some low-cost imports more expensive, nudging both brands and buyers to reconsider the value of durable, locally made clothing—and to repair or upcycle items instead of discarding them. As fashion is one of the most waste filled industries, any changes to consumer habits from disposable clothing is welcomed.

And when consumers pause to ask, “Do I really need this new version?”, it slows the cycle of production, transport, and waste—key drivers of environmental harm. In this way, the disruption of global supply chains may be helping to cultivate more mindful consumption habits, even if unintentionally.

While tariffs are having a intense economic impact, they’re forcing important conversations about how and what we consume—and that might just be the kind of disruption the sustainability movement needs.