As High Point Market heats up this week, exhibitors are also keeping an eye on the refund process for tariff payments from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CPB) for invalid tariffs paid over the last year. We asked manufacturers what the tariffs taught them about themselves and their business over the past year.
“Over the past year of tariff uncertainty, we’ve learned how resilient and adaptable our business truly is. It forced us to look closely at our supply chain, our pricing strategies, and how we communicate and sell to our customers. We sunset our multi‑bag sales force and shifted toward a model that allows us to own the customer experience, communications, and go‑to‑market strategy more fully and leverage data to better equip our team to meet the customer where and how they want shop with us.”
Neil MacKenzie
Chief Marketing Officer
Regina Andrew Detroit
“It has cemented my view that resiliency is a critical human trait. It is frustrating to have to spend so much management focus on the issue, but going through the process of figuring out how best to mitigate the impact on customers was a great learning exercise.”
John Hart
CEO
Arteriors
“The past year really reinforced the need to stay flexible. We leaned into strong partnerships and made smart decisions around sourcing and pricing. With all the tariff uncertainty, we stayed focused on being steady and reliable for our customers.”
Nancy Lonoff
Principal and Designer
Crystorama
“That even having a product that is made in the USA from raw materials and sourced in the USA, we had to navigate the price and purchasing uncertainties over the past year. We certainly fared better than most.”
Eric Swanson
President
Loll Designs
“For Ethnicraft, the importance of quality materials and the use of solid wood are essential within a sustainable approach. Treating the earth’s precious resources with care requires choices that extend beyond the purchase price. Moreover, solid wood can be repaired, restored, or completely transformed, making it a circular material. Despite ongoing international expansion, Ethnicraft has remained a grounded and resilient company. With 100% private ownership and strong Belgian roots, we continue to prioritize a long-term vision over short-term gains. Without external investors or pressure from quarterly targets, we are able to grow at our own pace. We grow on our own strength. That brings peace of mind, continuity, and trust — both within our team and with our partners worldwide.”
Benoit Loos
CEO
Ethnicraft
“I have learned that there is not a thing I can do about it. It is very disheartening, but we have tried to massage numbers in our clients’ best interest in order to be competitive.”
Christopher Todd
Principal
Christopher Todd Design
“That having an American-made product — crafted with domestic labor and sourced from American raw materials — is not just a point of pride, but a meaningful advantage. It ensures a higher level of quality control, supports local economies, shortens supply chains, and reinforces a commitment to accountability and craftsmanship that clients can trust.”
LaVern Hershberger
President and Creative Director
“This period reinforced that adaptability is a core strength of our business. We’ve learned to respond quickly, stay disciplined and focus on opportunities rather than obstacles. Most importantly, it confirmed that resilience supported by a committed team is essential to navigate volatility while protecting our brand’s integrity and positioning.”
Eduardo Perez, Sr.
CEO
Adriana Hoyos Furnishings
“There’s a real appetite across the industry to talk about the projects that are moving forward — about specifications, products and the work that’s happening despite tariffs and broader global uncertainty. Brands are introducing exciting new designs, and there’s inspiring work happening across the board. For those of us in outdoor, the spaces we help create have always offered a sense of escape and refuge. Market uncertainty is part of the business, and we shouldn’t ignore the challenges the furniture industry is facing. But I think Spring Market will see less focus on what we can’t control and more conversation and energy directed toward moving our businesses forward.”
Patrick Troy
CEO
Dedon USA and Gloster Furniture U.S.
“On a personal level, the experience reinforced the importance of patience. When the environment becomes volatile — when policies shift quickly, and the headlines change daily — it’s easy to feel pressure to react immediately. What I’ve learned is that the right move often reveals itself if you give the situation enough time and resist the urge to chase every development. Thoughtful decision-making, grounded in long-term strategy rather than short-term reaction, proved far more effective. The period also reinforced how powerful a true partnership can be. Challenges that initially feel overwhelming become far more manageable when they’re shared with trusted partners. Perhaps most importantly, the tariff environment deepened my trust in our consumer and distribution partners. In moments of uncertainty, it’s easy to question whether customers will hesitate or pull back. What we saw instead was confirmation of something we’ve long believed: great design, heirloom-level quality, and an exceptional buying experience still win the day. “
Brad Cates
President and CEO
Sarreid LTD
“Being a family-owned business with an extremely broad supply chain model has allowed us to control our own destiny in a very meaningful way. Also, our longtime commitment to a strong inventory position allowed us to ride out some of the bigger tariff issues with minimal pricing disruption, because we already had so much product in our warehouses, and were able to shift production of newer designs to more favorable countries as the tariff situation dictated.”
Jenny Heinzen York
Vice President of Marketing’
Currey & Company
“Over the past year, the tariff turbulence has been difficult but also a valuable learning experience for us in the furniture industry. One of the biggest takeaways is just how important flexibility is. Staying nimble and adaptable is a core strength for Skyline Furniture, so we rely on that quality to be a foundation to our decision making rather than just a reaction. At the same time, the turmoil has reinforced the value of stability and strong partnerships. Working with reliable domestic suppliers and maintaining close relationships across our supply chain has given us a greater sense of security in an unpredictable environment. It’s also pushed us to invest more in operational efficiency and long-term planning.”
Meganne Wecker
CEO
Skyline Furniture
“A global community is fragile but also resilient. Our partners and customers, at every link in our chain, have supported us and our rugs through this particular uncertainty. I am reminded as to how this network of people is our real asset and how we can endure these challenges and survive/thrive.”
Ned Baker
Client Liaison Sales & Marketing
Tamarian Rugs
“Nobody has been immune from the tariffs, but we’ve minimized the impact on our business and our customers as much as we possibly could. We have not, at any point, added a surcharge — a common practice for so many of the businesses we compete against — and that’s also meant we haven’t had to pull them back either. Operating in nine different countries has enabled us to spread out additional costs incurred across a broader array of offerings and that’s been a great benefit for our company and those we serve, as it has allowed us to make pricing far more palatable throughout these challenging times.”
Vice President of Sales and Marketing
Kalalou
“That I’m apparently part designer, part supply-chain therapist, and part amateur economist … two of which were not taught in engineering or architecture courses. More seriously, it reinforced that design is only as powerful as the system that delivers it. You can have the most seductive chandelier in the world — hand-forged, recycled steel, dripping in Moody Luxe — but if it’s stuck in a container or priced out of relevance, it’s just a very expensive idea. We’ve learned to design with resilience in mind: materials that travel smarter, finishes that flex across factories, and collections that can absorb a little chaos without losing their soul. Also — control what you can, charm what you can’t.”
Ron Henderson
Founder and Design Lead
Varaluz
“The ongoing tariff shifts have reinforced just how critical strong fabric selection is to our business. We import a significant portion of our fabrics from Europe, making it one of our largest line items — so before adding anything new to our collection, we need to truly believe in it. If a fabric isn’t performing, we move quickly to cut it. The goal is always a tight, well-edited line we stand behind. More broadly, the most important thing you can do in uncertain times is protect your brand experience and customer service, that’s what keeps people coming back. Personally, I’ve learned not to react from a place of panic. The key is to slow down, look at the big picture, and make strategic decisions from a clear head. Don’t panic.”
Coley Hull
Founder
Coley Home
“Keeping calm as a company really helped us ride out the storm of the unpredictability of the tariffs. We have strong stock levels which reinforced our commitment to our clients and put them at ease.”
Pamela Burke
Global Sales Director
Blue Pheasant
