How tariffs could impact availability of baby products

If you have – or have had – small children, chances are, you’re familiar with Munchkin products. The company manufactures everything from sippy cups to bath toys, breast pumps to baby gates. Munchkin founder and CEO Steve Dunn recently wrote an open letter to President Trump and members of Congress about the harm new tariffs are doing to his business.

“These tariffs are having devastating real-life consequences,” he wrote. “These new tariffs are forcing us to halt orders, cut jobs and may soon prevent us from delivering essential baby products to parents nationwide.”

He went on to say that “due to the complete absence of necessary tooling and manufacturing expertise, automation, and skilled labor,” Munchkin has been unable to bring production to the U.S.

Dunn spoke with All Things Considered host Mary Louise Kelly about why he wrote the letter, and the impact the tariffs on goods from China could have on his company.

This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

Interview Highlights

So we’re at a critical path where Munchkin owns thousands of tools in China. I can’t even move my tools to the U.S. So moving and trying to relocate businesses like the juvenile industry or the maternal health industry into the U.S. would take years and years. It would take government-supported programs to create manufacturing zones. Just to manufacture our sippy cups would take 100 molding machines in the U.S. – if we could find them.

This story was adapted for the web by Mallory Yu.