President Donald Trump signed an executive order on July 30, 2025, that immediately revoked the long-standing “de minimis” duty-free allowance for low-value shipments entering the United States. The current form of the de minimis rule was established in 2016 through a provision in the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act allowing goods valued at $800 or less to enter the U.S. without import duties.
The White House said that the measure closes “a catastrophic loophole” that has enabled tariff evasion and allowed unsafe or illicit products to flow into the country. According to the order, traffickers have exploited relaxed screening for de minimis parcels to move fentanyl and related chemicals into the United States. Administration officials argue that tighter controls are essential to disrupt these supply chains.
But the status of the exemption has been on a policy roller-coaster throughout 2025. After first closing the loophole earlier this year, the administration briefly restored it, only to re-impose duties on Chinese and Hong Kong shipments on May 2, 2025. The vast majority of de minimis volume entering the U.S. originated from China prior to the May 2nd ban, making up 76% of shipments in the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s 2024 fiscal year.
Although China has been the primary target of the Trump administration’s trade actions, this directive applies globally. The latest order suspends the duty-free de minimis treatment for all countries.
It also dramatically accelerates the timeline Congress set in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which repealed the statutory basis for the de minimis exemption but delayed implementation until July 1, 2027. The new order takes effect worldwide on August 29, 2025.
President Trump was able to accelerate the timeline of the de minimis suspension and impose tariffs by invoking the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), which gives the president the power to address "unusual and extraordinary" threats during national emergencies. However, this authority is being challenged in multiple courts with potential for Supreme Court review because of the constitutional questions at the heart of the case. This Fact Sheet from the White House explains the impetus for suspending the de minimis exemption.
Customs brokers and importers have just one month to adjust logistics and pricing strategies before the new rules apply. Companies that previously used de minimis shipping for cost savings should model the impact of duties now and consider alternative supply-chain routes or fulfillment methods.
Customs and Border Protection has processed about 309 million de minimis shipments so far for fiscal year 2025, nearly triple last year’s 115 million units. The declared value of such shipments soared to $1.3 billion in fiscal year 2024 or more than 3.8 million packages per day. Fast-fashion marketplaces such as Shein and Temu frequently rely on the exemption to ship inexpensive apparel and household items directly to consumers.
Impact of Eliminating the De Minimis Exemption on the Printing Industry
The elimination of the de minimis exemption will have far-reaching effects across printing industry verticals that depend on global supply chains, small-batch sourcing, and just-in-time delivery models.
1. Commercial Print & Wide-Format Graphics
Many commercial and wide-format printers source substrates, specialty inks, print heads, and replacement parts from overseas suppliers. Subjecting these low-value shipments to duties and customs clearance will not only increase costs but also introduce delays, particularly for facilities operating on tight turnaround schedules or engaging in short-run, custom work. These businesses may need to raise prices or invest in domestic inventory, moves that could erode margins or reduce agility.
2. Packaging & Labels
Packaging converters often import dies, coatings, and components (e.g., foils, laminates, or RFID tags) that fall below the de minimis threshold. Increased customs requirements and tariffs could disrupt the supply of these specialized materials, especially for smaller converters without established fulfillment infrastructure. This may hinder their ability to offer quick-turn, low-volume packaging solutions, a growing market segment driven by e-commerce.
3. Promotional Products & Apparel Decoration
This segment relies heavily on low-cost, globally sourced blanks, transfers, and embellishments. Without the de minimis exemption, decorators may face new tariffs on frequently replenished inventory items, increasing the total cost of production. Businesses in this space, many of which are small or mid-sized, could be forced to reduce product offerings or shift to higher-volume ordering, undermining the appeal of fast, personalized service.
4. In-Plant and Government Printing Operations
In-plant printers serving universities, municipalities, or corporations may experience increased lead times for imported print supplies and replacement parts. Budget constraints could make it difficult for these operations to absorb additional costs or transition to domestic alternatives, potentially impacting service levels or procurement decisions.
5. Equipment and Supplies Distributors
Distributors that built their fulfillment models on low-value, cross-border shipments will now face administrative burdens, increased paperwork, and higher landed costs. To maintain customer satisfaction and competitiveness, they may need to expand U.S.-based warehousing, renegotiate supplier terms, or pass on costs to customers in the form of higher prices or shipping fees.
While large firms may navigate this transition through domestic warehousing and strategic sourcing, smaller and mid-sized printing businesses, which make up a significant portion of the printing industry, will be disproportionately affected.
As the de minimis exemption comes to an abrupt end, businesses of all sizes must act quickly to adapt, reassess their global strategies, and prepare for a more complex and costly import environment.
PRINTING United Alliance is closely monitoring these developments and will continue advocating for trade policies that recognize the needs of the printing ecosystem, including access to cost-effective global inputs.
In this article, Stephanie Buka, Government Affairs Manager, PRINTING United Alliance, reports on the suspension of the de minimis exemption. More information can be found at Business Excellence-Legislation or reach out to Steph should you have additional questions specific to how these issues may affect your business: sbuka@printing.org.
To become a member of the Alliance and learn more about how our subject matter experts can assist your company with services and resources such as those mentioned in this article, please contact the Alliance membership team: 888-385-3588 / membership@printing.org.