Tariffs on imported candles and candle components have changed several times since early 2025. If your candles, jars or packaging come from China, here is where things stand as of November 2026 and what it means for your costs.
This is general information, not legal or customs advice. Confirm the duties for your specific HTS codes with a licensed customs broker.
Where U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods stand now
- The 2025 emergency tariffs are gone. In February 2026, the Supreme Court ruled that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) does not authorize tariffs. That ended the "reciprocal" and "fentanyl" duties that pushed rates on many Chinese goods as high as 145% in spring 2025. Importers who paid them may be eligible for refunds.
- A temporary 10% surcharge came and went. A Section 122 surcharge applied to most imports from February 24 to July 24, 2026.
- A new 12.5% tariff now applies to most Chinese goods. Since July 24, 2026, a Section 301 tariff tied to a forced-labor investigation adds 12.5% to most products from China and Hong Kong.
- The original Section 301 tariffs remain. In October 2026, the U.S. Trade Representative confirmed that the 7.5% and 25% list tariffs from 2018 and 2019 stay in effect, stacked on top of the new 12.5%.
- Small shipments no longer enter duty-free. Chinese goods no longer qualify for the de minimis exemption, so even small direct-to-consumer shipments need a formal customs entry.
- Candles have their own antidumping order. Petroleum (paraffin) wax candles from China have been subject to a U.S. antidumping duty order for decades, and the U.S. International Trade Commission opened another five-year review of it in 2026. Container candles, pillars, votives and tapers generally fall within its scope.
What this means for candle brands
Duties stack. A product on a 25% Section 301 list now pays its normal duty, plus 25%, plus the new 12.5%. A paraffin candle can owe antidumping duties on top of that. The rules have also changed four times in about 18 months, which makes it hard to set a retail price and hold it.
For a candle brand, that shows up in three places:
- Landed cost. Duties on finished candles, glass and printed packaging come straight out of your margin unless you raise prices.
- Planning risk. When rates can change between the day you place a PO and the day the container lands, budgeting for a launch or a holiday program becomes guesswork.
- Cash tied up in transit. Ocean freight, customs holds and larger overseas minimums mean more inventory paid for and sitting on the water.
How domestic manufacturing reduces the risk
Making candles in the U.S. doesn't make every component tariff-free, since some glass, fragrance materials and packaging are sourced globally. It does take the biggest variable, the finished candle, out of the import equation.
- No import duties on finished candles. Candles produced at our Sylmar, California facility never cross a border before they reach you.
- Predictable lead times. Reorders typically ship in 4 to 12 weeks after PO, with no customs holds.
- Hands-on quality control. You can visit the facility and approve production in person.
- Lower minimums. Modern Candle programs start at a $5,000 minimum order, with no unit minimum per SKU.
Ask us how your specific vessels and packaging are sourced, and we'll show you where the tariff exposure is in your bill of materials.
Move production to Los Angeles
If tariffs have made your overseas program harder to price, see our tariff help page, read the private label FAQ for minimums and lead times, or request a quote and we'll compare your current landed cost with domestic production.
