From dishes to dresses, the household items most likely to come from China

USA Today

15-05-2025

From dishes to dresses, the household items most likely to come from China
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US and China agree to trade deal that will lower tariff levels
The U.S. and China agreed to a trade deal after face-to-face meetings between senior economic officials.
Amid the tariff tumult of recent weeks, perhaps you have found yourself pulling random plates and mugs from your shelves and turning them over to learn their country of origin.
Quite often, the answer is China.
China ranks as America's third-largest source of imported goods in 2025, according to Census data, with $103 billion in imports through March. In all of 2024, China ranked second, behind Mexico.
President Trump's campaign of import tariffs has consumers spooked about looming price hikes on imports from around the globe. Many of the biggest fears, however, center on China.
Trump enacted massive 145% import taxes on Chinese goods in April, then announced a trade deal on May 11 that slashed them to 30%, at least for now. But 30% is still a large number.
If you've already taken a 'tariff tour,' strolling around your home, upending lamps and couch cushions to discover their provenance, then you already know how much we depend on products from China.
'This might be a bit of a wakeup call to where all of our stuff actually comes from,' said Alex Jacquez, chief of policy and advocacy at the progressive Groundwork Collaborative.
If you haven't inventoried your household imports, then allow us to lead the tour.
Here's how much household stuff comes from China
A breathtaking share of our pots and pans, 90%, hail from China. A relatively small quotient of washers and dryers, 30%, originate there. But those figures understate the full scale of Chinese imports.
'Even products that seemingly have another country of origin embody significant content that originates from China,' said Adam Hersh, a senior economist at the left-leaning Economic Policy Institute.
Here is a list of 11 common household items, showing what percentage of all imports came from China in 2024. The numbers were compiled using the U.S. International Trade Commission's DataWeb from official U.S. merchandise trade statistics published by the Department of Commerce.
Dishes : 66% made in China. Next biggest source: Mexico.
: 66% made in China. Next biggest source: Mexico. Pots and pans : 90% made in China. Next biggest source: India.
: 90% made in China. Next biggest source: India. Utensils : 87% made in China. Next biggest source: Vietnam.
: 87% made in China. Next biggest source: Vietnam. Refrigerators : 87% made in China. Next biggest source: Vietnam.
: 87% made in China. Next biggest source: Vietnam. Televisions : 48% made in China. Next biggest source: Mexico.
: 48% made in China. Next biggest source: Mexico. Couches : 43% made in China. Next biggest source: Vietnam.
: 43% made in China. Next biggest source: Vietnam. Lamps : 48% made in China. Next biggest source: Mexico.
: 48% made in China. Next biggest source: Mexico. Dresses : 40% made in China. Next biggest source: Vietnam.
: 40% made in China. Next biggest source: Vietnam. Toilets : 44% made in China. Leading source (47%): Mexico.
: 44% made in China. Leading source (47%): Mexico. Vacuum cleaners : 35% made in China. Leading source (42%): Vietnam.
: 35% made in China. Leading source (42%): Vietnam. Washer-dryers: 30% made in China. Next biggest source: South Korea.
The current tariff deal between the United States and China is only good for 90 days, while the two nations negotiate. Where will tariff rates stand after that? Even some trade experts are reluctant to say.
"That's the million-dollar question, right there," said Colin Grabow, an associate director at the Cato Institute's Herbert A. Stiefel Center for Trade Policy Studies. "You get the sense that they're kind of making it up as they go."
This story has been updated with additional information.