The Associated Press highlighted made plus in a recent story exploring how new tariffs are affecting innovation across U.S.-based manufacturers. The piece highlights the real-world challenges facing companies like ours as we navigate shifting trade policies, rising costs, and global supply chain adjustments—all while staying committed to American jobs, sustainability, and forward-thinking design.
Our Founder, Alan Guyan, didn’t start made plus to chase tariffs—he started it to build better shoes, sustainably and here in the U.S. We’ve built our business around domestic production, sustainable materials, and custom footwear made in Annapolis, Maryland.
But as the article explains, volatile tariffs on critical components—like foam and outsoles—are forcing small teams like ours to hit pause on product development and shift focus to cost mitigation and supply chain workarounds. That’s time and energy we’d rather be spending on innovation, automation, and scaling American manufacturing.
We’re not alone. The footwear industry is rallying together, pushing for smarter trade policy that supports—not stifles—U.S. makers committed to bringing production back home.
We’re still moving forward, but we’d go further, faster with consistent policy and real support for small, product-driven businesses like ours.
📖 Read the AP story here:
https://apnews.com/article/tariffs-small-businesses-innovation-rd-3a1de9adc78ce366f77967b4d289e6cc
For media inquiries, please contact: Caitlin Wolf, caitlin.wolf@madeplus.com
To learn more about made plus, visit www.madeplus.com.
To shop made plus styles, visit https://www.madeplus.com/collections/shoes.
