Textile and Apparel Manufacturing in Mexico: The 2026 Industry Guide

By Ricardo Rascon, Director of Marketing at Tetakawi · Updated April 9, 2026

Textile manufacturing in Mexico encompasses the full production chain from yarn spinning and fabric formation to cut-and-sew garment assembly, technical textile fabrication, and finishing. The sector exported $7.3 billion in the first ten months of 2024, with 91% of shipments destined for the United States. For manufacturers evaluating where to produce apparel, automotive textiles, medical nonwovens, or industrial filtration products, Mexico's combination of trade agreement access, protective tariff structure, and competitive labor costs creates a fundamentally different calculus than it did even two years ago.

This guide covers the current state of the industry, the two tariff forces reshaping competitive dynamics, what production actually costs by role and region, and how manufacturers structure operations on the ground. Whether you are evaluating Mexico for automotive textiles, medical nonwovens, industrial filtration, protective sewn products, or cut-and-sew apparel, the decision framework is the same: trade agreement access, landed cost analysis, and operational control.

Mexico's Textile and Apparel Industry in 2026: Where Things Stand

Mexico's textile and apparel sector employs approximately 400,000 workers and ranks as the country's ninth-largest manufacturing industry by export value. The sector's geographic heart runs through Puebla, Tlaxcala, and Jalisco, though production clusters also operate in Aguascalientes, Guanajuato, and across northern border states. Major manufacturers with Mexico operations include Delta Apparel, Grupo Denim, Levi Strauss, and technical textile producers like UTT (automotive airbag textiles) and Toray.

The numbers above tell two stories simultaneously. The $7.3 billion export figure and U.S. destination concentration confirm that Mexico's textile sector is built for the North American market. According to recent industry reporting linked to CANAINTEX sector commentary, some plants in historic textile hubs are operating at just 20–30% of capacity, revealing that a significant portion of the country's installed production infrastructure sits idle. For manufacturers evaluating a Mexico entry, this means existing industrial infrastructure, trained labor pools, and supplier networks are available without the multi-year build-up required in greenfield markets.

The sector has been under pressure. Exports from January through September 2025 totaled $5.56 billion, reflecting a roughly 15% year-over-year decline driven by global demand softness and intensified competition from Asian exporters. The Mexican government has responded with a $5–6.5 billion investment initiative and protective tariff measures designed to stabilize domestic producers and attract new investment into textile factories across the country.

The decline, however, masks a structural shift underneath. While commodity apparel exports have softened, technical textile production for automotive, aerospace, and medical applications continues to grow. UTT produces airbag textiles in Mexico for the North American automotive supply chain. Toray operates advanced materials facilities. Carolina Performance and other specialized producers serve industrial markets where quality certifications, not just unit cost, drive sourcing decisions. For these manufacturers, textile manufacturing in Mexico is not about finding the cheapest labor; it is about operating inside the USMCA trade zone with proximity to end customers and full control over production quality.

Foreign textile companies entering Mexico typically operate under a shelter structure that allows them to own their production process while a local partner handles regulatory compliance, accelerating time-to-production from 12–18 months to as little as 30 days when campus space and infrastructure are already in place. The combination of existing idle capacity, trained workforce availability, and shelter infrastructure means the barriers to entry for textile manufacturing in Mexico are lower today than they were just a few years ago.

Two Tariff Forces Reshaping the Landscape

Two separate tariff dynamics are converging to reshape the economics of textile manufacturing in Mexico. Understanding both is essential for any manufacturer evaluating production location. For a detailed breakdown of how these tariff forces affect all manufacturing sectors, see the U.S. Department of Commerce textile market report on Mexico.

Force 1: U.S. Tariffs Pushing Production Out of China

China's effective tariff rate on goods entering the United States stood at 33.4% in December 2025 according to the Penn Wharton Budget Model, after peaking at 40% in mid-2025. For textile and apparel products, which already carried Section 301 tariff exposure, the cumulative burden makes China-to-U.S. supply chains increasingly uneconomic for anything but the lowest-cost commodity goods. The de minimis $800 duty-free threshold for low-value imports was suspended globally in August 2025 and that suspension was continued in February 2026, eliminating the loophole that had allowed direct-to-consumer Chinese apparel to bypass duties entirely. In March 2026, the U.S. Trade Representative launched Section 301 investigations targeting 16 economies for excess manufacturing capacity and 60 economies for forced labor practices, with textiles explicitly named as a sector of concern.

The result: manufacturers who had consolidated textile production in China over the past two decades are actively pursuing China+1 and China+2 strategies. Mexico, Vietnam, Bangladesh, and Central America are the primary alternatives under evaluation. For a deeper analysis of how U.S. tariff policy affects manufacturing sourcing, see the USMCA 2026 Review.

Force 2: Mexico's Protective Tariffs and Industrial Policy

Mexico has built its own tariff structure around imported textiles from countries without a free trade agreement. The original April 2024 decree imposed 35% tariffs on finished apparel (Chapters 61–63 of Mexico's tariff schedule) and 15% on textile inputs from non-FTA countries. A broader expansion decree published on December 29, 2025 extended these protections to 1,463 tariff codes and remains in effect through December 31, 2026. (For a legal analysis of the original decree, see Greenberg Traurig's analysis of Mexico's textile tariff increase.)

This is not just a defensive trade measure. Mexico is executing an explicit industrial policy to rebuild its domestic textile sector. In January 2025, the government announced a 120 billion peso ($6.5 billion) Textile and Footwear Sector Stimulus Plan with credit access through BBVA and Nacional Financiera. The stated targets: recover 50,000 textile jobs and raise domestic content to 50% in finished products. CANAINTEX endorsed these tariff measures specifically to strengthen domestic supply chains.

The strategic implication is clear: Mexico's tariff architecture rewards manufacturers who source regionally. Producers using USMCA-origin inputs avoid Mexico's protective tariffs on the import side and can qualify for 0% tariff on U.S. export. Producers importing non-FTA inputs may owe some or all of Mexico's protective tariff exposure and face MFN rates (10–32%) on U.S. entry because their finished goods do not qualify under yarn-forward. The cost of choosing the wrong sourcing path compounds at every border crossing. This is not a system that guarantees tariff advantages simply because you produce in Mexico — it is a system that rewards deliberate supply chain decisions. Consult a customs broker before making any assumptions about your specific tariff exposure.

The USMCA Yarn-Forward Rule: A Structural Competitive Moat

The USMCA yarn-forward rule of origin requires that yarn spinning, fabric formation, and garment assembly all occur within the USMCA region (United States, Mexico, or Canada) for a textile product to qualify for duty-free treatment. This is one of the most restrictive rules of origin in global trade, and it creates a structural moat for manufacturers with integrated North American supply chains.

Across all manufacturing sectors, most goods crossing the U.S.-Mexico border can qualify for USMCA preferential treatment when origin rules are met. But textiles face one of the most restrictive tests in the agreement — the yarn-forward rule — and qualification is not automatic. Whether your finished product qualifies depends entirely on where your raw materials come from and how your supply chain is structured. Here is how the three most common scenarios play out for a textile manufacturer in Mexico.

What Happens When You Source Materials from Within North America

If you source yarn from a U.S. or Mexican mill, weave or knit fabric in either country, and assemble garments in Mexico, the finished product qualifies for USMCA yarn-forward. You export to the United States at 0% tariff. No Mexico import duty on the inputs because they are USMCA-origin. This is the best-case scenario and the one that delivers the full tariff advantage.

What Happens When You Cannot Find the Fabric in North America

This is the question most cut-and-sew operators actually face. If the specific fabric you need is not produced in the USMCA region, you have two paths.

Path 1 — Short supply list exception. USMCA maintains a list of yarns and fabrics that are not commercially available in North America. If your input material is on this list, you can import it from anywhere in the world, manufacture in Mexico, and the finished product still qualifies for USMCA 0% tariff on U.S. entry. The list is updated through a trilateral process among the three USMCA governments. Check the current list through the U.S. Department of Commerce USMCA textile summary or work with a customs broker who specializes in textile origin determination.

Path 2 — Import under IMMEX, accept tariff costs on both sides. If the fabric is not on the short supply list and comes from a non-FTA country, the picture changes significantly. IMMEX exempts standard import duties, but it does not automatically eliminate exposure to Mexico's protective decree tariffs (currently 15% on textile inputs from non-FTA countries). Depending on the specific product and destination-country duty treatment, manufacturers may owe some or all of that tariff in Mexico. Then, because the yarn did not originate in the USMCA region, your finished garment does not qualify for USMCA preferential treatment. When you export to the United States, you pay most-favored-nation (MFN) tariff rates, which typically range from 10% to 32% depending on the product's HTS classification. This double tariff exposure is exactly what Mexico's policy is designed to discourage — the system incentivizes sourcing from USMCA or FTA partners.

What About Importing Finished Textile Products Under IMMEX?

One important restriction: as of December 2024, Mexico no longer allows temporary imports of most finished textile and apparel products under the IMMEX program. The restriction covers 302 specific tariff items across Chapters 61–63 of Mexico's tariff schedule, with certain exemptions (including garment parts and select household linen categories). These restrictions are currently in effect through April 23, 2026, though the December 2025 expansion decree extends broader tariff protections through December 31, 2026. The restriction targets finished goods, not raw materials. Fabric, yarn, thread, dyes, zippers, buttons, and other manufacturing inputs can still enter under IMMEX for export production — but as noted above, if those inputs come from non-FTA countries, IMMEX does not automatically eliminate exposure to Mexico's protective textile tariffs. Depending on the product, origin, and destination-country duty treatment, manufacturers may still owe some or all of that tariff in Mexico. This dual-layer structure reflects Mexico's broader industrial policy: the country wants manufacturers to produce here, but it also wants them to source regionally. Work with a customs broker to confirm which specific HTS codes are covered, as exemptions exist and the tariff landscape is evolving.

Why Input Sourcing Control Matters

For manufacturers considering textile manufacturing in Mexico, the yarn-forward rule has a direct operational implication: qualifying for USMCA requires control over your supply chain inputs. If your contract manufacturer sources fabric from wherever is cheapest without regard to origin, your goods may not qualify for USMCA and you pay MFN instead of 0%. This is one of the key reasons that running your own operation, with visibility into every input, is particularly important in the textile sector. Under your own operation, you decide which fabrics to source from where, and you can make deliberate trade-off decisions: pay more for USMCA-qualifying fabric to get the 0% tariff, or source cheaper non-USMCA fabric and accept the MFN rate.

What Raw Materials Are Actually Available in Mexico?

This is the practical question that determines which tariff scenario you land in. Mexico is a net importer of textile materials: from January to September 2025, the sector imported $9.87 billion versus $5.56 billion in exports. For every 100 pesos of inputs used by Mexico's textile industry, approximately 55.5 come from domestic sources. That means roughly 44% of inputs are imported. Your ability to source USMCA-qualifying materials depends heavily on what you are making.

The Laguna Region (Coahuila and Durango) deserves special mention. Often described as Mexico's denim heartland, this cluster produces everything from raw cotton processing to finished jeans at scale. Siete Leguas alone produces 300,000 jeans per week across 15 industrial buildings. For denim and basic cotton apparel, a fully USMCA-qualifying supply chain within Mexico is not hypothetical; it is operating today. The U.S. cotton industry is also a major supplier to Mexican mills, and U.S.-origin yarn qualifies under USMCA. The combination of Mexican and U.S. inputs is the most common path to yarn-forward compliance.

For synthetic and specialty fabrics, the picture is different. Mexican yarn producers cannot meet domestic demand for polyester and viscose blends, so a significant share is imported from Asia. Manufacturers working with these materials should engage a customs broker early to determine whether their specific HTS codes appear on the USMCA short supply list. If they do not, the IMMEX temporary import pathway (with MFN on U.S. entry) is the fallback. CANAINTEX, Mexico's national textile industry chamber, publishes regular statistical reports on domestic production capacity and trade flows that can inform this sourcing analysis.

CAFTA-DR countries (Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador) also offer yarn-forward duty-free access to the U.S. and compete with Mexico for cut-and-sew work. However, Mexico's advantage lies in the possibility of building an integrated domestic supply chain in one country. Central American garment producers typically depend on imported fabric, which creates the same yarn-forward qualification challenge. Mexico has a domestic yarn and fabric sector; it is not sufficient for all product categories, but it exists and is growing.

What It Actually Costs to Manufacture Textiles in Mexico

Cost is the first question any manufacturer asks when evaluating textile manufacturing in Mexico, and it is usually the wrong first question. The right first question is landed cost: what does the finished product cost delivered to your U.S. warehouse, including labor, materials, tariffs, freight, and inventory carrying costs? Still, labor is the largest variable, so understanding it accurately is essential.

Labor costs for textile manufacturing in Mexico vary by role, skill level, and region. All figures below are fully fringed, meaning they include base wages plus statutory benefits (aguinaldo, vacation premium, profit sharing), mandatory government contributions (IMSS, INFONAVIT, SAR, state payroll tax), and competitive employer benefits (transportation, cafeteria, attendance bonuses). The total fringe burden approximately doubles the base rate, adding 100–120% above base productive wages.

Based on Tetakawi client payroll benchmarks from Q1 2026, fully fringed hourly rates for textile roles range from approximately $4.52 for an entry-level sewing machine operator in a lower-cost interior region to $8.22 for a pattern cutter with layout and machinery experience, and up to $20.46 for a line supervisor. The anchor figure most useful for planning: $5.56 per hour fully fringed for an entry-level operator at the four-campus average (18.0 MXN/USD). Monthly figures assume Mexico's standard 48-hour workweek (208 productive hours per month). Mexico enacted a constitutional reform in March 2026 to reduce the standard workweek gradually from 48 to 40 hours, with phased implementation expected to begin in 2027. For the complete wage benchmark by role, skill level, and region, see the manufacturing wages guide.

How Mexico Compares to Alternative Textile Sourcing Countries

Labor cost comparisons between countries are only meaningful when you account for the full picture: fringe burden, tariff exposure, logistics, and trade agreement status. The table below puts these pieces together.

Bangladesh and Vietnam are cheaper on raw hourly labor. That is not in dispute. Bangladesh garment workers earn roughly $0.55 per hour at the minimum wage level (12,500 BDT per month, revised December 2023), and Vietnamese textile workers average around $1.85 per hour. Bangladesh secured a bilateral trade deal with the U.S. in February 2026 that sets a 19% general tariff rate, with a 0% pathway for textiles manufactured using U.S.-origin cotton and synthetic fiber. Vietnam faces MFN rates plus an active Section 301 investigation launched in March 2026 targeting manufacturing overcapacity. Neither country can deliver goods overland in one to three days. And both face growing tariff uncertainty: U.S. trade policy has shifted toward bilateral enforcement and reciprocal frameworks, making non-FTA sourcing more volatile and policy-sensitive than it was two years ago. Mexico's advantage is not just labor cost — it is preferential regional access under USMCA, faster replenishment, and lower landed-cost uncertainty.

The landed cost comparison changes dramatically when you layer in tariffs. A textile product manufactured in China at $3.60 per hour fully fringed faces an effective tariff rate of approximately 33–34% entering the U.S., bringing the effective labor component to roughly $4.80. Add 25–35 days of ocean freight, inventory carrying costs, and the operational risk of a 7,000-mile supply chain, and the cost advantage over Mexico's $5.56 entry-level rate narrows to near zero or reverses entirely. For a detailed breakdown of how Mexico compares to both China and the United States on manufacturing labor costs, see Mexico vs. China manufacturing wages and Mexico vs. U.S. labor costs.

Labor costs within Mexico vary significantly by region. An entry-level operator in a border city like Tijuana costs $7.59 per hour fully fringed, while the same role in an interior city like Mazatlán runs $4.84 per hour — a 30–40% difference on direct labor alone. The Northern Border Free Zone carries a higher minimum wage, which directly affects the wage floor. For textile factories focused on export production, the decision between border proximity and interior cost advantage depends on whether your logistics model prioritizes same-day border crossing or whether a one-to-two day truck transit from an interior site is acceptable for your delivery windows. For complete regional benchmarks, see the manufacturing wages guide.

Contract Manufacturing vs. Own Operations: Two Models for Textile Production

Manufacturers entering Mexico for textile production face a fundamental structural decision: contract with a third-party manufacturer who produces goods on your behalf, or set up your own operation where you control the production floor, equipment, processes, and quality standards. Both models exist in Mexico's textile sector, and each fits different situations.

Contract Manufacturing (Cut-and-Sew, CMT)

Under a contract manufacturing or CMT arrangement, a Mexican factory produces goods to your specifications. You provide designs, technical packs, and materials (or the contractor sources them), and the contractor handles production, labor, and facility management. It works for brands that need relatively straightforward production runs, don't require tight process control, and want to avoid capital investment in facilities and equipment. The tradeoffs are real: limited visibility into production quality, potential intellectual property exposure, less flexibility to change production priorities mid-run, and margin stacking that reduces your cost transparency.

Own Operations Under Shelter

Under a shelter manufacturing structure, the foreign company owns and controls the production operation. Your equipment, your processes, your quality standards, your people on the floor. The shelter partner is a Mexican entity that handles the regulatory infrastructure: legal incorporation, IMMEX program certification, employee hiring and payroll administration, customs compliance, tax filings, and environmental permits. You run production; they run Mexico.

This model is particularly important for textile manufacturing where USMCA compliance matters. Under your own operation, you have direct control over material sourcing and can ensure every input meets yarn-forward origin requirements. With a contract manufacturer, you are trusting someone else's supply chain documentation to qualify your goods for duty-free treatment. For manufacturers producing technical textiles (automotive, medical, industrial), where specifications are tight and IP is significant, the own-operation model is the standard approach.

A Manufacturing Campus model extends this further: purpose-built industrial spaces with shared infrastructure like utilities, security, cafeteria services, and transportation for workers. Companies operate independently within their own production space while benefiting from the economies of scale of a multi-tenant campus. Over 5,821 active IMMEX programs operate in Mexico today, and a significant share of new foreign manufacturing entries use the shelter pathway. For background on how the maquiladora and shelter system works, see the maquiladora guide.

How Textile Companies Set Up Manufacturing in Mexico

Setting up textile manufacturing in Mexico under a shelter structure follows a defined sequence. The process is faster than establishing an independent subsidiary because the shelter entity already holds the legal, tax, and customs infrastructure required to operate. Whether you are building a new textile factory from scratch or relocating an existing production line from Asia, the mechanics of establishing operations in Mexico are well established and repeatable.

IMMEX Program: Duty-Free Import of Materials and Equipment

The IMMEX program allows manufacturers to temporarily import raw materials, components, and machinery into Mexico with exemption from standard import duties (IGI), provided the finished goods are exported. For a textile operation, IMMEX covers fabrics, yarn, dyes, thread, zippers, buttons, cutting equipment, sewing machines, and finishing machinery. With IVA/IEPS certification, these temporary imports also avoid the 16% value-added tax upfront, eliminating a major cash flow burden. Two important caveats for textile operations: first, most finished textile products (302 specific tariff items in Chapters 61–63) can no longer enter under IMMEX temporary import as of December 2024; second, IMMEX does not automatically eliminate exposure to Mexico's protective decree tariffs on textile inputs from non-FTA countries (currently 15%). Depending on the product and destination-country duty treatment, manufacturers may still owe some or all of that tariff. Sourcing from USMCA or FTA partners can reduce this exposure. The IMMEX program has been in operation for over 40 years, and more than 3 million workers are employed under IMMEX-registered entities.

Typical Setup Timeline

Under a shelter structure with an existing Manufacturing Campus, the timeline from decision to first production can be as short as 30 days when facility space is available and equipment is ready to ship. More complex setups involving custom buildouts, large equipment transfers, or specialized workforce recruitment typically run three to six months. Either way, this compares favorably to 12–18 months for companies establishing an independent Mexican subsidiary, where legal incorporation, IMMEX registration, IMSS registration, and facility sourcing must be sequenced from scratch.

Campus-ready timeline assumes available facility space, active shelter entity, and equipment ready to ship. Actual timelines vary by operation size, equipment complexity, and workforce requirements.

Regulatory Considerations for Textile Operations

Textile operations in Mexico must comply with NOM-004-SE-2021 labeling standards (fiber composition, country of origin, care instructions) for any products sold domestically, environmental permits for dyeing and finishing operations that generate wastewater (including CNA discharge authorization), and registration in Mexico's Padrón de Importadores Sectorial for textiles — companies that import textile materials must be registered in this sectoral importer registry before any customs clearance can occur. Under a shelter structure, these regulatory obligations are managed by the shelter entity's compliance team, removing them from the foreign manufacturer's operational burden.

Mexico also participates in the OEA (Authorized Economic Operator) program, the Mexican equivalent of the U.S. C-TPAT program. OEA-certified operations benefit from expedited customs processing and fewer physical inspections, with certified companies receiving priority treatment when inspections do occur. For high-volume textile exporters, this translates directly to faster border crossings and reduced supply chain friction.

The regulatory burden of textile manufacturing in Mexico is real but manageable under the right structure. Companies that attempt to navigate incorporation, IMMEX registration, labor law, customs compliance, and environmental permitting independently face a steep learning curve and significant risk of delays. The shelter model exists precisely to eliminate that friction: the Mexican partner has already built the infrastructure, holds the permits, and maintains the institutional relationships. The foreign manufacturer focuses on production. This is the operating model behind the majority of new textile factories that have launched in Mexico over the past five years, and it is the reason that companies with campus-ready space can go from decision to first production in as little as 30 days — or three to six months for more complex custom buildouts.

Related: Download the guide to solving manufacturing labor shortages · What is manufactured in Mexico? A guide to the top industries

Frequently Asked Questions

What tariffs apply to textiles manufactured in Mexico for export to the U.S.?

Textile products manufactured in Mexico that meet USMCA yarn-forward rules of origin qualify for 0% tariff on entry to the United States. The yarn-forward rule requires that yarn spinning, fabric formation, and garment assembly all occur within the USMCA region. Products that do not meet origin requirements face most-favored-nation (MFN) tariff rates, which vary by product classification but typically range from 10% to 32% for textiles and apparel.

Does the USMCA yarn-forward rule apply to all textile products?

The yarn-forward rule applies to most textile and apparel products under USMCA. If your fabric is not available from North American sources, check two things: first, whether the specific yarn or fabric appears on the USMCA short supply list (which would allow you to qualify despite using non-USMCA inputs); second, whether manufacturing in Mexico under IMMEX with MFN tariff rates on U.S. entry still makes sense for your landed cost model. Many manufacturers find that even without USMCA qualification, the proximity and lead time advantages of Mexico production offset MFN tariff rates of 10–32%.

How much does it cost to manufacture apparel in Mexico compared to China?

An entry-level textile operator in Mexico costs $4.52 to $5.56 per hour fully fringed (including all statutory benefits and employer contributions), compared to approximately $2.78 base or $3.60 fully fringed in China. Mexico's hourly labor cost is higher, but Mexico-produced goods that meet USMCA yarn-forward origin rules can qualify for 0% tariff on U.S. entry, while Chinese goods face an effective tariff rate exceeding 33% (Penn Wharton Budget Model, December 2025). When tariffs, ocean freight (25–35 days versus 1–3 days by truck from Mexico), and inventory carrying costs are factored in, the landed cost difference narrows significantly or reverses.

What is the difference between contract manufacturing and shelter manufacturing for textiles?

Under contract manufacturing, a Mexican factory produces goods on your behalf using your designs and specifications. Under shelter manufacturing, you operate your own production facility in Mexico while a shelter partner handles legal, regulatory, customs, and administrative compliance. The shelter model gives manufacturers direct control over production quality, intellectual property, equipment, and USMCA supply chain compliance. Contract manufacturing requires lower upfront investment but offers less control and cost transparency.

Where are Mexico's main textile manufacturing clusters?

Mexico's textile and apparel production concentrates in Puebla, Tlaxcala, and Jalisco for traditional garment manufacturing. Technical textile production (automotive airbags, medical nonwovens, industrial filtration) is distributed across northern states including Coahuila, Sonora, and Nuevo León. Border cities offer proximity to U.S. distribution but carry higher labor costs, while interior regions provide more competitive wage rates and access to experienced textile labor pools.

What is IMMEX and how does it apply to textile operations?

IMMEX (Industria Manufacturera, Maquiladora y de Servicios de Exportación) is Mexico's manufacturing export program that exempts standard import duties on raw materials, components, and machinery temporarily imported for export production. For textile operations, IMMEX covers fabric, yarn, dyes, zippers, buttons, sewing machines, and finishing equipment. With IVA/IEPS certification, manufacturers also avoid upfront payment of the 16% value-added tax. One important caveat for textiles: IMMEX does not automatically eliminate exposure to Mexico's protective decree tariffs on non-FTA textile inputs. Depending on the product, origin, and destination-country duty treatment, manufacturers may still owe some or all of that tariff exposure. Sourcing from USMCA or FTA partners can reduce that risk. Work with a customs broker to confirm your specific tariff treatment before committing to a sourcing strategy.