Trade has never been certain, and certainly not this year. When we announced that Cascale acquired Sustainable Furnishings Council (SFC) assets in September, we knew alignment would be key to navigating uncertainty.

On October 10, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued guidance that effectively established new Section 232 tariffs on timber, lumber, and derivative wood products. For some goods, these duties already came into effect on October 14, and more escalations are slated for January 1, 2026 including an additional proposed duty on upholstered wood furniture (from 25 percent to 30 percent) and kitchen cabinets and vanities (from 25 percent to 50 percent).

In response to these new Section 232 tariffs, SFC offered the following recommendations:

• Urges the Administration to ensure new furniture and lumber tariffs don’t penalize companies committed to responsible sourcing.

• Calls for clear exclusions for FSC-certified, low-carbon, and traceable imports — protecting progress on climate and circularity goals.

• Reaffirms its commitment to evidence-based, market-driven sustainability that strengthens both U.S. manufacturing – and scales impact beyond the U.S. – through proven and ethical global environmental stewardship.

Even without this adherence, we remind our members and the Cascale community that ethical business matters in these times. As Cascale has asserted in the past, the global impact of tariffs is wide-reaching, spanning the entire value chain. It’s our hope that through collaboration between SFC and Cascale, we can scale the change needed further, in the U.S. and beyond.

We have a substantial impact together. As a refresher, SFC, with its 124 members, is the leading sustainability resource center for the home furnishings industry, focusing on suppliers, manufacturers, retailers of interior furnishings, and the designers who specify them. The information, education, and tools provided by SFC promote transparency and encourage action to mitigate the environmental and health impacts of our industry. And, of course, Cascale covers not just apparel, textiles, and footwear – but the wider swath of the consumer goods industry, which includes home furnishings.

Responsible business can be the norm. With tariffs creating real uncertainty across the furniture sector, it starts with sustainable sourcing. As I have witnessed during my time as executive director of SFC, our members strive to incorporate responsibly-sourced wood (Forest Stewardship Council-certified, Sustainable Forestry Initiative, or reclaimed) into their supply chains to combat climate change. As many U.S. furniture manufacturers and retailers are sourcing and importing wood, cabinetry, and upholstered wood furniture from outside of the U.S., SFC educates about and promotes responsible sourcing from well-managed forests. These encompass those that do not contribute to illegal logging, deforestation, forest degradation, biodiversity loss, or human or labor rights violations.

So as the trade landscape evolves, together with Cascale, we aim to drive equitable and restorative business practices in the consumer goods industry, while ensuring members know the importance of maintaining resilient and ethical business practices.