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Report from
North America
US imports of topical hardwood productshigher in
2025, but flooring and furniture fell
Despite the imposition of various tariffs and the confusion
brought by uncertainty brought about by frequent tariff
changes, US imports of tropical hardwood and many
related products rose in 2025.
Imports of hardwood plywood jumped 19% to more than
3.28 million cubic metres with a value of nearly US$2.1
billion. Imports of sawn tropical hardwood rose 9% to
195,825 cubic metres, tropical hardwood veneer imports
rose 20% and imports of hardwood mouldings rose 11%.
However, US imports fell in two of the largest categories,
flooring and furniture. Imports of wooden furniture into
the US fell year on year 9% in 2025, from US$21.2 billion
to US$19.4 billion.
Imports of assembled flooring panels fell from US$340.7
million in 2024 to US$300.3 million, a 12% drop, while
hardwood flooring imports fell 5%, from US$71.1 million
to US$67.3 million in 2025.
US hardwood plywood imports soared 19% in 2025
In 2025 US imports of hardwood plywood rose 19% over
the previous year according to figures from the US
Department of Agriculture. At over 3.28 million cubic
metres, imports were their strongest since 2022.
The top supplier for the year in volume was Indonesia
while Viet Nam led in the dollar value. Imports from both
countries rose in value and volume by more than 30% in
2025.
Imports from China took a big hit in 2025, falling to
nearly half of their 2024 volume. While imports improved
versus last year, imports have tapered recently, falling for
a third straight month in December. Monthly volumes
dropped 12% in December and was 22% below December
2024 figures.
Tropical hardwood imports rose 9% in 2025
The United States imported 195,825 cubic metres of sawn
tropical hardwood in 2025, a 9% increase in imports over
the previous year the US Department of Agriculture
reported.
Imports from Brazil, the leading supplier, grew 17% in
2025 while imports from Malaysia, the second-biggest
supplier, grew 23%. Imports from Indonesia, another top
supplier, fell 16% in 2025.
Sapelli led in wood volume at 29,641 m3, gaining 4% from
2024, while imports of Balsa, Teak and Keruing also
showed healthy increases.
In Canada, a 47% plunge in December imports left
volumes 25% below that of December 2024 and pushed
the 2025 import total below that of 2024 by around 1%.
For the year, imports from Malaysia and Ghana both fell
sharply while imports from the Rep. Congo nearly
doubled.
Veneer imports see 20% yearly gain
US imports of tropical hardwood veneer surged in 2025,
gaining 20% over the previous year. Imports from top-
supplier Cameroon grew 29% in 2025, accounting for over
one third of the more than US$32.8 million in total veneer
imports.
Imports from Italy rose by 414% in 2025 to become the
second biggest supplier. Imports from China saw 17%
growth while imports from Cote-d’Ivoire faltered, dipping
40% over the year. In December, imports rose 3% from
the previous month and were 17% higher than the same
month a year ago.
2025 moulding imports highest since 2017
US imports of hardwood mouldings rose 11% in 2025. At
nearly US$182 million, imports were at their highest level
since 2017. Imports from top-supplier Canada rose 24% in
2025 to over US$59.4 million while imports from Brazil
and Malaysia saw gains of 14% and 13%, respectively.
Imports from China fell by 1% for the year after plunging
93% in December to their lowest level in more than 15
years. In December, hardwood moulding imports rose 7%
from the previous month and were 5% higher than the
previous December.
Hardwood flooring and flooring panel imports
retreated in 2025
At just under US$67.3 million, US imports of hardwood
flooring fell 5% in 2025. Imports dropped from most
countries in 2025 but imports from Malaysia skyrocketed.
Imports from Malaysia rose 235% for the year, overtaking
Indonesia and Brazil as the top US supplier of hardwood
flooring.
Imports from Brazil fell by 51% for the year while imports
from China were off 45%. Monthly imports for December
fell 21% from the previous month but were 3% higher
than in December 2024.
Imports of assembled flooring panels fell sharply in 2025,
dropping 12% from the previous year to just over US$300
million. While imports from top trade partner Canada rose
15%, imports fell sharply from other leading trade partners
like Thailand (down 58%), China (down 50%), Brazil
(down 36%) and Viet Nam (down 26%).
December imports rose 13% from November but were
15% lower than in December 2024.
Wooden furniture imports dropped in 2025
US imports of wooden furniture fell by 9% in 2025,
declining more than US$1.8 billion from 2024. At
US$19.37 billion, imports fell to their lowest level since
the COVID epidemic year of 2020.
Imports from top-supplier Viet Nam were flat in 2025 but
still accounted for more than US$8.9 billion. Imports from
most other leading suppliers fell. Imports from China
dropped 43% and imports from Canada, Mexico and India
all fell more than 10%. December imports rose 11% above
November but were 15% below imports from last
December.
As for the overall US furniture market, furniture shipments
ended 2025 down 1% compared to 2024 and new orders
were even with 2024, according to Smith Leonard
Accountants & Consultants. December shipments were
flat compared both with November and the previous
December while new orders were up 1% compared to
December 2024.
"It’s certainly not what people were hoping for coming
into 2025, but perhaps a relative win in light of the
challenges presented by the year’s disruptions,” said Mark
Laferriere, assurance partner at Smith Leonard. Laferriere
noted that the hostilities in Iran and the ongoing tariff
situation will weigh upon the US furniture market in 2026,
but that housing might be improving.
“There is some good news coming out of housing with the
affordability index improving across all regions, which
coupled with the continued decline in interest rates could
drive the increased activity within the industry for 2026
we’ve been looking for," Laferriere said.
Indonesia plywood assessed as being sold at less
than fair value
The US Department of Commerce announced its
preliminary affirmative determinations in the anti-
dumping duty (AD) investigations of hardwood and
decorative plywood from China, Indonesia and Viet Nam.
A March Federal Register Announcement stated, "The US
Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily
determines that hardwood and decorative plywood
(plywood) from Indonesia is being, or likely to be, sold in
the United States at less than fair value (LTFV). The
period of investigation (POI) was 1 April 2024, through 31
March 31 2025."
Upon the preliminary determination’s March 2 publication
in the Federal Register, US Customs and Border
Protection (CBP) has begun collecting preliminary duties
on entries of hardwood and decorative plywood from
China, Indonesia and Viet Nam. Commerce also found
that critical circumstances exist with respect to imports of
hardwood and decorative plywood from China.
As a result, duties are being collected on entries of
hardwood and decorative plywood from China that were
entered on or after 90 days before publication of the
preliminary determination.
The antidumping duties are in addition to preliminary
countervailing duties calculated last month by the
Commerce Department, which ranged from 2.40% to
128.66% for Indonesia, 4.37% to 26.75% for Viet Nam
and a country-wide rate of 81.34% for China.
Commerce’s AD investigations will continue over the
coming months, as well as its parallel investigations of
countervailing subsidies from China, Indonesia and Viet
Nam. Commerce’s final determinations for Indonesia and
Viet Nam are currently scheduled for mid-July 2026.
Commerce’s final determination for China is currently
scheduled for mid-May 2026 but could be extended until
July 2026.
See:
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/03/02/2026-
04001/hardwood-and-decorative-plywood-from-indonesia-
preliminary-affirmative-determination-of-sales-at
and
https://www.marketwatch.com/press-release/commerce-
department-issues-affirmative-preliminary-antidumping-duty-
determinations-on-hardwood-and-decorative-plywood-from-
china-indonesia-and-Viet Nam-wiley-reports-5c457d1f
Senators introduce legislation to exclude building
materials from tariffs
US Senators Jacky Rosen of Nevada and Chris Coons of
Delaware have introduced a bill to exclude homebuilding
materials from President Donald Trump’s tariffs that the
senators say will help lower home construction costs.
The Housing Tariff Exclusion Act would automatically
exempt many homebuilding materials from Trump’s
current and future tariffs and allow importers to apply for
tariff exemptions on homebuilding materials that aren’t
automatically exempted.
Following the Supreme Court’s decision declaring many
of Trump’s broad tariffs illegal, Trump doubled down and
implemented a new 10% tariff on global imports,
including critical homebuilding materials, which could
make it more expensive to build new housing.
See:
https://www.woodworkingnetwork.com/news/woodworking-
industry-news/senate-bill-excludes-building-materials-tariffs
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