Toiletries might get more expensive as President Trump has imposed a 50% tariff on certain Canadian goods. This decision, which went into effect last weekend following failed trade negotiations, could raise fiber costs for toilet-paper manufacturers by around 11%. Consumers will likely feel the effects in the coming months, according to an expert who spoke with The Post.
Ronalds Gonzalez, a professor at North Carolina State University, explained that the issue arises because many manufacturers depend on Canadian fiber. Approximately 15% of the fiber used in making toilet paper comes from Canada or the northern U.S., with most being sourced from Canada, he noted.
Toilet paper production uses a blend of long and short fibers. As such, the cost per ton for the raw materials may increase by roughly $735, or about 11%. For paper towels, which rely even more on Canadian long fiber, the expert indicated that prices could potentially rise by 31%.
Gonzalez advised caution in expecting store prices to mirror these increased costs. “Let’s focus on cost instead of price. The U.S. market is highly competitive,” he said. He suggested manufacturers might absorb some of the costs instead of passing them on to consumers entirely.
Consumers may start noticing these price changes within two months, as tissue makers typically maintain inventory for about 45 to 60 days. However, companies could also consider swapping out Canadian fiber for long fiber from southern pine, though this might affect quality.
This could lead to products like toilet paper being “not as soft,” as Gonzalez put it. If brands choose to fully transfer these increased costs to shoppers, it would certainly impact their wallets. For example, a pack of Charmin Ultra could jump to around $14.50 from about $12.99, while a 12-pack of Brawny paper towels might be approximately $26 versus the current $19.97 on Amazon.
All this is happening amid an escalating trade dispute between the U.S. and Canada, which also touches on various other sectors including automobiles and dairy products. The new tariff specifically affects Canadian “toilet or facial tissue stock,” which includes large rolls and sheets that are processed into consumer-ready products. Finished toilet paper, however, is exempt from this tariff.
This puts more pressure on U.S. companies that import Canadian rolls for processing, while domestic manufacturers and those using alternate materials might feel less impact. The U.S. actually produces most of its tissue domestically, with production around 7.8 million tons in 2025.
In contrast, the U.S. registered about 929,000 tons in total imports of toilet, towel, and tissue products in 2024, with Canada supplying about 353,000 tons. It’s clear that Canada plays a significant role in the North American paper trade.
In 2023, the U.S. imported roughly $140 million worth of tissue stock from Canada, making up about a quarter of total imports. At the same time, in 2024, around $328 million worth of finished toilet paper came from Canada.
In response, Canada has announced retaliatory tariffs ranging from 25% to 50% on various U.S. goods, including tissue products, set to begin on September 8, as trade tensions escalate between the two nations.
The Post has requested a comment from the White House.
