This Twitch streamer and YouTuber explains the staggering effect tariffs will have on the price of his merch

Ludwig, the content created behind Mogul Mail and the podcast The Yard, took to X to inform his followers that tariffs would have a significant impact on the price of his merchandise.

Ludwig.gg, the online store where the steamer sells his goods, does not detail where the merchandise is manufactured. Nevertheless, with 10 percent tariffs slapped on exports from close to all countries and a 145 percent tariff on imports from China, those dependent on foreign manufacturing are sure to feel the pinch.

In his point on X, Ludwig joked that he had received “the estimates for our merch after the new tariffs,” and the numbers weren’t “that bad.”

How prices compare before and after tariffs have gone into effect

On the site currently, Ludwig sells a T-shirt for $40 and a crew neck sweatshirt for $65. Based on the impact tariffs will have, the prices rise to $74 (an 85 percent increase) for a shirt and $293 for a sweatshirt (a staggering 350 percent increase). The content creator ended the post by joking that his fans continued to support him during these “uncertain times.” The post is unclear about whether these prices reflect the costs the individual will incur for manufacturing and importing the goods, or if they represent the prices needed for consumers to pay in order to break even on production or maintain the profit margin that was previously established.

Ludwig looks to the domestic appeal manufacturing market

Ludwig did not add any details on when or if the shop’s prices will be updated, but did reply to a comment telling him he should consider sourcing in the United States, to which he said he was actively looking into it.

Though that seems like an easy fix, the US textile industry has fallen by the wayside over the last four decades. According to Happy Eco News, in 1970, around 70 percent of apparel consumed in the US was produced domestically. Today, Life Style Monitor reports that the figure is close to 3 percent. Much of the merchandise industry for celebrities is made abroad, where textiles can be produced at a fraction of the cost because lower wages are offered (or imposed) on workers.

Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics on the decrease in workers in the apparel manufacturing sector over the last 35 is quite staggering. In 1990, around 938,000 workers were employed in the industry, and since then, the number has fallen to around 84,000.

As content creators like Ludwig determine their best path forward, they may find limited options for domestic production, but the tariff policy could stimulate growth in the US textile and apparel sector. If such growth were to occur, driven by increased demand from those selling merchandise or importing apparel from abroad, it is essential to evaluate the quality of the jobs created, as textiles and appeal production is a notoriously labor-intensive process, that is ripe with exploitation.

A friend of Ludwig’s, Hasan Piker, has collaborated with suppliers in the US for his merchandise, which is all union-made. Interestingly, a T-shirt from Piker is priced at $35, cheaper than Ludwig’s offer, while a sweatshirt is slightly pricier, at around $70.

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