Packaging in 2026: Finding Opportunity Through Tariffs and Change

How can this still be happening?

That is the question a lot of businesses are asking right now. If the Supreme Court said certain tariffs were illegal, why are importers still dealing with tariffs, freight spikes, and higher landed costs?

The simple answer: not all tariffs were removed.

The Supreme Court ruled that tariffs imposed under IEEPA emergency authority were not legal, but other tariff programs are still alive, including China Section 301 tariffs and steel/aluminum-related tariffs under Section 232. That means many imported packaging materials can still be affected depending on the product, material, country of origin, and tariff classification.

And while businesses are trying to sort that out, freight costs are climbing again. Drewry reported its World Container Index surged to $4,530 per 40-foot container on July 2, 2026, with Shanghai-to-Los Angeles and Shanghai-to-New York rates both rising sharply.

So here we are again: tariffs, freight increases, early shipping rushes, and buyers trying to figure out whether China, overseas production, or USA-made packaging makes the most sense.

For cosmetic packaging, glass bottles, aluminum, tins, closures, labels, jars, and custom-branded packaging, the answer is not one-size-fits-all.

USA-made packaging can be a smart choice when speed, smaller runs, domestic marketing, or supply-chain control matter most. But for many custom components, molded glass, specialty caps, pumps, sprayers, metal packaging, and high-volume branded packaging, overseas production can still be the most cost-effective option — even with tariffs and freight added in.

That does not mean overseas is always better. It means every quote needs to be looked at as a landed cost, not just a factory price.

At MSN Packaging, we help customers compare the real numbers: product cost, tooling, freight, tariffs, lead time, minimums, and branding requirements. Sometimes USA-made is the better move. Sometimes overseas still wins. And sometimes the smartest answer is a blended sourcing plan.

Because in this market, guessing is expensive.

The packaging world is still dealing with tariff confusion, freight pressure, and supply-chain surprises. But your business still needs bottles, jars, tins, tubes, labels, cartons, and custom packaging that gets delivered and makes sense financially.

That is where MSN Packaging comes in.

We help brands source smarter, compare options, and build packaging programs that work in the real world — tariffs, freight, delays, and all.

Visit msnpackaging.com to start your next packaging quote.