Trump floats lower tariffs on human hair, edible bugs in new list

Driving the news: The president issued an executive order Friday night creating a framework that allows for lower tariff rates on certain kinds of goods, depending on the deals countries make.

• Most of that list covers crucial products that generally may not be made in the U.S., or available in sufficient quantities, from foods like bananas and coffee, to certain aircraft parts and the like.

Yes, but: The list is more than 70 pages long, and the more you read, the more obscure items you find.

Among the specific items included:

• 💈 "Human hair, unworked, whether or not washed or scoured; waste of human hair"
• 🦗 "Edible insects"
• 🦜 "Live psittaciform birds (including parrots, parakeets, macaws and cockatoos)"

Zoom out: Some of these products are big business, while others are more obscure.

• Data suggest imports of unworked human hair fell substantially in 2024, becoming one of the country's least-imported products. Nonetheless, it has value for hairdressers and wigmakers, among others.
• Recent research indicates edible insect demand is growing, though domestic production has not kept up.

Reality check: Don't expect prices to fall immediately — these products will still be tariffed, and some may or may not be assessed lower rates, depending on what deals are made.

The bottom line: Tariffs touch everything in the economy, the barber and the pet shop included.