Astral Designs announced that it was streamlining its operations, reducing its full-time staff by 14 percent and increasing prices on average by 10 percent at the start of 2026, to offset the impact of tariffs.
News of the changes was announced in a social media post by Philip Curry, Astral’s CEO, who founded the business in 2002. Based in Astral, NC, Astral makes footwear, apparel and life jackets.
The full message reads as follows:
Thanks for being part of the Astral family and for taking a moment to read this message.
I want to share an update about how recent tariffs are affecting our business and what we’re doing to stay strong for the long haul.
Over the past few years, we’ve worked closely both with both new and long-time manufacturing partners to diversify our sourcing. Before the tariffs, all of our footwear, apparel and PFDs were made by our friends in China. Today, every pair of Astral shoes is built in Indonesia, and most of our PFDs come from Cambodia.
Despite these efforts, the new tariffs still add around 20 percent to our total product costs. Because our net profit has averaged about 5 percent [For comparison, Nike runs around 15 percent], absorbing those costs completely would quickly put us in the red – and out of business.
To move forward, we’ve made some tough decisions. We streamlined operations, reduced full-time staff by 14 percent, and starting January 1, 2026, we’ll be increasing prices by an average of 10 percent.
We’re letting you know early so you can pick up any gear you’ve been eyeing before the change – and before holiday inventory runs low.
Our mission remains unchanged: to build the highest performing gear possible, designed to protect the maximum amount of soil + water. We appreciate your trust, loyalty and support as we navigate these changes together.
With gratitude,
Philip Curry
Image courtesy Astral
