Louis Liu

After the Supreme Court struck down IEEPA tariffs and USMCA hit its 2026 review, the China vs Mexico math has shifted again. Here is a category-by-category guide grounded in what is actually possible for small and mid-sized consumer brands.

Private label sits between white label and custom manufacturing. You get some customization without starting from zero. But when is that enough, and when do you need full custom? Here is the breakdown.

White label gets you to market fast with someone else's product and your logo on it. Custom product development is slower and more expensive, but you own the IP and the differentiation. The right path depends on what you're trying to build.