U.S. Tariff Shifts Put Sauna Imports from Europe Under Growing Pressure

The U.S. sauna industry is facing a new cost reality. A combination of broad tariffs on EU-origin goods and Section 232 duties on timber products has raised import costs on the heaters, controls, and thermally modified wood that form the backbone of premium sauna construction in North America. For an industry that sources heavily from Finland, Estonia, and Latvia, the pricing impact is hard to avoid.

What Changed

Under the current U.S.-EU trade framework, EU-origin goods face a general tariff rate of approximately 15%. Section 232 tariffs on timber and wood products, which took effect in late 2025, add further duties that affect thermally modified lumber imports. These measures are not sauna-specific, but sauna products sit squarely in the crosshairs because of where they're made and what they're made from.

The relevant HTS codes span electric sauna heaters (8516.29, with a base duty of 3.7%), prefabricated sauna cabins (9406.10, base duty 2.6%), and various thermally modified timber classifications under Chapter 44. The layering of broad EU tariffs on top of existing product-specific duties is what's creating the squeeze.

The largest European manufacturer selling into the U.S. market has publicly confirmed the margin impact. On Harvia's Q3 2025 earnings call, CEO Matias Järnefelt acknowledged that the tariff regime was lifting unit costs for the company's U.S. business.

"Tariffs also apply higher cost of goods sold due to tariffs and currency exchange rates." — Matias Järnefelt, CEO, Harvia Plc, Q3 2025 earnings call, 6 November 2025

Asked how aggressively the company would pass those costs through, Järnefelt described the posture as cautious: "It's also a little bit of a balancing act, what's the right strategy and right pace?" In the Q4 2025 call three months later, he confirmed Harvia had nudged prices: "We can push our gross margin through price increases, which we have been actually doing during 2025."

The tariffs do not currently apply to Canadian-manufactured products or to infrared sauna panels, which are predominantly sourced from China and South Korea under different HTS classifications.

Industry Impact

Finnish and Estonian manufacturers dominate the premium sauna heater segment in the U.S. Harvia, HUUM, Narvi, and IKI are all based in Finland or Estonia, and their products are found in the majority of traditional saunas sold through specialty dealers. Latvia and Estonia are also major sources of thermally modified wood used in sauna construction.

Key Context: EU-origin goods face ~15% tariff under the current U.S.-EU framework. Section 232 timber duties add further costs to wood imports. Base duties on sauna heaters (HTS 8516.29): 3.7%. Base duties on prefab sauna cabins (HTS 9406.10): 2.6%.

Sauna from Finland, the industry association representing over 250 Finnish sauna companies, has raised concerns about the cumulative effect of these trade measures on Finnish exporters and their U.S. distribution partners.

Consumer Pricing Outlook

Distributors report that retail sauna prices in the U.S. have already crept up 5-10% over the past year, driven by the combination of tariff costs and elevated shipping rates. The impact is most pronounced in the premium segment, where Finnish-manufactured products dominate. Some importers are exploring alternative sourcing from Canadian manufacturers and domestic producers, though options remain limited for high-end heaters.

Trade policy between the U.S. and EU remains fluid, with ongoing Section 301 investigations covering 16 economies expected to produce results by mid-2026. The sauna industry has no dedicated trade lobby in Washington, which leaves it particularly exposed to broad-based tariff actions. SaunaNews will continue tracking developments as they affect pricing and sourcing across the supply chain.

The cumulative weight of U.S. trade policy is raising costs on European sauna imports. Distributors who haven't already modeled for higher landed costs should start now.