The latest U.S. tariff hikes on imported lumber, furniture and kitchen cabinets, from 10 percent to 50 percent, has drawn criticism for exacerbating costs for American consumers and hindering industries that depend on foreign materials.

The new tariffs will "create additional headwinds for an already challenged housing market by further raising construction and renovation costs," said National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) chairman Buddy Hughes in an interview with AFP.

U.S. home sales have been gloomy in recent years, with high mortgage rates and limited inventory pushing up costs for buyers.

The tariff hikes have also raised concerns among manufacturers and economists. Higher tariffs may increase the financial burden on manufacturers, slow the pace of homebuilding, and elevate building costs – ultimately putting more strain on homebuyers in the United States. 

Arin Schultz, chief growth officer at Naturepedic, an organic mattress and furniture manufacturer, told The New York Times that his company is already raising prices to offset the new tariffs and may consider switching suppliers.

Naturepedic, which manufactures mattresses in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, imports furniture and materials from Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Pakistan.

Schultz mentioned that the company had already planned a 5 to 10 percent price increase even before the latest tariffs went into effect due to stock depletion.

"We're not trying to pass the cost off to our consumers completely," Mr Schultz said. "We're still going to be eating a good amount of it."

Daryl Fairweather, chief economist at Redfin, a real estate brokerage, also weighed in, pointing out that the tariffs undermine the goal of making housing more affordable. "In the end, this will lead to fewer homes being built," Fairweather said.

While acknowledging the tariffs could benefit some domestic producers including domestic cabinet makers and carpenters, Anirban Basu, chief economist at the Associated Builders and Contractors, cautioned that these industries are highly labor-intensive. This makes it difficult for production to shift to the U.S., where labor costs are high.

"What that means is the prospects of those forms of production moving to America are rather slender."

The tariffs have not only sparked domestic outcry but have also been condemned internationally. Canada, one of the world's largest lumber producers and a major supplier to the U.S., and Swedish furniture giant Ikea, both voiced opposition to the new tariffs.

The 10 percent tariff on softwood lumber from Canada means the cost of Canadian lumber – a key U.S. import – has now risen by more than 45 percent.

The BC Lumber Trade Council, which represents British Columbia's lumber producers in Canada on trade matters, called the new tariffs "misguided and unnecessary" in September.

"This will impose needless strain on the North American market, threaten jobs on both sides of the border, and make it harder to address the housing supply crisis in the United States," the council added.

Economist Stephen Brown of Capital Economics told AFP that since 30 percent of U.S. lumber is sourced from Canada, the new 10 percent tariff could raise the cost of building an average home by up to $2,200.

Swedish furniture giant Ikea said the tariffs on furniture imports are making doing business "more difficult."

"The tariffs are impacting our business similarly to other companies, and we are closely monitoring the evolving situation," the company said.

(With input from agencies)