A growing number of vape brands are marketing themselves as USA-made as tariffs and a federal crackdown target Chinese devices, Reuters reported on April 7, 2026.
What Reuters found
- Since October 2025, at least eight new vape brands playing up USA credentials have appeared on store shelves. All lack FDA permission to be sold.
- At least two are Chinese or Hong Kong-owned, trademark documents and business filings show.
- One brand’s site says “Vape American” and shows a “built in the USA” stamp. Its trademark is held by a Hong Kong company. Another, OneTank, carries a “made in USA” stamp and is controlled by a representative of a Shenzhen company. Reuters could not verify where either is made.
- Charlie’s Holdings opened its first USA factory in December to fill one of its disposable vapes with e-liquid. Its annual report says the devices are produced by a Chinese manufacturing partner.
A Barclays analyst said the brands may be betting that USA branding makes them less likely to “catch the eyes” of customs officials. The FDA said it is illegal to sell unauthorized vapes regardless of where they are made.
Why it matters for Made in USA
Using a “Made in USA” stamp on a device made largely abroad is the kind of claim the FTC says is deceptive, and the March 2026 executive order tells the FTC to prioritize such cases. Filling an imported device with USA-made liquid would not meet the “all or virtually all” standard for an unqualified claim. Chinese trade data shows no drop in vape shipments to the USA, with more than $4 billion exported in 2025.
Related: Executive Order 14392 directs the FTC to prioritize false Made in USA claims.
FAQ
How many vape brands are pushing USA claims?
Reuters counted at least eight new brands since October 2025.
Are these vapes legal?
Reuters said all eight lack FDA permission for sale. The FDA has authorized only 41 vapes.
Does filling a vape with USA liquid make it Made in USA?
Not for an unqualified claim. The FTC requires the product to be all or virtually all made in the USA.
Source & credit
Originally reported by Reuters (Emma Rumney), April 7, 2026, via WTVB: “Vape makers turn to ‘Made in America’ credentials amid Trump’s tariffs, crackdown”