Why Are We Still Married to China? Let’s Talk Indian, Mexican, and Other Fireworks

[PyroFL]

I’ll just say it the U.S. consumer fireworks industry is dangerously dependent on China and most people are too afraid or too lazy to talk about alternatives

With tariffs showing no sign of letting up shipping rates climbing and suppliers passing the buck it might be time to ask:

Why aren't we seriously considering imports from India, Mexico, or other countries?

Some of us are spending thousands per year and for what?

Higher prices, longer delays and the same tired excuses

Here’s what I’ve discovered:

- India: Brands like Sri Fireworks and Standard Fireworks are making serious moves. Some of their consumer cakes and shells are approaching (if not already matching) mid-tier Chinese quality
- Mexico: Mostly shells and ground salutes more boutique or specialty level, but reliable and close to home
- Poland / Eastern Europe: Primarily 1.3G and pro-sumer, but they’re hungry for export and might fill the gap for high-end pyro
- Vietnam / Philippines: Not common yet, but they’re capable of stepping in with the right investment

Questions for the group:

- Has anyone here actually fired off Indian or Mexican-made products? Be honest … how did they perform?
- Why do U.S. wholesalers continue to act like China is the only game in town?
- Do you believe some U.S. companies are already sourcing from India quietly while still charging “China tariff” prices?
- Would you support a shift if the product was just as good or even close, but not made in China?

I’m not trying to stir controversy, just wondering what others think about the future of consumer fireworks if China becomes too expensive or inconsistent. With the 250th anniversary coming up in 2026, supply and demand are only going to get tighter

ADD NOTE:


If any distributors are reading this transparency is currency. If you’re importing from India, own it.

You might find a customer base ready to support you right here on pyrotalk. Talk to Dave and start running ad’s!!!

[PyroFL]

Would really like some feed back on this from everyone to find a possible solution

[Icooclast]

i have asked something similar to this question before (only switching to Japan as the importer) they make some great fireworks, from what i've seen. long story short; all the over head on things like worker wages/safety factors//treatment, it would not be cost-effective to get it from Japan, at that time, but this may change with all these tariffs.

so far Japan seems to be our only shot. i mean they have a freaking city dedicated to fireworks, even have man-hole covers for the town that are fireworks. and lets face it from what i am hearing about their population getting way more older people than young, they may be short on people to work in the factories and such. so,we could also send some american workers to them as well (that are the proper age, of course)

[topshelfpyro]

Fireworks are imported into the USA to the tune of MILLIONS of pounds per year. MILLIONS! No other country has the capability of volume that China has. None.
Producing in the USA is a fantasy even if it was started on the infrastructure today it would be 10+ years for a semblence of capability. And when you went to buy something it would cost 5x the price you pay now best case.

[BMoore]

First of all, yes I have has shot Mexican made shells and I call the quality poor if not down right dangerous. I've not seen anything out of India, but your own comment of "approaching mid-tier Chinese quality" doesn't give me any warm and fuzzys. Remember, we are talking about explosives here. Quality not only means display quality but also safety. Finally, Eastern European. That is the cadillac of fireworks in my opinion, especially on the display side. But, they simply don't have the production capacity. The factories in Europe or similar to what was in the U.S. up until around the 1970's. Smaller family owned businesses turning out a small supply. No way they can meet the production demands that China is able to fulfill.

At the end of the day, you simply can't shift production with out a sizeable a multi-million dollar investment in production capacity, warehousing and labor and it doesn't happen over night. Where does that capital come from? Your U.S. based fireworks businesses are being cut off at the knees because they can't bring in and sell inventory which is their lifeblood. The whole shift manufacturing to another country or bring it to the U.S. sounds good on paper, but the reality is that all the players will be bankrupt before it could ever happen.

[Salutecake]

Agreed BMoore. I have not shot any Mexican fireworks but have watched a few go off, not in the least impressed, I don't know about dangerous but I will agree on your expertise.
I have seen videos of fireworks from other coungtries and was impressed, but again getting to mass produce fireworks is all together a different animal.

It would be nice to have other countries at least start to create some competitiion with China but as BMoore states, that doesn't happen over night.

To manufacture here, never happen, we don't even have the raw resources and where would you find workers in the US to work 10 hr days 6 days a week handling explosives?

[KDirk]

I have to concur that US manufacture will never happen, there are just too many impediments for it to be practical. I've not (knowingly) fired any product of Mexican origin, but videos I've watched of (at least purportedly) Mexican shells didn't much impress me. Now, we may be forced to lower our expectations on the presentation side of things if importing from other than China in the furure, but sacrificing product safety is a non-starter. Mexican pyro manufacturing appears to have a marginal reputation for the latter.

I will say with the quantity and variety of (Chinese) product I've shot the last few years, that the number of "duds" (no fire) products I had can be counted on one hand. I've had one cake do a "misfire" where something that was supposed to be launched upwards came out an odd angle and landed in the weeds a distance from the shoot field. I immediately paused the show and was on that stray with a water bucket, and noted what cake it came from, and I've not purchased that one again. My point being that overall, Chinese product quality has been surprisingly good.

I'm not thrilled about being "married" to China for pyro, or anything else, really. But while there are some things we can and definitely should bring back here reasonably for domestic manufacture, China has been, and will remain a manufacturing powerhouse for all manner of product, largely because their standards for employee and environmental protection aren't nearly as strong as it is here. They also have innate and historical expertise at the large scale making of some products, pyro being one of them. If India or Eastern Europe can fill some of the consumer product need in the longer term, I'm all for it. But the infrastructure simply doesn't exist today for either to step in and fill a fraction of the supply that China has been selling the US for decades.

As to the US distributors, I guess this is a do or die moment. If the tariffs on Chinese pyro cannot somehow be rolled back, and/or a significant portion of the needed supply filled by manufacture in other countries (taking into account the caveats already discussed) then they are in a very bad spot, indeed. As are we as pyro hobbyists/enthusiasts, but at least our livelihoods aren't dependent on what is really a purely discretionary product category. If you are a fireworks wholesaler, or a commerical operater doing large shows with Chinese product, you are rightfully swearing bullets right now.

[PyroFL]

Thanks for the thoughtful replies. This is exactly the kind of discussion I hoped for

A few quick clarifications from my end:

Yes, I fully agree that no one country can currently match China’s production capacity. That’s not up for debate. The issue isn’t whether China has the infrastructure today. The issue is how long we’re willing to stay dependent on it without actively building alternatives. Because if we’re honest, every year we delay diversification, we double down on a fragile supply chain and rising costs.

This isn’t about bringing fireworks manufacturing back to the U.S. I agree that’s a fantasy. Labor laws, regulations, safety totally impractical at scale.

But what about hybrid importing strategies?

Could we not start building relationships with Indian factories already showing promise?

Bring in select Eastern European items for quality-first effects?

Lean into Mexican manufacturing for specialty items, even if it’s not bulk volume?

Pressure distributors to be transparent about origins so consumers can vote with their wallets?

As for Indian products being “mid-tier,” keep in mind mid-tier Chinese product in 2010 would be considered pretty darn good today.

If India’s chasing that level, that’s not a knock it’s a signal they’re closing the gap.

Let’s not forget that China’s quality wasn’t always what it is now. It got better because we invested, advised and bought consistently. We gave them the reps.

If we never start with India or elsewhere, they’ll never evolve.

Regarding safety: completely agree, it’s non-negotiable, but safety can be vetted. That’s what third-party testing is for.

If we say no just because “they’re not China,” we’ll never get out from under China.

This isn’t about ditching China. It’s about stop pretending like it’s our only option.

As for transparency, I’ll say it again. Distributors, if you're sourcing outside China, own it. Some of us will pay a premium for non-China products if the quality and safety are close. With 2026 on the horizon, now is the time to shift some dollars while it’s still a choice, not a crisis.

[Salutecake]

If I'm not mistaked, and I hope someone here can clarify, but aren't there some goofy rules about importing fireworks from other countries to the US. I thought I remember someone saying our customs agents will not accept fireworks from some other countries???? sothing on that order??

Anyway Trump needs to removethe tariff.

[PyroFL]

You’re right to bring this up. There are definitely some quirky rules around importing fireworks into the U.S., but it’s not a complete roadblock. It’s more about understanding the process and working within the guidelines.

First, all consumer fireworks imported to the U.S. have to meet standards set by multiple agencies, including:

- Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Sets performance, composition and labeling standards to ensure consumer safety. This covers everything from explosive content to stability and ignition reliability
- Department of Transportation (DOT) Regulates the classification, packaging and transportation of fireworks. This includes HAZMAT designations and requirements for how fireworks can be shipped and stored safely
- Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Primarily oversees 1.3G fireworks, but also enforces some rules for large-scale consumer fireworks importers, especially regarding storage and handling.

This means that even if we look to diversify imports the products still have to pass multiple layers of U.S. regulations before they can hit store shelves. That’s why transparency from distributors is so critical if they’re sourcing from non-China locations, they need to be upfront about it both for quality control and regulatory compliance.

As for the tariffs, I get it!

I wouldn’t mind seeing them rolled back either. Betting on political shifts is risky business. Even if tariffs are removed tomorrow, we’d still be facing supply chain risks, labor cost differences and production capacity challenges. That’s why diversifying sources might be a smarter long-term strategy even if it’s just for part of the supply chain.

If you know more about the specific customs restrictions you’re thinking of, I’d love to hear it. I’m all for figuring out where the real roadblocks are so we can make informed choices.

[Salutecake]

As far as us as consumers, probably our best bet would be to start writing to the NFA, APA plus the major importers to look into alternatives for us. Pserhaps in the past they have checked in on this but determined China was the best option. Times have changed - from a pandemic to tariffs, fireworks, (manufactures to comsumers) have been having a tough time for about 5 years now. Perhaps at this time, a second look might be advantageous.

[OhmsOutlaw]

Yeah, it's been tough the past few years. As a hobbyist, it's borderline shameful how much I spend, and I refuse to pay the Trump Tax on top of that. Even if somehow the tariffs are removed today, there's no faith in tomorrow. I have enough product for a July 4th show, then I'm selling off my equipment and getting out. The camel's back has been broken.

[PyroFL]

Have anything you’re looking to move am in Birmingham this weekend working.

PM if you like

[rthruska]

I would not recommend Mexican products currently. I have shot up to 12 in Mexican shells. The 12 in had hang fire and shot 10-15 sec late and was extremely disappointing. At least the shells are half the cost of Chinese shells but the quality is maybe 20 percent. IMO not worth buying at any cost....maybe in a couple decades they will refine their shell building techniques. I think we have to hope for negotiations with china to go through/exemptions made or the industry just will never be the same

[jr99svt]

Bring back Brazilian Fireworks! I need 540 salutes of multiple sizes in 4-6 seconds. Only thing Ive ever had out of India were Cracker bombs. China tried and failed to copy correctly.