They made clothes in America. Now they are punished for it.

Already living from hands to lips, millions of clothing across Asia are afraid of their work as a term to conclude a trade transaction with the United States – or to face tariff punishment is getting closer.

On July 9, after a 90-day pause on tariffs for the countries to agree on transactions, the US president told several countries in the region about the new leishers to begin on August 1. The new tariffs, though lower than the proposed in April, made little to bow.

Among the countries that received letters from Donald Trump were clothing such as Cambodia and Sri Lanka, which are heavily dependent on the US as an export market. The letters say that the two countries will face tariffs of 36% and 30% respectively.

Nike, Levi’s and Lululemon-One of the Great US Brands having a major part of their clothing made in these countries.

“You can imagine what happens when (we) lose the job? I’m so worried about their children. They need food,” says Nao Salin, who works in the southeast Cambodia.

Ms. Soklin and her husband Cock Tao make live sewing bags for 10 hours a day. Together, they earn about $ 570 a month – barely enough to cover the rent and provide two of their young sons and elderly parents.

“(I want) send a message to President Trump to tell him to please raise the tariff on Cambodia … We need our tasks to support our families,” she said the BBC.

Cambodia, which became a popular alternative to Chinese retailers because of its finished delivery of labor with low wages, outlined more than $ 3 billion in the US last year, ASEAN statistics department reports. The sector with more than 900,000 people is more than a tenth of the country’s total exports.

For Sri Lanka, exports to the United States have helped coloring, which directly operates about $ 350,000, expand $ 1.9 billion last year, which made it the third largest currency in the country.

“When (30%) is the final number, Sri Lanka gets into trouble because our competitors such as Vietnam have received lower tariffs,” said Johan Lawrence, Secretary General of the Joint Sri Lanka’s clothing association.

Sri -Lanka authorities hope for negotiations on the further reduction of the tariffs, but do not reveal what they consider to be an acceptable rate.

Some of its leaders say the country has received the highest concession – 14 percentage points – so far as a result of previous negotiations. “We see it as the beginning of a very good situation,” said Finance Secretary Harron Suriapeur, last week.

Cambodia, which received 13 percent concession, is also looking for additional negotiations. “We are doing our best to protect the interests of investors and workers,” said Deputy Prime Minister Song Chanhol, who heads the talks team.

“We want the tariff to be zero … But we respect their decision and we will continue to try to agree on a smaller rate,” he said.

Trump says tariffs are needed to reduce the break between the price of the USA in other countries and the ones he sells them.

“Our relations were, unfortunately, far from mutual,” the US leader wrote in different countries last week, which he also posted on his social platform.

But analysts do not agree.

Trump’s tariffs ignore the benefits that US use from existing trade agreements, including smaller prices and higher profits for US companies that are from countries such as Sri Lanka or Cambodia, says Mark Annery, Din at Rutgers’ Rutgers.

For decades, the United States, the European Union and Canada had a quota system that reserved a certain share of its markets for developing countries as Sri Lanka. The system, which was gradually in 2005, helped Sri Lanka’s clothes thrive, despite fierce competition.

“For the United States, the prohibited tariffs are being imposed that these countries effectively close against the market, which he has appointed itself,” said Professor Antr.

It is unrealistic to expect that small developing economies will not manage trade deficit from the United States, says Shan Lou, Professor of the University of Fashion and Clothing Department of Fashion.

“How many Boeing planes need Cambodia or Sri Lanka and can afford to buy every year?” he asked.

ASST Prof Lu believes that strategic rivalry between the US and China is also a factor in trading negotiations, given how these countries that spread to clothing integrated into the supply chains that greatly rely on Chinese materials.

They now have to “apply a delicate balance” between maintaining economic ties with China, as well as meeting new US demands that may include a reduction in the use of Chinese deposits in production, he says.

Washington’s tariffs add new pressure to familiar problems in the industry: poverty and weak labor in Cambodia, and the economic crisis in Sri Lanka continues.

Women who make up seven out of 10 clothing workers in the region intend to bring out the main burden of tariffs. More pressure on them is already a chronically low salary means that their children can starve, while potential layoffs will be even more destructive.

Sandy’s soup, which works at a factory in the city of Sri -Lanka, a pellets, says he feels the ax hanging over her.

“Companies do not work with loss … If orders decrease, if there is a loss, it may be the likelihood that the company will close,” she says. Ms Sandy started engaged in a seamstress with ranks in 2011, and then headed to become the head of the 70’s team.

When the impetus comes to repulsion, some Cambodian workers say they will consider moving to Thailand to find a job – even if they have to do it illegally.

“Our livelihoods depend on clothing. We will not survive if our boss will close it,” Sofik tells the BBC from her tiny 16 square room in the Cambodia capital.

“We have little education. We can’t find other jobs. We pray every day to raise the tariff. Think about us and our poor country.”