Sooo the tariffs, and what's possibly the most impactful thing on the way i do biz rn is the axing of the de minimus imports exemption, where low-value imports get into the USA without customs and duties taxes. It has been a hall pass for cheap imported goods since 1930, and on April 2, 2025, Trump signed an executive order to eliminate it by May 1.
US customs is scrambling to tackle the immensity of what this will mean. Packages will be stuck at the border, it will be chaos for all imports.
I'm looking for silver linings.
-- Environmental benefits: the flood of cheap plastic shit has got to stop. Our appetite for cute cheap plastic things will change when the actual cost is staring us in the face on the checkout page. The carbon footprint of domestic shipping is way less, and it will be incentivized now.
-- US manufacturing could come back: we might see a rise of industries, including apparel production, as these stiff tariffs eliminate the financial incentive to outsource. This could mean more good union jobs. China took decades to perfect their production; it will be a rough road. America has capabilities that have atrophied because of cheap imports.
-- The era of cheap dropshippers on all e-com platforms is over. Etsy stock will tank, but it will be better for actual brands and makers. This could be fantastic for me as I'm building a premium brand I care deeply about.
It is interesting times, and I want it both ways. I want my cheap things like lens wipes from Taiwan and pen refills from Japan and face lotion from Canada. We'll see. There's always new things to love, and this could lead us to greener pastures of American-made, eco-conscious, pro-union products. I'm staying hopeful, but also buying 10 bottles of my Canadian face lotion rn.
I'm doing new things with my US-based manufacturers, and I hope you join my Abyss List at the bottom of the Abysswares.com home page to keep updated. I'm going to keep at it, because in these weird times, we need weird clothes❤️
#tariffs #usatradewar #tradewar #chinatariffs #apparelindustry
#abysswares #womenownedbusinesses #americanbusiness
#chinaimports #POD #printondemand #indiebusiness #shopifystore #altfashion