Kilts are about to get more expensive

[Tobus]

Reuters article

I hope this post doesn't veer too close to the line on politics, and I hope we can resist discussing politics, but I thought people should know. Here in the US, in about two weeks, there will be a new round of tariffs imposed. They will affect, amongst other things, wool clothing from the UK and Scotch whisky.

I would assume that this means any wool items (kilts, jackets, hose, garters, bonnets, and the like) that come into the US from the UK after October 18th will be subject to the tariffs. What I'm not sure about is how they are applied to, say, an individual package sent from a kiltmaker to an individual. When tariffs are applied, do these get flagged based on the import paperwork? If so, does the buyer have to pay the tariff to US Customs in order for them to release the package? How does it work? Or does it even affect individually purchased items like these? Or is it only applied to business shipments going from suppliers in the UK to retail companies?

*edited to add more questions:

I'm assuming that US-based kiltmakers like USA Kilts will end up paying more for bolts of wool tartan material, and that cost will be passed on to customers. But PV material may not be affected?

[Highland Logan]

Tariffs would be paid at the door by the buyer. USPS shows up with a package, you would handed a bill from customs to pay before release. People would bought components to build something for sale, would have to work the cost of the tariffs into the final cost of the goods.

[figheadair]

Here in the US, in about two weeks, there will be a new round of tariffs imposed. They will affect, amongst other things, wool clothing from the UK and Scotch whisky.

I would assume that this means any wool items (kilts, jackets, hose, garters, bonnets, and the like) that come into the US from the UK after October 18th will be subject to the tariffs.

It was reported here earlier that the tarrif will apply to Cashmere and some woollen garments. The implocation was that this would not apply to material, or possibly kilts too, but it's early days and we will have to see how this is interpreted and implicmented.

[Tobus]

Tariffs would be paid at the door by the buyer. USPS shows up with a package, you would handed a bill from customs to pay before release.

Ok, so do they use the declared value to calculate the tariff owed? I'm worried because I have a very expensive order in process from the UK (kilt and tartan material). Being hit with an additional 25% is going to be a very big deal. As in, I didn't budget for that and it's going to sting badly!

[Jacques]

Post deleted by author.

[bodhran4me]

I will preface this by saying my experience comes from shipping things TO Canada.


I have found that when having goods shipped from the US or UK you are guaranteed to pay duty/taxes plus a 'brokers fee' of $30 CDN if they are sent with services such as FedEx, DHL, UPS etc. I have yet to pay anything upon delivery when the goods were shipped via USPS (not UPS) or Royal Mail. These goods have been up to around $300 USD in value. Not sure how much that would change as the values increased to the amounts involved in your custom weave, but I would certainly specify with the sender to use Royal Mail.

Have you already contracted the kilt to be made? If not , even if the raw materials were subjected to taxes/duty/tariffs you wouldn't be taxed on the labour portion of the finished goods. You could then contract a US based maker to make your kilt from the material.

[Highland Logan]

Ok, so do they use the declared value to calculate the tariff owed? I'm worried because I have a very expensive order in process from the UK (kilt and tartan material). Being hit with an additional 25% is going to be a very big deal. As in, I didn't budget for that and it's going to sting badly!

Tariffs applied would be based on decleard value. As this is a US tariff on goods from Europe, or the UK, then what Canadians have for "I paid" is irrelevant to you.

Frank

[Pleater]

The withdrawal of the US from the global postal union in a couple of weeks is going to be problematic too.

It is going to disrupt my small but vital sales of various small items, which include components and repairs to the US.

It has been a significant addition to my income and we have been providing a service which has been keeping electronic knitting machines working and it will make that uneconomic if the price of postage rockets, as is forecast.

With possible disruption of post to Europe as well as one of the few sources of some spare parts being in Hong Kong, we are living in interesting times.

Anne the Pleater

[BrianHK]

Anne, I think the Postal Union snag was resolved and the U.S will remain a member. The dispute was resolved Sept, 25 or thereabouts.

[Jacques]

I will preface this by saying my experience comes from shipping things TO Canada.


I have found that when having goods shipped from the US or UK you are guaranteed to pay duty/taxes plus a 'brokers fee' of $30 CDN if they are sent with services such as FedEx, DHL, UPS etc. I have yet to pay anything upon delivery when the goods were shipped via USPS (not UPS) or Royal Mail. These goods have been up to around $300 USD in value. Not sure how much that would change as the values increased to the amounts involved in your custom weave, but I would certainly specify with the sender to use Royal Mail.

Have you already contracted the kilt to be made? If not , even if the raw materials were subjected to taxes/duty/tariffs you wouldn't be taxed on the labour portion of the finished goods. You could then contract a US based maker to make your kilt from the material.

Post deleted by writer.