You’ve probably noticed over the years that very few of the
products we sell are made in the USA. We can debate whether this shift happened
by design or by necessity, but in the past 40-50 years government policies and
incentives, and corporate profit motives have driven apparel manufacturing away
from the US.
Now, Donald Trump says it’s time to pay the piper. Unfortunately,
he can’t or won’t tell us exactly when or how much. Our suppliers have
responded in a mix of ways, ranging from “wait and see” to implementing
immediate, across-the-board price increases. As a result, we’re seeing some
customers stocking up, while others are delaying anticipated purchases. Right
now, there simply aren’t any definitive answers.
What we do know is that some prices are increasing
immediately, and some in the next few weeks. I’ve heard estimates from
suppliers ranging from 5% to 8% including scheduled increases. One of our main suppliers
is limiting their increase (starting June 1) to 3.5%. I assure you that we’re
committed to keeping our prices as competitive as possible. For some orders
where costs have risen, we’ve chosen to absorb a portion of the increase, but
we can’t do that forever and still maintain our high standards of service. We
have no choice but to pass along most of the increases we experience.
My best guess is that it will take at least six months
before we can truly make sense of this Tariff Madness. In the meantime, we ask
for your patience as we do our best to navigate these uncertain times and
fluctuating prices. Thank you for your continued support.