Navigating Tariffs: What They Mean for Makers Cabinet Customers in the USA

As international trade continues to face mounting complexity, we want to take this opportunity to clarify what’s happening with U.S. import tariffs, how they may affect your orders, and why Makers Cabinet products remain unaffected.

Over 65% of our customers are US based, so we are taking these new developments very seriously, as you are all vitally important to our business.

Understanding the Situation

In recent months, the global trade environment has become increasingly volatile. Trade tensions, shifting geopolitical priorities, and renewed tariff enforcement have led to uncertainty for businesses and customers. For U.S. customers, this means the possibility of additional duties on items shipped from abroad.

The United States imposes import tariffs based on a few key factors:

• Country of origin
• Category of goods
• Declared customs value

This landscape is especially relevant for our customers and stockists in the U.S., as our products are designed in the United Kingdom, and manufactured in a range of countries, including the UK, China, Italy, Japan, Poland, and Germany.

The De Minimis Exemption

The good news: Makers Cabinet products are currently not subject to U.S. tariffs under the De Minimis exemption. So, what exactly is De Minimis?

Under U.S. customs law, the De Minimis threshold allows for the duty-free entry of goods valued at USD $800 or less per shipment. Provided they are for personal use and not part of a recurring commercial import pattern. This means most individual orders of Makers Cabinet tools sent directly to consumers are exempt from import duties.

However, it’s worth noting that:

• Commercial or bulk orders over $800 may still be subject to tariffs.
• The De Minimis value applies per shipment, not per item.
• Customs officials retain the discretion to reassess duties on a case-by-case basis. But we have never known this to affect our customers. 

Tariffs by Country of Origin

Here’s a brief look at how U.S. tariffs currently affect (or could affect) items from countries relevant to our supply chain:

• China: Still subject to Section 301 tariffs on many categories of goods. Items classified as "metal products" or "stationery" may attract tariffs of up to 25%. We monitor this closely as some of our components are sourced from China. However, nothing is shipped from China, which also reduces risks of tariffs.
• United Kingdom: At present, there are no specific U.S. tariffs targeting UK-made stationery tools. 
• Japan: Generally favourable trading terms with the U.S. prevail, and tariffs on precision tools and hardware remain low to zero.
• Italy, Portugal, Poland & Germany: All EU member states. While prior disputes led to tariffs on certain European goods, most manufacturing in our category remains unaffected.

What We're Doing

At Makers Cabinet, we are committed to transparency and minimising disruption for our community. We’re actively monitoring tariff developments and working with our logistics partners to ensure the best possible experience for our US customers.

Final Thoughts

While the future of international trade is difficult to predict, we want you to feel confident ordering from us. For now, thanks to the De Minimis exemption, orders to the U.S. remain unaffected by tariffs. Should anything change, you’ll be the first to know.

So, what better time to get those Christmas gift orders placed, who knows where the world will be in six months...?

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Have questions about international shipping or need support placing an order? Reach out to our team at support@makerscabinet.com. We will keep this page up to date. Last edited: 24th April 2025.