Buying underwear and gear shouldn’t be complicated. However, with the new tariff going into effect, purchasing items from overseas will become substantially harder. This isn’t due to the ordering process but rather the unclear new procedures following the rollback of the “de minimis” exception.
If you’ve ever ordered something from overseas and noticed it arrived without any extra taxes or customs fees, you likely benefited from the de minimis exception. In simple terms, this rule states that if the value of your order is below a certain dollar amount, you don’t have to pay import duties or navigate complicated customs steps. It’s essentially a “small stuff doesn’t count” policy for packages.
Here’s the good news for shoppers: in the United States, that threshold is $800. This means if you buy clothes, gear, or gadgets from another country, and your order totals under $800, it usually clears customs without additional charges. Other places have lower limits, such as the European Union (€150) or Canada (as low as CAD $40 when shipped by courier), so U.S. shoppers enjoy a relatively good deal.
Why does this exist? Governments set these limits because processing numerous small-value packages would cost more than they would collect in fees. Therefore, they allow low-value packages to bypass customs fees.
For consumers, this rule has meant cheaper, faster, and less stressful international shopping—without surprise bills upon package arrival. Unfortunately, this exception is going away, and any purchase you make may come with additional charges you might not have factored into the price. While I’m trying to get accurate pricing information, I’ve heard estimates of up to $225 per package. I cannot confirm this figure, but it’s something to consider.
To complicate matters further, several countries are halting shipments to the U.S. due to the uncertainty surrounding these regulations. Postal services in Germany, Denmark, Sweden, and Italy have announced they will stop shipping most merchandise to the U.S. effective immediately, with France and Austria set to follow shortly. Additionally, Australia has also stopped shipments.
Brands that will be affected are those that you buy directly from their websites. Some of these brands may still be available through physical or online stores. Brands like SUKREW and Dead Good Undies have indicated they are suspending shipments to the U.S.
Check with individual brands to see if they are shipping and what tariff costs will apply. I’m not going to lie—this is incredibly frustrating. I will keep updating the list of brands that are not shipping. If you hear of any brands unable to ship to the U.S., please let me know.
This situation is developing, and I will provide updates as often as possible.
Here are some posts from Brands:
1 Comment
That’s no good, looks like I should have ordered from deejay a little sooner!!