Who knew I would be back so quickly with more news on tariffs but in this constantly changing environment it should not be too much of a surprise. So last week I did receive my first tariff bill from FedEx. To be clear, FedEx is not making money on the tariff. They are only collecting it on the behalf of the US Government. The bill was for the most beloved Morita Miw products as although they are imported from Japan a few of the items are made in China. The production is done there because this is where the vendor Kusbashi Monori was able to find a manufacturer that could both print in the bright colors that last a long time on fabric and add the lovely embroidered features.
I recently learned that someone I admire and respect supports the efforts of the current president to bring manufacturing back to the US. This person said to me, "Well you will be fine because you mostly sell locally made products!" But that just isn't true. Don't get me wrong. I prefer to acquire my goods as locally as I can. It is obviously my first priority. However, when I set out to create this little shop I knew there there would be a big emphasis on purchasing goods from all over the world. In reality most of my local vendors rely on international supply chains for their materials so even those products are not safe from price hikes due to tariffs.
Take this dish brush for instance. This mighty dish brush is made in Germany by a brand that has been making brushes for almost 100 years. They have a catalog that is almost an inch thick. The handle is made from beechwood which is considered a renewable resource. This is because beech trees are known for their relatively fast growth rate, allowing forests to be replenished relatively quickly after harvesting. This makes it an environmentally friendly choice for various applications like furniture and construction, as it doesn't contribute to deforestation when harvested responsibly.
What makes this dish brush so great you might ask? Well for one thing you can replace the dish brush head so you can keep the handle for years and years. The one that we have at home is probably about 12 years old. In contrast the average dish brush is made from plastic or from one piece of wood so replacing it requires replacing the entire thing. I don't know about you but I definitely feel there is value in reusing the same dish brush handle for years as opposed to replacing the entire dish brush once or twice a year. And it just so happens that it's made in Germany.
So what about this washcloth. When discussing the issue of tariffs with my friend he commented that "maybe we just need to live with less". While I am definitely a proponent of living within your means and somewhat of a minimalist (I don't have too many appliances at home for example) I had to stop and think about that for a second. What if we did all decide to just live with less. What if we decided that we needed to live without the adorable owl washcloth. Or this one.
As I stood there listening to my friend make this suggestion it all started to sound like an Orwellian pipe dream. What if we didn't have cute washcloths? What if we didn't have washi tape? What if we had no access to natural rubber hair ties? Well the only thing left is to have a plain white cotton washcloth. We would all have the same one. It would be made in the USA and it would cost us so much more. I am not making this up. While writing this blog post I actually researched and found two brands offering washcloths made in the USA. A set of two was priced from $32-59 with another brand selling one plain old white washcloth for $12.
I don't know about you but I think I would rather pay $12 and have a washcloth that brings me joy. Which gets me to my point. I personally do not want to live in a world that is devoid of joy. I understand that joy comes from within but joy also comes from the things we surround ourselves with. Friends, gardens, food, and objects that we use everyday are a source of joy. I want this country to thrive and survive as much as the next person. I really do. I also believe there are probably some products that we really do need to consider manufacturing on our own soil. I agree that our reliance on other countries for some things is a national security threat. However, it is not this washcloth, dish brush, washi tape or cute stationery.
It saddens me to have to report that I do have to raise the price of these adorable washcloths and handkerchiefs. It is a slight change but nonetheless it is an increase. The change in price is not only due to the tariff but also increased shipping. I learned a couple of weeks ago that the shipping option I normally choose is no longer available because the shipper does not want bother with collecting tariffs. So I have been forced to use a slightly more expensive shipping service! A side effect of the tariff madness.
Bottom line is: DRATS!
In keeping with the model I have seen from others I am going to increase the cost of the three currently effected products enough to cover half of the tariff charge while decreasing my profit margin slightly to avoid passing the entire tariff charge onto YOU.
Furthermore, in celebration of adding JOY into your life in the form of beautiful objects before I increase the prices of the three tariff items (Morita Miw washcloths, gauze handkerchiefs and tiny handkerchiefs) I am going to offer a little discount on these products.
The Morita Miw collection can be found
here.
The products that are discounted until midnight on July 6 include the tiny handkerchief, the gauze handkerchiefs, and the washcloths. After that the washcloths will increase to $12, the tiny handkerchiefs will increase to $10, and the gauze handkerchiefs will increase to $11.
Thanks for being here and caring about my shop. No matter what rolls my way I have to say that this little community keeps me hopeful and fills my heart with JOY!
