This is one of the hardest posts I’ve ever had to write since I've started The Craftinista journey.
Since I lost my insurance job at the end of 2024, I’ve been working around the clock to build my dream business. I wanted to create something of my own — designing products, running my own shop, and shipping them to like-minded people across Canada and the U.S. The flexibility also meant I could be there for my family, helping my brother with his medical appointments, and caring for my elderly cats who need frequent vet visits. The first half of 2025 was incredible, and I was so proud of what I had built.
But now, all of that has been thrown into chaos because of changes to U.S. import rules.
The U.S. government decided to cut the de minimis limit — a rule that allowed small businesses like mine to send affordable parcels across the border without massive tariffs, surprise fees, or endless customs delays. Without it, orders to the U.S. are no longer reliable. Packages risk being held, delayed, or hit with unpredictable costs, and I refuse to put my customers through that.
This change doesn’t just affect me. It has devastated thousands of small business owners and artists around the world who relied on cross-border trade. For many of us, the U.S. was our largest market, and losing it means watching years of hard work and dreams collapse overnight.
For now, I will only be shipping within Canada. I’m also exploring options to open shipping to other countries such as Australia, the UK, and parts of Europe, but that will take some time to sort out.
I want to thank everyone who has supported me through this. If you are Canadian, I beg you to shop local and support small Canadian makers. Every order, share, and word of encouragement means the world right now.
Handmade should be about connection, creativity, and community. It should never be destroyed by greed and politics. And yet here we are.