Ordering from the USA? A Simple Guide to Taxes, Duties and Delivery
Hanna NoreIf you're based in the United States and thinking about ordering from our Traditional Tanning Shop – first of all, thank you! We love sharing our tools and books with fellow craftspeople around the world.
Right now, with international trade policies shifting and evolving, ordering from overseas can feel a bit confusing. We’ve been doing our best to follow the twists and turns of U.S. tariff regulations. Honestly? It can be hard to keep up, especially as a small artisan business. That said, we’re committed to staying informed and sharing clear, accurate information about how these rules might affect your order.
Here’s a friendly and up-to-date guide on what you need to know.
Two Types of Products, Two Shipping Methods
We sell two kinds of products:
These are shipped from different places:
- Books are printed on demand in the United Kingdom (UK) through our partner Bookvault and shipped directly to customers around the world.
- Tools are crafted and packaged in our workshop in Finland and shipped from there. Finland is a member of the European Union (EU).
Tariffs & Taxes – What’s the Deal for US Customers?
📚 Books (shipped from the UK)
Good news: According to the American Booksellers Association, books imported from outside the US are currently exempt from tariffs under the 2025 legislation. So if you’re ordering one of our books, you shouldn’t be charged any extra customs duties or fees.
Of course, the package may still go through U.S. customs which may cause some delays in delivery – but there shouldn’t be any added costs to you. If that changes in the future, we’ll update our info right away.
🔨 Tools (shipped from Finland)
Tools are a different story. Since they’re coming from the European Union, your order might be subject to U.S. customs duties or import taxes, depending on a few factors.
Most of our customers order just 1–2 tools at a time, which typically keeps the total order value well under the $800 USD de minimis threshold. This means that in most cases, no import duties or taxes are charged.
However, it’s worth noting that the de minimis threshold is currently under political discussion in the U.S., and there’s a chance it could be removed or lowered in the future.
If new rules come into effect, and your order no longer qualifies for duty-free entry, any additional customs duties or taxes will be collected by the shipping carrier upon delivery.
In practical terms, this could mean higher delivery costs and longer processing times for tool orders in the future. We will update this post when new information is confirmed
To Sum It Up
- 📚 Books: Your book order should arrive to the US without any extra fees.
- 🛠 Tools: For now, orders under $800 should arrive to the US without any extra fees. If new rules come into effect, any additional customs duties or taxes will be collected by the shipping carrier.
- 💬 We’re keeping a close eye on any policy changes and we’ll always do our best to keep you in the loop.
Thanks for supporting traditional knowledge, craftsmanship, and small-scale sustainable work.
