Shipping Update: Pausing Orders to the United States

As of August 29, 2025, I’ve made the very difficult decision to pause all shipments to the United States until further notice.

This is because the de minimis tax exemption on Canadian imports under $800 has expired. For over 100 years, this exemption allowed small businesses like mine to ship directly to U.S. customers without the added burden of import duties or complex brokerage systems. With the exemption gone, U.S. customs now requires new import processes to be in place before packages from Canada can cross the border.

At the moment, Canada Post is not generating shipping labels for U.S. destinations, as both countries work out the details of these new requirements. Without clear systems in place, I cannot guarantee safe, timely, or affordable delivery for my 🇺🇸 American customers.

Why This Matters

For a small, independent business like mine, this is a huge shift. I’ve always been proud to share my work beyond borders, and over the years I’ve loved connecting with clients at U.S. markets, pop-ups, and of course online. These connections are meaningful to me, and I want you to know that I am just as disappointed as many of you may be.

In the last week, getting quotes on how to ship have come up as extremely expensive. Imagine trying to ship a $15 pin (with free shipping) to the U.S. Previously it cost $9. Currently Canada Post is asking for a $80 bond, to cover the upfront cost of the tariffs (if deemed necessary, administrative fees, 

For now, I’ll be focusing on serving my Canadian community while keeping a very close eye on policy updates and shipping options. My hope is that I can resume U.S. shipping as soon as practical, once sustainable systems are in place. At this time, shipments to International destinations remain unchanged.

Resources to Learn More

If you’d like to read more about what’s happening and how it affects small businesses and consumers, here are a few helpful places to start:

• Government of Canada – De Minimis Exemption Overview
  canada.ca: De minimis threshold and cross-border trade

• Canada Post – Service Updates
  canadapost-postescanada.ca

• U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
  cbp.gov – Section 321 and de minimis entry

• Small Business Advocacy Groups

  • Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB): cfib-fcei.ca

  • U.S. National Small Business Association (NSBA): nsba.biz

These resources outline what the de minimis exemption is, why it has ended, and what steps may come next.

And I will encourage you to reach out to your local elected government officials - this is really going to hurt small businesses like mine, as well as increase costs (for all of us) a staggering amount. That potato peeler you want off amazon, the sticker set from your favorite movie, cute handmade goods from another country... it's all going to cost exponentially more. 

Thank You

I want to thank you for your patience, understanding, and continued support during this uncertain time. If you’re in Canada or abroad, your commitment to shopping small helps independent makers like me survive and thrive. If you’re in the United States, please know I value our connection deeply and will keep you updated the moment it becomes possible to resume shipping.

Community has always been at the heart of LanaBetty, and I’m grateful for yours, whether near or far.

💌
Lana