Good news, friends! My sepsis recovery is officially over, and for the first time in a decade, all of my labs are blissfully, boringly normal. As a result, the possibility of reopening my shop galloped to the forefront of my mind. But things have changed since I first floated this idea last year. Today, I’m boldly treading into the deep, dank American political waters to discuss the proposed Trump Tariffs. Specifically, I want to dive into how the tariffs might have unintended consequences for small businesses like mine and what ramifications we may see for the intimate apparel industry in America. Push aside the crushing existential dread we live in these days, and let’s unpack this.

Tariffs: What Are They & Why Should I Care?

Trump wants to implement tariffs (taxes on imported goods) to boost American manufacturing. However, tariffs make things complicated for the lingerie industry, which often relies on imported materials and products. These tariffs increase costs for everyone, from the shop owners to us, the bra-wearers. Okay, technically, I’d like to be both of those things. A friend who owns a store put it bluntly: “I’ll have to raise prices and cut expenses. That means no more free shipping, less charity support, cheaper office supplies, and maybe even letting staff go. All so I can pay myself and keep the doors open.”

Even big retailers stock a lot of imported lingerie. America hasn’t focused on developing many widely available brands, especially for those outside straight sizes. (Remember when we had 200+ size options?!) Most brands you buy aren’t American-made or -owned. Goddess, for example, markets to American women but is owned by Japan’s Wacoal.

How Tariffs Mess With Small Bra Shops

• Higher Costs: Tariffs directly increase import costs, shrinking profit margins and making it harder to compete in the marketplace.
• Less Innovation: Less profit means less money for new designs, expanded sizes, and better products. Innovation stalls, and we miss out on fun new lingerie opportunities.
• The Big Business Edge: Large corporations can handle tariff-related cost increases better than small boutiques. Bulk discounts and special deals already give them an unfair advantage, and a high sell-through rate can keep them successful longer. With boutiques, we risk losing the personal touch and expertise of people passionate about all things bras and lingerie. Lingerie profits are already minuscule without throwing one more expense into the mix.
• Supply Chain Chaos: Tariffs disrupt supply chains, causing delays, shortages, and logistical headaches. Small businesses struggle to get the materials they need. Even my friend Valli, who makes amazing crocheted things on Etsy, noticed longer delivery times: “When I purchase supplies, I used to get them in 1-3 days. My last order, I received a notice saying delivery would be in 7 days.”

What Tariffs Mean for Your Lingerie Drawer

I know, I know. What’s the bottom line for you, right? Since my crystal ball is in storage, we’ll have to speculate. But as someone who likes to plan for contingencies A through M, I think it’s worthwhile to consider the most likely scenarios.

• Higher Bra Prices: Increased business costs mean higher prices for consumers. Get ready for those $70 bras to climb even higher.
• Fewer Brands: Due to higher import costs, small businesses might lose access to some brands or have to limit their stock. With the proposed tariffs, some foreign brands are sending messages stating they don’t know if it will be feasible to sell to American companies because their products will be priced out of competition.
• Homogeneous Bras: Facing more complex challenges, small businesses might stick to basic styles and sizes. This may include prioritizing neutral colors, less risky designs or prints, and existing core styles. However, it may also extend to reducing the sizes stocked in-store, online, or through special order. This can and would be devastating for anyone in a hard-to-find size or who needs more specialized styles.

Tariffs in Action: Real-Life Examples

Imagine your favorite local lingerie shop, you know, the one that gets you and your size. *wink wink* Tariffs could shut them down (or keep them from reopening). Or think about a small online store specializing in ethically sourced, imported silk. Silk tariffs could skyrocket costs, forcing them to raise prices or lower quality. While silk may not be in most of our budgets, it’s not the only example out there for this phenomenon of higher costs vs. lower quality. And let’s not forget: Sometimes companies raise prices and lower quality simultaneously. Can you imagine paying $80 for a bra that has the quality of a $50 piece?

This isn’t just a US problem. My friend Kimberly, who is opening a lingerie store in Canada, is avoiding American products because of tariff uncertainty. “Some of my suppliers have American warehouses, but I pay in CAD and it’s DDP [Delivered Duty Paid]. They’ve said if there is too much drama, they’ll just start to ship straight from the U.K,” she told me. If other global businesses refuse to consider goods produced by American companies or no longer utilize American distribution hubs, the US will suffer the consequences. Given how many businesses recently advertised ” tariff sales,” everyone feels the potential disasters looming.

What Can We Do?

As the cover of my favorite book says: “Don’t panic!” Small businesses are tough. Diversifying suppliers, exploring domestic production (when possible), and supporting industry groups fighting for fair trade can help. Shop local and support policies that help small businesses. Paying full price (when you can) helps them even more. Also, let it never be said we went silently into that good night. Contact, nay, harangue your elected officials about this and any other issues you feel need addressing. If everyone could band together to save TikTok, we could help small businesses succeed.

What This Means for My Shop’s Comeback

I haven’t made any final decisions about reopening yet. I’m still crunching the numbers from my survey and will share the responses in a few days. As a small business owner eager to get back in the game, the survey was insightful and heartwarming. Thank you to everyone who contributed!

It takes a lot of dedication to keep going with a small business, and it can feel thankless most of the time. Regardless of the industry, I see you, fellow entrepreneurs. I hope we keep being the pigheaded, stubborn, determined folks we are and do what we love, no matter what the world throws at us.