As a small handmade business creating dog accessories from BioThane, I’ve always loved being able to send my products across the world, including to our wonderful customers in the United States. But with the recent U.S. tariff changes introduced on 29th August 2025, things are sadly shifting for small businesses like mine. The U.S. has removed its duty-free threshold for imports under $800, meaning every order now faces tariffs, customs fees, and higher costs. For big companies, these changes may be manageable, but for small independent makers like myself, it can have a huge impact. In this blog, I want to explain what these new rules mean, why I’ve had to pause shipping to the U.S., and how this affects Golden Unleashed...
Running a small handmade business is full of joy, creativity and connection. One of my favourite things about Golden Unleashed has been seeing my collars, leads and accessories travel across the world, helping dogs and their humans unleash the adventure wherever they are. That’s why this update is a little bittersweet.
As some of you may have heard, the United States has recently changed its import rules. From 29th August 2025, all goods entering the U.S. no matter how small the order, are now subject to tariffs and customs charges. Previously, anything under $800 could enter the country duty-free, which made it possible for small businesses like mine to offer fair, affordable shipping to our lovely U.S. customers.
Alongside these changes, insurance costs for businesses that ship to the U.S. have also increased. For bigger companies, these extra costs can sometimes be absorbed. But for a one-woman business like mine, where everything is handmade and personal, the reality is that these changes make it unsustainable.
That means from 25th August 2025, I’ve had to make the very difficult decision to pause shipping to the U.S.
This isn’t a choice I’ve made lightly.
I know many of you U.S. folk have supported Golden Unleashed, whether it’s by ordering your pup’s first BioThane collar or recommending us to a friend. I can’t tell you how grateful I am for that support, every single order has meant the world to me and the fact that they've reached the US, is just... WOW!
But one of the realities of being a small business is that every penny counts. I always want to make sure my products are priced fairly, while still reflecting the care, quality and time that goes into each handmade piece. With these new tariffs, shipping costs and higher insurance premiums, keeping U.S. shipping open would mean compromising either on quality or on fairness and that’s not what Golden Unleashed is about.
So for now, U.S. shipping is on pause. This doesn’t mean it’s gone forever, if circumstances change, I’d love nothing more than to open up again and send more parcels across the Atlantic. But for now, I need to keep things sustainable and true to the values that started this journey.
To my U.S. customers: thank you, from the bottom of my heart. Your support has been incredible and I hope one day I’ll be able to ship to you again. In the meantime, Golden Unleashed will keep on thriving here in the UK, helping adventurers big and small find the perfect gear for their four-legged friends.
Thank you, always, for understanding and for being part of this little business.
With love,
Milly 🐾
Golden Unleashed
Unleash the adventure