The Cost of Doing It Right: How Tariffs Are Undermining Small U.S. Manufacturers

At Great Lakes Sewing, we proudly design and manufacture every garment in-house at our Michigan facility. Through our three brands—Peridot Clothing, Smash Dandy, and Rock City Skirts—we’ve created jobs, supported local artisans, and built a community rooted in creativity, sustainability, and ethical American manufacturing.

We believe in doing things the right way: making high-quality products, paying fair wages, and keeping production close to home. But despite all that, we’re being squeezed—by rising tariffs, slowing sales, and an economic system that increasingly works against small-scale U.S. producers.

We Manufacture Locally—but Rely on Global Materials

While every item is cut, sewn, and shipped from our studio in Michigan, the specialty fabrics we use—holographic foils, glitter mesh, stretch velvets, and metallic spandex—are not produced domestically. These materials are niche, high-performance, and fashion-specific, and there are no American suppliers offering them at the quality or consistency we require.

We have no choice but to import them—and because of tariffs, those raw material costs have jumped 30% or more in recent years. That increase hits before a single stitch is made.

Labor Costs Are Rising (As They Should)

We’re proud to employ a team of artisans—cutters, sewers, packers, designers—who make every piece by hand. As the cost of living rises, we’ve increased wages to ensure our team can keep up. Paying people fairly isn’t optional—it’s core to who we are.

But when raw material costs increase and labor costs grow (as they should), and customers are also spending more cautiously, the financial strain becomes harder and harder to absorb.

Sales Are Slowing

Consumers are nervous—and understandably so. With inflation and economic uncertainty, many people are rethinking their spending. That slowdown is reflected in our sales. But while demand dips, our costs continue to climb. It’s a tough equation for any small business to survive.

Tariffs Hurt the Makers They Claim to Protect

Tariffs are often promoted as a way to bring manufacturing back to the U.S.—but for small businesses like ours, they often do the opposite. When the materials we need aren’t made in the U.S., tariffs force us to pay more for the tools required to keep our American workshops running.

The reality is, tariffs are built with large corporations in mind—those with the capital to shift global production or open domestic facilities. But small businesses like ours, who are already making things here, become collateral damage.

We don’t have offshore factories to “bring back.” We never left. We’re already investing in U.S. jobs, local economies, and sustainable practices. But instead of being supported, we’re being penalized—for importing the very raw materials we can’t find at home.

And we’re not alone:

• Custom furniture makers are hit by tariffs on imported wood, veneer, and hardware.
• Independent bicycle builders struggle to source performance parts that aren’t available domestically.
• Boutique chocolatiers and coffee roasters pay more for the beans, packaging, and equipment they need to survive.
• U.S.-based shoe and bag brands face steep costs on zippers, leather, and hardware—items critical to their products but not produced at scale in the U.S.

These small businesses aren’t offshoring—they’re surviving. And yet, blanket policies are squeezing the very creators who are working to build a more local, responsible economy.

Why This Matters Beyond Our Company

This isn’t just about Great Lakes Sewing. It’s about the larger ecosystem of makers, artisans, and independent brands who are doing everything right—building something meaningful and sustainable from the ground up.

Tariffs that aim to punish the outsourcing giants are, in practice, hurting those of us still trying to do the work here. And if we lose these businesses—if the cost of “doing it right” becomes too high—we lose more than jobs. We lose creativity. We lose choice. We lose a future of American manufacturing that actually belongs to the people.

How You Can Help

If you love what we do and believe in supporting small American businesses, here are a couple of ways you can make a big impact:

✨ Shop small whenever you can. Every order helps keep our artisans employed and our craft alive.
✨ Share our story. Tell a friend, repost our content, or tag us when you wear your pieces. Visibility matters more than ever.
✨ Let policymakers know that small businesses deserve support. Tariffs shouldn’t punish the makers who are trying to build locally and sustainably.

Behind every product we make—whether it’s a sparkle skirt from Rock City Skirts, a custom rave set from Peridot Clothing, or a golf skirt from Smash Dandy—is a real person with skilled hands and a deep love for their craft. When you support us, you’re not just buying clothing—you’re keeping American creativity alive.

We’re not going anywhere—but we can’t do this alone. Thank you for standing with us. 💛