There Has Never Been A More Important Time To Support Makers

There’s Never Been A Better Time To Support Makers & Small Business

The 2026 holiday season will be an interesting time for both buyers and small businesses like mine. We are all figuring out how best to manage in the changing financial climate. For either, the questions are the same. Do we make purchases now before more changes, or wait and see how it all pans out.

My knitwear is made primarily in a style known as Fair Isle knitting. It originates in the Shetland Islands of Scotland, and in order to be true to that style, I use only yarn produced in Shetland. It has certain properties that are lost when using other types of yarn.

This fall/winter season’s sales will be the many handmade beanies, gloves, and garments that I knit earlier this year. I will NOT be raising prices because I had acquired my materials before tariffs became part of the picture. This is probably true for most makers in the fall sale season.

This is why there has never been a better time to support and purchase from small makers like me.

Unfortunately, 2026 will be a different story. Almost daily, I am receiving emails from yarn sellers in Europe stating that they will either be ceasing sales to the US or will be paying the tariff in advance via evolving shipping plans and will pass that cost on to buyers like me. I’m sure I will have no choice but to flex pricing next year to accommodate these changes.

So what can we all do?

Shop small, shop independent makers, shop markets and vendor events. Seek out those who love what they do and keep skills and traditions alive.

There has never been a better time.