As of August 29, 2025, the United States government has introduced new tariff collection regulations that impact how parcels are imported. These changes affect all international retailers — including us — and we want to ensure you’re fully informed before placing an order.
What’s Changed?
Previously, import duties (taxes) on international goods were collected upon arrival in the United States. However, under the new rules, duties must be paid before parcels can enter the country. Most national postal services — including Australia Post — don’t have the systems in place to remit taxes directly to the US government at the time of sending.
As a result: Australia Post has suspended all parcel deliveries to the USA.
This is not unique to Australia Post — many regular postal services globally are facing similar disruptions.
What Does This Mean for You?
To continue delivering orders to our customers in the United States, we now exclusively ship to the USA via DHL Express, a private courier service equipped to handle the new regulations.
Here’s what to expect:
✅ 1. Reliable, Fast Delivery
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All USA-bound parcels will be sent via DHL Express
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Delivery time: 4–5 business days
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Fully tracked and insured
💸 2. Duties Payable on Arrival
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Your parcel will be shipped duties unpaid
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You (the customer) will be contacted by DHL to pay the applicable import duties and taxes before your parcel is delivered
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Refusal to pay will result in the parcel being destroyed, and the purchase will be considered abandoned (no refunds will be provided)
What Are the Duties?
Most of our garments are handmade in the Philippines, and under U.S. import law, they may be subject to several layers of tariffs depending on how the item is classified. These include:
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General duty rates based on product category (e.g., shirts, dresses, accessories).
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IEEPA reciprocal tariffs, which currently add an additional 19% to goods manufactured in the Philippines.
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Other additional tariffs, which may apply to items made with certain materials (usually certain metals). These are less common in apparel, but still possible.
Because of these overlapping tariffs, the final import tax can vary by item. That said, most of our Filipiniana garments (like barongs, boleros, and butterfly sleeve dresses) typically incur around 19-30% in duties, but may be higher depending on which combination of tariffs apply to the item you have purchased.
We take care to ensure our cultural pieces are exclusively manufactured in the Philippines, including:
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Barong Tagalog
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Mestiza Boleros
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Filipiniana Dresses with Butterfly Sleeves
Some gowns and accessories, however, are made in other countries. If you’re ordering from the U.S., we recommend checking the product details on each product page and viewing the tariff information.
You can estimate applicable tariffs by using the HTS lookup tool available on the United States International Trade Commission website.
Summary
| Shipping Method | Courier Only (DHL Express) |
|---|---|
| Estimated Delivery | 4–5 Business Days |
| Duties & Taxes | Paid by Customer on Arrival |
| Typical Duty Rate | 19% for Philippines-made garments (may vary) |
| Refunds on Refusal | Not eligible (parcel marked abandoned) |
Questions?
We’re here to help. If you have questions about a specific item’s origin, expected duty, or your delivery options, feel free to contact us using the store chat before placing your order. We typically respond within 1 business day.
Thank you for your understanding, and for continuing to support Filipino craftsmanship through these unexpected changes.