Update (22 September 2025)
We’re very pleased to share some good news: we have resumed shipping to the US!
Summary
- US orders are now open again.
- Customs fees must be prepaid before shipping (as per the new US rules).
- For now, we are handling this process manually, since our website cannot yet display customs fees at checkout.
- You will always have the option to cancel your order for a full refund if the fees are higher than expected.
The Details
As explained in our last update, all shipments to the US must now be sent with customs fees prepaid. Our shipping account has been updated to allow us to calculate and pay these fees on your behalf. However, the integrations that would allow our shipping system to connect directly with our website are unfortunately out of our reach as a small business.
The good news is that we’ve found a manual workaround, which means you can still place orders with confidence. Here’s how the process will work:
- Place your order online and pay for your products and shipping. This reserves the stock for you.
- We will calculate the customs fees manually using our shipping provider’s system.
- You will receive a separate email invoice with a payment link for the customs fees.
- Once the fees are paid, we will ship your order. Because the fees are prepaid, there should be no extra charges or surprises when your parcel arrives in the US.
- If you decide you don’t want to pay the additional fees, simply reply to the invoice email, and we will cancel your order and issue a full refund.
The customs fees depend on both the order value and the teas selected, as different countries of origin are subject to different rates. To give you a real example:
- A recent order of 5 items (£52.25) with shipping (£14.95) incurred customs fees of £9.68.
- Please note that fees will be higher if your order includes mostly Chinese teas.
To reassure you, you will always have the option to cancel your order and receive a full refund if the customs fees are more than you are comfortable paying.
Looking Ahead
We’re delighted to be able to resume shipping, and we hope this manual system will only be temporary. In the future, we aim to streamline the process further so that the total cost—including shipping and customs fees—can be displayed directly at checkout.
In the meantime, thank you so much for your patience and support as we navigate these changes. Every order means a great deal to us, and we’re thrilled to once again be able to share our teas with you in the US.
As always, If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
- Valerie
A Note for Our US Customers (20th August 2025)
We want to let you know about an important change that will affect all shipments from the UK to the US.
Summary
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From 29th August 2025, the US will suspend the de minimis exemption.
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This means all shipments into the US—regardless of value—will now be subject to tariffs, duties, and taxes.
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Fees must be paid in advance before parcels can enter the US.
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Our carrier (Royal Mail) is still rolling out the system to handle this, so we will need to temporarily pause all US shipments, including September’s Tea Club.
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We hope to resume orders by mid-September once systems are in place.
The Details
Until now, the de minimis agreement meant that packages with a value under $800 could enter the US duty-free. This has been suspended with effect from 29th August 2025, and going forward, all shipments will face tariffs, duties, and taxes, regardless of value.
Because we ship from the UK, this change affects every order sent to US addresses. Importantly, these charges will need to be settled in advance (known as “Delivered Duty Paid”) before a shipment can even enter the US.
Our shipping partner, Royal Mail, is in the process of introducing the tools to calculate and collect these fees at the point of order. However, from our recent conversations with them, it is clear that there will be a short delay in implementing this feature, as they are prioritising their largest accounts first. We have been advised that the system should be in place by mid-September.
To avoid the risk of parcels being refused, destroyed, or leaving customers liable for unexpectedly high fees (in the range of $80–$200), we have made the difficult decision to temporarily pause all shipments to the US until the systems are fully operational. This pause will also apply to the September Tea Club.
Once Royal Mail’s system is in place, we expect to be able to provide you with the total cost up front—including tea, shipping, tariffs, duties, and fees—so there will be no surprises upon delivery.
Looking Ahead
We hope this interruption will be short-lived and that we can resume “normal service” from October onwards. As soon as we are ready to take US orders again, we will send an email update and post the news on our website.
We are truly sorry for this inconvenience and very grateful for your continued support. Every single order means a great deal to us, and we look forward to sending you lovely tea again very soon.
If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
-Valerie
29th April 2025
An update regarding how recent changes to US tariffs may affect your tea orders—particularly those involving Chinese teas.
Key Points:
- Tea Club: Chinese teas will no longer be included in our Tea Club subscription for US customers.
- Regular Orders: You may continue to order Chinese teas, but please be aware that you will be responsible for any customs duties or charges that may apply.
We appreciate your patience as we’ve worked to understand the implications of these rapidly evolving trade regulations. We are a small business, and our expertise lies in tea, not international trade law, but we’ve consulted with specialists and carefully considered the best way forward.
Why This Matters
As you will have heard, the US has introduced new tariffs on imported goods, with the highest rates applying to products of Chinese origin. Since China remains one of the world’s most important tea-producing regions, these changes could significantly affect our US customers.
Two key factors influence how tariffs are applied:
- The country of origin of the goods, and
- The country from which the goods are shipped.
At the time of writing (8am on April 29, 2025), teas of Chinese origin are subject to a minimum import duty of 134% when entering the US. However, there is currently a de minimis agreement between the US and the UK which allows packages with a value under $800 to be imported duty-free. This means Chinese teas shipped from the UK in orders under $800 are currently not subject to tariffs.
However, this de minimis exemption no longer applies to packages shipped directly from China or Hong Kong. Hence, our trade expert has warned that this exemption could be revoked for all goods containing Chinese-origin products, regardless of where they are shipped from. This would close a potential loophole and could be enforced without notice—even affecting shipments already in transit.
What We're Doing
To avoid the risk of unexpected customs charges, we have made the decision to remove Chinese teas from the Tea Club for US customers.
That said, we know many of you value Chinese teas, and we remain committed to offering them. If you place a regular order that includes Chinese teas, we will continue to ship them to you—but you will be responsible for any duties or import charges that may apply.
Looking Ahead
The current pause on reciprocal tariffs with countries other than China is due to expire around July 1st. Depending on future developments, we may also need to review how we handle teas from other origins such as India, Vietnam, and beyond.
We will continue to monitor the situation closely and keep you informed of any further changes.
If you have any questions, concerns or suggestions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. And hopefully we can resume normal tea service soon!
- Valerie