We want to provide our US customers some information to clarify about how orders are currently being processed at checkout.

Due to the tariffs imposed by the current US administration, Canadian businesses are now required to ship many orders using DDP (Delivered Duties Paid). This means duties and import fees must be calculated and paid upfront at checkout instead of being collected later by the courier.

Because of this change, our e-commerce platform Shopify has integrated automatic duty calculations directly into our checkout system.

A large portion of Totem Design House products are 100% made in-house in Canada. Under the current CUSMA (Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement) trade agreement, these products are tariff-exempt.

Here’s the catch

Shopify’s system currently cannot separate tariff-free items from tariff-applied items within the same order. So when you place an order, Shopify automatically applies duties to the entire cart, even if some (or all) of your items qualify for exemption.

What we’re doing on our end

We don’t want you overpaying.

When an order includes tariff-exempt products, our team manually calculates what portion should not be charged duties and refunds that amount directly back to your original payment method after your order is placed.

Is this perfect? No.
Is it the best solution available currently? Yes.

We’re actively monitoring platform updates and customs processing changes, and we’ll improve this system as better tools become available.

Want to avoid tariffs entirely?

If you shop exclusively within the following Totem Design House categories, your order qualifies as tariff-free under CUSMA:

• Eco-Friendly Women’s Wear (our locally produced garments)

• All Jewelry Collections

• All Wellness Products

• All Candles

These categories are created and produced in-house and qualify as Canadian-origin goods.

Important note about printed apparel

Even though we screen print and finish many garments in-house, some base garments themselves are not manufactured in Canada. Because of this, those specific apparel items do not qualify as fully tariff-exempt, and duties may still apply.

We appreciate your support more than you know

We understand that seeing duties at checkout can create sticker shock. Please know this is not a markup from us and not something we profit from. It’s a regulatory requirement tied to international shipping changes.

By choosing Totem Design House, you’re supporting Indigenous-owned production, in-house manufacturing, cultural artistry, and ethical small business practices. We’re committed to keeping things fair, transparent, and customer-first while navigating these new systems.

If you ever have questions about a specific product or order, our team is happy to help.

Thank you for continuing to shop small, shop Indigenous, and support handmade.