'I don't have the cash to pay for these tariffs': US small biz suffers

After working in the outdoor industry for three years at Smith, which makes helmets and goggles, Cassie Abel realised there were not many brands built exclusively with women in mind. In 2016, she founded Wild Rye, a rural Idaho-based outdoor apparel brand for women.

Building her business was a labour of passion and included big risks, such as leveraging her house for capital. It was not until 2021 that she became profitable. Now, her business faces yet another existential threat: High tariffs will drive up her costs, and she’s unsure how long she can keep her business alive.

Abel is expecting $700,000 worth of purchase orders arriving in July, which encompasses the brand’s full fall lineup, which she ordered in December from suppliers in China. She says Wild Rye, which imports twice a year, will now be subject to $1.2m in tariffs for its upcoming shipment.

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