Tariffs raise costs for Indigenous artisans making traditional regalia

New tariffs on imported materials are driving up the cost of making regalia for Indigenous artists and small businesses, according to reporting by ICT. Tin-plated jingle cones, fabric, beads and other supplies used in traditional designs are largely imported and now subject to tariffs imposed by the Trump administration.

Sharona Crane, Naongashiing First Nation Ojibwe and owner of Zazegaakwe in Ontario, said the increased costs have forced her to raise prices on her handmade jingle dresses and other Anishinaabe regalia. “I had a rough summer financially,” she told ICT. Beth Simmons, owner of Shipwreck Beads in Washington, said her company has also been affected by higher prices on imported beads from the Czech Republic, China and India.