As the owners of a newly launched small business built largely around imported goods, we’re naturally concerned about the growing threat of tariffs.
We appreciate that global trade is complicated and consequential, and some form of rebalancing may in fact be an appropriate course of action to protect American interests. We don't have the technical expertise to opine on the best way to achieve that, but we do know one thing for certain: rising costs will impact Over Yonder and our customers immediately, and ultimately, these barriers to trade could undermine our mission to bring you the world’s best in craft and design.
This is a troubling outcome to contemplate, but there’s a larger threat that concerns us perhaps most of all. Tariffs don’t just raise prices and disrupt supply chains. They distance us from one another and dim the light of economic and cultural exchange that makes our world more radiant, sustainable, and just.
Global trade has a complicated history, to be sure. It has long been shaped by imbalances of power that enable dominant nations to extract resources, labor, and cultural products from less dominant nations without an equitable exchange. And yet, despite these imbalances, global trade has also brought enormous good.
Beyond creating access to markets and meaningful livelihoods for millions, trade has sparked millennia of discovery, collaboration, and innovation across borders. Early civilizations introduced new spices and bold flavors that transformed cuisines worldwide. Japanese indigo dyeing influenced European textile techniques. Arab mathematical concepts revolutionized Western science. Traditional African rhythms reverberate throughout modern music. And in countless other ways, creativity and knowledge have traveled alongside goods across time and cultures, carried and traded by pioneers, merchants, artisans, and storytellers.
Today, virtually every aspect of our lives – from food to fashion, technology, and beyond – is influenced by the global exchange of products, traditions, and ideas. This flow has unquestionably enriched our everyday existence and has nurtured the evolution of a more integrated, stable, and prosperous global community. So, when we stifle trade, we all suffer. Because at its core, trade may be an economic transaction, but at its best, it’s a crucial vehicle for human connection and inclusive progress.
At Over Yonder, each item we carry is a link in that connection, a step forward in that progress. Each item supports numerous livelihoods from creation to sale. Each item is a marvel of artistry and cultural tradition. Each item has a story. Each item is important.
To be clear, we proudly carry a wide variety of beautiful goods made here in the United States. We will continue to champion American makers and designers and fully support efforts to invest in American creativity and production. But we don’t play zero-sum games with our business. A “win” for American products doesn’t require a “loss” for products made elsewhere, and vice versa. We prefer to focus on the common qualities across our selection – quality, meaning, and beauty – and approach diversity as a force multiplier, not as a means of division. In our view, this is the best way to offer substantive value for our customers and do our small part to help our world thrive.
Here are a few products that exemplify the artistry, fun, and ingenuity of our partners abroad:
We LOVE this charming Fox Vase from Quail Ceramics, a British company with a long tradition of creating distinctive pieces that are quirky yet elegant. Their collection is designed and produced in the UK then sent to one of their partners in Thailand and Sri Lanka, all small, family-owned businesses, to do the firing and hand-painting. The respect and affection between Quail Ceramics and their partners are evident in each delightful finished product.
This pair of gold and diamond floret earrings from River Song is another wonderful example of cultural cross-pollination. Based in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, River Song partners with artists in Turkey, India, and across Mexico to source fine gemstones and artifacts that echo their native lands and cultures. Each jewelry piece is then imbued with the magic of new friendship and artistry to create a finished product that is truly and uniquely beautiful.
The story behind the name of the lovely and versatile Load Shedding Baskets, made by Mia Melange in South Africa, offers a timely lesson in lemonade-making. Load shedding is a temporary reduction in electricity supply used to prevent a blackout - and a very common inconvenience of life in South Africa. Instead of sitting idle until power is restored during load shedding, the women of the Mia Melange cooperative decided to create a new design that could be made the old-fashioned way: entirely by hand while sitting outside in the sunshine. It expanded their product offerings with a lovely and sustainable new option for customers, and it helped ensure consistent work and income for the members. This is a brilliant win-win approach to business that should inspire us all - especially now.