09/01/2026
Dear Valued Customers,
At Kahiko Bay, our mission has always been to bring you high-quality swimwear that makes you feel confident, comfortable, and stylish—all while keeping prices as reasonable as possible.
As you know all too well, over the past couple of years, the United States President, Donald Trump, has been placing tariffs on materials and finished goods being brought into the United States from other countries. Unfortunately, these tariffs, (combined with retaliatory tariffs implemented by Canada), and the rising costs of shipping and labour, have significantly increased the manufacturing and distributing expenses for many of our suppliers. As a result of this, we have also been burdened by those price increases being passed onto us. Last year, we tried to shelter our customers as much as possible from this by covering part of the price increases ourselves, but sadly, with the situation not showing any signs of resolving, this year more of those increased costs will have to be reflected on the price tags of our merchandise coming in for 2027. Typically, we expect to see an increase each year of less than $4.00 per item, but we are now suddenly seeing a variety of different increases from $5.00 up to $30.00 on certain items, across the many brands we carry.
As much as we would like to solve this problem by sourcing bathing suits from Canada, currently, there are very few Canadian swimwear manufacturers, and most of those are small volume/made-to-order producers. Unfortunately, their prices are much, much higher than the imported suits we carry, and the variety of styles available is quite limited. We did have one large-scale Canadian swimwear manufacturer, TYR Canada, but tragically, the Covid-19 pandemic triggered the demise and shut down of their business (along with many others, and some in different sectors). There are still a few companies who design their swimwear and clothing in Canada, but manufacture outside of our country.
Purchasing an imported swimsuit offers you great value, because you can get more style, size, and fabric choices, in addition to excellent quality, at lower prices. Rest assured that when you purchase a suit that was imported, you are still supporting our Canadian workers who are employed by the local warehouses and distributors of these products. You are also supporting the Canadian sales representatives that help market the products, and the local businesses (like Kahiko Bay!) who sell them. Hopefully in the future, Canada will take steps to make things more cost effective for companies to manufacture swimwear in our own country.
The good news is, we do have some Canadian suppliers of cover-ups and resortwear, and there is a bit less of an increase in prices for those locally sourced items. We have marked the styles in store that were made in Canada with a bit of red tape on the hangers, to help you easily identify them so you can support those Canadian companies. 🇨🇦
We are sharing this information with you now, so that you can prepare for any upcoming purchases you are planning to make by putting a little bit of extra money aside, so that you aren’t disappointed if a suit you love doesn’t fit your current budget. If you are in need of a new swimsuit for an upcoming vacation, or your aquafit classes, saving a few extra dollars over the next few months to put towards your purchase will help reduce any “sticker shock” you may experience this year. With Christmas coming soon, you may even want to ask Santa Claus or family members to bless you with a Kahiko Bay Gift Card to help with the cost of a new suit and accessories in the new year!
If you have any questions or need help finding the right merchandise to fit your budget, we are always happy to assist. We carry several different brands, all with slightly different styles and price points. Kahiko Bay will also continue to offer an assortment of deeply discounted treasures on our clearance racks. Please follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Patron QR to watch for our current sales, promotions, and coupons which can help you save money.
We remain committed to offering beautiful, well-made swimwear at the best possible value, and we hope that the tariff situation soon resolves so that we can eventually see the prices normalize in the years to come.
Thank you very much for your understanding, loyalty, and ongoing patronage and support.
With sincere gratitude,
Wendy Allum
Owner, Kahiko Bay
613-507-SWIM (7946)
