Why Are Quilting Supplies More Expensive in Canada Than the USA
TL;DR – Why Are Quilting Supplies More Expensive in Canada Than the USA?
Canadian quilters consistently pay 25–50% more for fabric and quilting supplies than their American counterparts. Several factors explain this price gap:
- Import Tariffs & Trade Policies: Most quilting fabrics are imported, and Canadian import duties often make them pricier than in the U.S.
- Currency Exchange Rates: A weaker Canadian dollar inflates prices when suppliers price goods in U.S. dollars.
- Exclusive Wholesale Distribution: A handful of Canadian wholesalers control access to major fabric brands, creating a monopoly-like situation and driving up prices.
- Small Market Size & Less Competition: Fewer retailers, smaller bulk orders, and higher overhead force Canadian shops to charge more to stay profitable.
- Higher Taxes & Operating Costs: Sales tax (5–15%), higher wages, and high shipping costs within Canada all add to prices.
- Consumer Expectations: Canadians are accustomed to higher prices, and limited alternatives allow manufacturers and distributors to maintain high prices.
Whether you shop in urban centers or rural areas, quilting supplies in Canada are simply more expensive, and unless distribution structures change, Canadian quilters will likely continue to pay a premium for their passion.
Quilters across Canada have long noticed that the cost of quilting supplies – especially fabrics, batting, and threads – is significantly higher in Canada than in the United States. The same quality quilting cotton that might sell for $8–$12 per yard in an American shop often costs $15–$25 per meter (approximately 39 inches, slightly more than a yard) in Canada. For example, one quilting blogger found identical fabric prints priced at $7.99 USD per yard in the U.S. but selling for $14.99 CAD per yard in Canadian stores. This price gap isn’t just a quirk of one store or region – it’s a well-recognized phenomenon that has Canadian quilters seeking answers. In this blog, we’ll investigate why retail and wholesale quilting supply costs are higher in Canada, examining historical trends, market structures, and regional factors.
Higher Prices: A Reality for Canadian Quilters
Numerous sources and firsthand accounts confirm the persistent price disparity. In Canadian quilt shops today, quality cotton fabrics typically range from about $17 to $25 per meter, according to quilters on online forums. Even chain fabric stores often charge close to $20/m for premium prints (occasionally putting basics on sale for around $9–$10/m, which still equates to about $8 USD/yard on sale). By contrast, U.S. prices for similar quilt fabrics tend to be much lower. Quilters in America report that quilt-shop quality cottons cost around $12 per yard at full price, while big-box craft retailers sell mid-range cottons for $7–$10 per yard (before the ubiquitous coupons and sales). Discount outlets and clearance sales in the U.S. can drop prices even further – something far less common in Canada’s smaller market.
These price differences hold true across urban and rural areas. In major Canadian cities, quilters may have a few more shopping options (local quilt boutiques, national chains like Fabricland/Fabricville, or big craft stores like Michaels), but the prices remain steep. In rural communities, access is even more limited – often, a lone quilt shop or general fabric store serves a large area, usually with prices at or above those in the cities.
Remote and northern regions face additional costs, as supplies must be shipped over long distances, which further raises prices. By comparison, U.S. quilters – even in many rural areas – often benefit from relatively nearby stores or the ability to order from large American online retailers without international shipping fees. The result is that a Canadian quilter living outside a major city not only has fewer choices but likely pays a premium after factoring in shipping or travel, whereas an American in a similar setting might find reasonably priced fabric at a Walmart or Joann Fabrics within a short drive.
To appreciate how this situation developed, it’s helpful to look back at some historical context, including the role of cross-border shopping and currency fluctuations.
Historical Context: Currency Swings and Cross-Border Shopping
Cross-border shopping has been a common practice for Canadian consumers, including quilters, for decades. Especially when the Canadian dollar was strong (near parity with the U.S. dollar in the late 2000s and early 2010s), throngs of Canadian quilters routinely drove to U.S. border towns or ordered from U.S. websites to take advantage of the lower prices and greater selection stateside. One longstanding American chain, Joann Fabrics, became legendary for “luring quilters across the U.S. border for decades” with its deep discounts and coupons. Canadian quilters would return home with bulging trunks full of bargain-priced cottons, batting, and notions that were simply unattainable at those prices back home.
However, the tides turned in the mid-2010s when the Canadian dollar weakened (dropping 20–30% below the U.S. dollar in value). The exchange rate became a significant factor: even if a U.S. fabric was cheaper in absolute terms, by the time a Canadian paid in U.S. dollars (or paid credit card exchange rates), much of the savings evaporated. As one observer dryly noted, with the Canadian dollar down about 30%, “cross-border shopping isn’t as much of an option” as it once was. This gave Canadian retailers more leeway to keep prices higher without losing all their customers to U.S. competitors, since cross-border bargain-hunting no longer yielded the windfall it did when currencies were at parity.
Historically, Canadians have often felt frustrated that retail prices remained higher in Canada even when our dollar was strong. A 16-month Canadian Senate inquiry in 2012–2013 examined this very “Canada–U.S. price gap.” The Senate heard from experts and confirmed that Canadians pay more for many consumer goods, even after accounting for exchange rates, due to structural factors (which we’ll explore next). In fact, the Senate report opened by acknowledging “Canadian consumers are feeling ripped off” when they see identical items cost more in Canada. Quilting supplies were no exception – as far back as 2007, quilters in Victoria, BC, lamented that fabric prices “up here” were far beyond what currency differences alone could explain. The price gap has deep roots that extend beyond the exchange rate of the day.
Key Factors Driving Up Canadian Quilting Costs
Several interrelated factors explain why quilting supplies (at both retail and wholesale levels) are more expensive in Canada than in the U.S. These include tariff and tax policies, the structure of distribution networks, market size and competition, manufacturer pricing strategies, and other cost overheads. Let’s break down each of these:
1. Import Tariffs and Trade Policies
One concrete factor is import duties and tariffs. Canada historically levied higher import tariffs on many consumer goods than the United States did, and textiles have been part of that pattern. The Retail Council of Canada noted to the Senate that Canada’s tariff rates are “consistently higher” than U.S. rates on equivalent products. For instance, certain apparel items faced an 18% import tariff in Canada, compared to only 2.9% in the U.S. While quilting cotton fabric isn’t in the same category as finished apparel, this highlights a general trend: importing goods into Canada often incurs higher border costs.
It’s true that under free trade agreements like NAFTA (now USMCA), many items made in the U.S., Canada, or Mexico can cross borders duty-free. But here’s the catch: most quilting cottons are not actually manufactured in North America today. As Canadian industry sources note, “most quilting cottons are produced in Asian countries, [with] very little manufacturing left in North America.” Top quilt fabric brands (Moda, Riley Blake, Robert Kaufman, etc.) base their design studios or headquarters in the U.S., but the fabric itself is typically milled and printed in China, South Korea, Japan, or India. So when bolts of these fabrics arrive in Canada, they don’t qualify as “North American origin” under USMCA rules, and Canadian customs can treat them as imports from Asia, often subject to duties. A Canadian wholesaler importing Asian-printed fabric pays those duties, and the cost gets passed down to quilt shops and consumers.
Even within North America, trade disputes in recent years have led to a tit-for-tat escalation of tariffs. In 2018–2019 and again in 2025, the U.S. and Canada exchanged new tariffs on various goods amid broader trade negotiations. Craft retailers have been nervously watching these developments. For example, in early 2025, Canada announced 25% retaliatory tariffs on a range of U.S. goods (effective March 4, 2025) in response to U.S. measures. If textiles or craft supplies are caught up in such trade-war crossfire, it could further bump up prices. (At the time of writing, the 2025 Canadian tariff list targeted mostly other categories – like poultry and household goods – but the climate of uncertainty has itself raised costs, as companies hedge against potential new fees)
The Senate’s investigation did conclude that tariffs alone are not the sole or even primary cause of Canada–U.S. price gaps, but they are “a significant factor” and one of the few factors directly controllable by government. The Canadian government acknowledged that import tariffs generated $3.6 billion in revenue in 2010–11, a sum ultimately paid by consumers. While eliminating tariffs won’t eliminate all price differences, it could alleviate costs for some goods. Indeed, after the Senate report, Canada’s finance minister at the time began cutting tariffs on select items, such as baby clothes and sporting equipment, to help narrow price gaps. (Quilting fabric didn’t get a special exemption, but the principle stands.)
In short, duties and import taxes make quilting supplies pricier in Canada. A bolt of fabric imported to the U.S. might clear customs at a lower duty rate (or duty-free under some trade preference), whereas that same bolt entering Canada could face a higher tariff, directly increasing its landed cost. And if a Canadian consumer orders fabric directly from abroad, they may be charged hefty duty and tax upon delivery, which is a further deterrent (one 2022 policy briefly imposed over 100% duty on certain postal imports of Chinese-origin fabric to the U.S., illustrating how extreme these charges can get).
2. Wholesale Distribution: Limited Players and “Exclusive” Deals
Perhaps the most critical factor in quilting cotton prices is the structure of the wholesale supply chain in Canada. Unlike the U.S., which has numerous fabric distributors and direct-to-retailer sales channels, Canada’s quilt fabric distribution has historically been dominated by just a few key wholesalers. This has effectively created monopolies or oligopolies on certain brands. As quilting industry insiders candidly explain, “the problem with our [Canadian] fabric prices isn’t the government or ‘free’ trade. It’s the wholesale distributors who have a monopoly.”
Many large American fabric manufacturers grant exclusive distribution rights for Canada to a single wholesaler. That wholesaler becomes the sole official source through which all Canadian quilt shops must purchase that brand’s fabric. “Suppliers in the States…prefer to deal with just one [distributor]. Hence, the monopoly, and [distributors’] ability to set the prices as high as they want,” says one veteran Canadian quilt dealer, describing the situation matter-of-factly. In other words, Canadian quilt stores can’t shop around among multiple competing wholesalers for, say, Moda or Michael Miller fabrics – they often have only one source, which sets a high base price.
A prime example is TrendTex Fabrics, based in Coquitlam, BC. TrendTex is “the leading wholesale fabric distributor in Canada” and has been in business since 1935. It carries major lines (including many popular American designer collections) and serves quilt shops nationwide. Quilt shop owners have noted that if they want those big-name fabrics, they must buy through TrendTex or a handful of similar distributors, all of whom have comparable pricing structures. With so little competition in wholesale, there’s little pressure to keep prices low. In fact, manufacturers often practice “country pricing”, charging Canadian distributors more than U.S. distributors for the same goods. The Senate report found some manufacturers mark up wholesale prices to Canadian retailers by 10%–50% above what U.S. retailers pay. Their reasoning? They cite “higher operating costs in Canada,” the need to compensate Canadian middlemen, and simply that “Canadians are used to paying higher prices.”This kind of built-in markup at the top of the supply chain inevitably trickles down to consumers.
To put it bluntly, Canadian fabric distributors and the manufacturers behind them “charge what the market will bear.” A Canadian quilt shop owner reported in 2007 that many U.S. suppliers refused to sell directly to Canadian stores, instead funneling orders through the exclusive Canadian distributor. That distributor then adds their margin, which, by all accounts, is substantial. When there’s only one authorized importer for a fabric line, quilt shops have no choice but to pay the asking price. It’s effectively a captive market. “Because they can [charge more],” is how one frustrated Canadian quilter answered when asked why fabric is so expensive here.
For Canadian consumers, this means every yard of that designer quilt fabric has already accumulated a markup before it even reaches the shop shelf. By contrast, in the U.S., quilt shops often have multiple wholesalers vying for their business, and some larger retailers import directly, keeping wholesale costs down. Additionally, large U.S. chains can negotiate volume discounts that are not possible in Canada’s smaller market. This structural difference – an exclusive, high-cost wholesale pipeline in Canada versus a competitive, volume-driven network in the U.S. – is at the heart of the price gulf.
3. Smaller Market Size and Less Competition
Canada’s population is about one-tenth the size of the United States', spread over a vast geographic area. This has several implications for pricing:
Higher distribution costs per unit: Importers in Canada bring in smaller shipments of fabric than their U.S. counterparts (simply because demand is lower). Smaller volume often means higher shipping costs per yard and less bargaining power with overseas mills. The Senate study noted that Canada’s small market means importers “pay a higher price for smaller shipments,” and those costs get passed on. Whether it’s a container of cotton batting or a pallet of fabric bolts, the cost per item to get it here is higher when you’re importing fewer units.
Retail overhead spread over fewer sales: A quilt shop in a Canadian city might serve a relatively limited customer base (perhaps one shop for an entire small city or large rural region). That shop still has fixed costs – rent, utilities, staff wages, etc., which must be built into the product pricing. If a Canadian shop sells, say, 1,000 yards of fabric a month, and a similarly sized U.S. shop sells 3,000 yards a month (thanks to a denser population or quilting being more popular regionally), the Canadian shop may need a higher markup on each yard to cover its overhead. In other words, lower sales volume necessitates higher margins to stay profitable.
Fewer competitors: In many Canadian towns, the local quilt shop has no direct competition – there might not be another fabric store for 50 or 100 kilometers. Even in larger cities, there are only a handful of quilt retailers. This lack of competition can keep prices high. By contrast, in a medium-sized American city, you might have multiple quilt shops plus Joann Fabrics, Hobby Lobby, Walmart, and online giants all competing. The Canadian Senate specifically flagged “a lack of competition in certain retail categories” in Canada, which “results in higher prices.” Quilting supplies certainly fit that description. With fewer players in the game, Canadian retailers face less pressure to offer rock-bottom prices – and indeed, many couldn’t survive a race to the bottom given their higher costs noted above.
In essence, Canada’s market is both smaller and less densely populated, which is a recipe for higher prices. It’s Economics 101: when competition is limited and economies of scale are hard to achieve, prices stay up. The Senate report dubbed this phenomenon “country pricing” – manufacturers and distributors set up a higher price structure for the Canadian market, taking advantage of the fact that Canadians don’t have as many alternatives.
4. Taxes and Operating Costs
Another piece of the puzzle is the higher cost of doing business in Canada. Everything from sales taxes to wages can affect retail prices. For example:
Sales taxes: In most of Canada, consumers pay a combined GST/HST of 5% to 15% on fabric and supplies (depending on the province). In the U.S., sales tax varies by state (ranging from 0% to ~9%), and some states exempt clothing or sewing necessities. While Canadian sticker prices usually don’t include tax (tax is added at checkout, as in the U.S.), the overall amount a consumer ends up paying is higher due to these taxes. This doesn’t directly inflate the shelf price, but it adds to the perceived expense of quilting in Canada. (A $20/m fabric is actually $23/m after 15% HST in some provinces).
Labor and store overhead: Canadian minimum wages and worker benefit standards are generally higher than in many U.S. states. For instance, as of the mid-2020s, Ontario’s minimum wage is around $15 CAD/hour (roughly $11–$12 USD), higher than the minimum in many U.S. states. Store rents in big Canadian cities can be as high as in major U.S. cities. Utilities and shipping (think of heating bills in Canadian winters or fuel costs for delivery trucks) are also high. All these costs mean a Canadian quilt retailer must charge more per item to break even. One anecdote from Saskatchewan noted that locally high wages and costs might be partly why even a simple item like a notebook costs triple in Canada what it does in the U.S. The scale may differ for fabric, but the principle remains the same – Canadian retailers face steeper cost structures in some respects, which are reflected in retail prices.
Bilingual packaging and regulations: By law, many products in Canada require bilingual (English/French) labeling and must meet Canadian safety standards. For quilting cotton, this impact is minimal (fabric bolts aren’t labeled like consumer goods, aside from fiber content). However, for related items (sewing machines, certain tools, even batting, which might have packaging), complying with Canadian packaging rules adds a small cost. More significant is the flammability standard for textiles: Canada has its own rules for flammability in fabrics. The Senate report noted that manufacturers sometimes have to do a separate production run or additional testing to meet Canadian standards. While quilting cotton isn’t typically used in children’s sleepwear (which has stringent flammability regulations), this illustrates that different regulations can introduce additional costs for products destined for Canada. Those costs can be passed along to consumers.
Import logistics: Canada’s geography means longer supply lines within the country. A wholesaler bringing fabric into Vancouver or Toronto still has to ship bolts out to quilt shops in Newfoundland, the Prairies, or the far north. Shipping costs within Canada are notably high (as any online shopper can attest). These freight costs from distributor to retailer again end up in the price tag the consumer sees.
In summary, the general cost of business is higher in Canada on multiple fronts, and that contributes to the higher prices on quilting supplies. It’s not that Canadian quilt shop owners are getting rich off huge profit margins – in fact, many struggle to survive – it’s that their baseline costs (for inventory, rent, staff, import fees, etc.) force higher retail prices to stay afloat.
5. Consumer Expectations and Market Willingness
A somewhat intangible but important factor is what economists call “willingness to pay”. Over the years, Canadian consumers have, out of necessity, grown accustomed to higher prices on many goods. Manufacturers are well aware of this. As mentioned, some explicitly admit that “Canadians are used to paying higher prices”, which emboldens them to maintain those higher price points in Canada.
This becomes a self-reinforcing cycle: if prices have always been high, a new entrant has little incentive to undercut drastically, as consumers are already paying the high prices. Only when Canadian consumers push back, by seeking alternatives like cross-border or online shopping, does the market feel pressure to adjust. The Senate committee even urged Canadians to become “more price conscious and savvy” to force better pricing through competition. In the quilting world, many have done exactly that: they’ll organize bus trips to U.S. fabric outlets, form buying co-ops to purchase in bulk from U.S. wholesalers, or wait for Black Friday online sales to order from American e-commerce sites.
However, these workarounds have their limits. Ordering online from the U.S. often incurs international shipping fees, import duty, and sales tax on arrival, which can wipe out much of the savings, unless it’s a very large order that justifies the overhead. A Canadian quilter in BC noted that if you’re not near the border, “you’re stuck, unless you order off the internet. Then you’ll get hit with paying duties and taxes and exchange rates.”forum.com Sometimes it still ends up “quite a bit cheaper” to buy from U.S. websites despite those extra fees. Still, it requires careful math and patience (and perhaps luck that your package isn’t additionally delayed or charged brokerage fees). The hassle factor means that many consumers are willing to tolerate higher local prices for the convenience and immediacy of buying from a nearby Canadian shop.
In rural areas, this dynamic is even stronger: if there’s literally only one quilt shop within a day’s drive, local quilters either pay what that shop asks or they don’t get to see and feel fabric before buying. Sure, they could order online, but older or traditional quilters, especially, may prefer to support their local store and inspect fabric in person. The loyalty and support for local shops, which are important community hubs, can inadvertently perpetuate the higher pricing structure (since those shops need higher margins to cover their costs, as discussed).
Urban vs. Rural: Regional Differences in Pricing and Access
The question specifically inquires about urban versus rural differences and any regional nuances. We’ve touched on some of this, but let’s draw it out clearly:
Urban Canada: In cities like Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary, etc., quilters have relatively more shopping options. There may be a few independent quilt boutiques, perhaps a shop attached to a sewing machine dealer, and usually at least one branch of a chain (Fabricland/Fabricville is Canada’s largest fabric chain, and Michaels craft stores have some fabrics and notions). Despite the choices, prices in urban shops are still high across the board, often aligned with “MSRP” (manufacturer’s suggested retail price) in Canadian dollars. Fabricland, for instance, often lists quilting cottons at $18–$20 per meter regular price, and then offers “50% off for members” sales that bring it to $9–$10/m (plus an annual membership fee to get that discount). Even on sale, that’s roughly $7 USD/yard – comparable to a U.S. sale price, but it’s telling that Canadians must wait for sales or pay for membership to approach U.S. pricing. One quilter noted a Fabricland sale where even with 50% off, basic cottons were $9/m and batiks $15/m – “an example of what Canadian quilters are up against”. Urban stores in Canada also have to contend with higher rents, which reinforces those price points. On the positive side, big Canadian cities host quilt shows and have guilds, which sometimes attract vendors offering show specials or clearance deals. However, these events are periodic, not a daily occurrence.
Rural Canada: In smaller towns or rural areas, a quilter might have a single local fabric store (if any), which likely doubles as a sewing/craft/general fabric shop. These shops often carry a mix of goods, including quilting cotton, dress fabric, and home decor textiles, and their quilting selection may be limited and expensive. If it’s far from a major center, the shop owner paid extra to get inventory shipped to them, which can mean prices are even a bit higher than in the city. Rural shop owners sometimes say they can’t match U.S. prices or big-city sales; their volume is too low and freight is too high. Many rural quilters thus rely on occasional trips to cities or shopping online. Some regions have developed quilt shop “road trips" (e.g., a bus tour hitting several shops) to help crafters in remote areas stock up – but again, those who can’t travel must pay whatever it costs to get fabric mailed to them. In Canada, postal rates are high, so even domestic online ordering can be pricey. Quilters in the far north or remote communities face perhaps the steepest costs: not only is everything shipped in, but sometimes there are extra shipping surcharges for remote postal codes. It’s not unheard of for quilters in these areas to join online forums specifically to organize bulk orders or share shipping on U.S. fabric deals to make it feasible.
Regional Variations: Within Canada, some regions have stronger quilting cultures or more local suppliers. For example, southwestern Ontario has a dense population and multiple Fabricland outlets and independent quilt shops (plus relatively easy drives to U.S. border outlets in Michigan or New York). The Prairies (Manitoba, Saskatchewan) have fewer big-box stores, but many quilters – they often support local shops despite higher prices, or they make pilgrimages to places like Missouri Star Quilt Company in the U.S. Midwest for bargains. In Atlantic Canada, options are few, and the distance to U.S. stores (except maybe Maine for New Brunswick residents) is great, so prices stay high and selection is limited. Quebec and the Maritimes tend to have smaller independent shops that import through the same distributors, so their prices are on par with the rest of Canada. Out west, quilters in BC and Alberta historically did a lot of cross-border shopping in Washington or Montana when the dollar was good; with the dollar weaker now, they rely on local shops or Canadian online retailers. BC benefits from being home to TrendTex (in the Vancouver area) and a couple of fabric manufacturers, but that hasn’t translated to lower retail prices – it just means shops out west get their goods a bit faster from the distributor. No province is really “cheap” for quilting supplies relative to the U.S.. Still, within Canada, one might find minor differences (e.g., Ontario’s fabric chain regularly has sales, whereas a small-town shop in another province might seldom discount). Overall, though, the pricing model is fairly consistent coast-to-coast due to the centralized wholesale system.
Urban vs. rural U.S. (for comparison): Interestingly, even in the U.S. there’s some urban/rural divide, but often the cheapest quilting supplies are found in rural or semi-rural areas – think of Amish country quilt shops in Pennsylvania or discount fabric warehouses in the South, where overhead is low and competition might be a quilt shop in the next town. Meanwhile, a quilt boutique in Manhattan or San Francisco might charge top dollar (close to $15–$18 USD/yd for premium lines). But even those top U.S. prices (which are outliers) are comparable to the average Canadian prices in many places. And the difference is, an American consumer always has the option to order from an online seller in a cheaper region with minimal extra cost (domestic shipping is relatively affordable or free over certain amounts). Canadians lack a similar alternative – ordering from a cheaper region means crossing the border (physically or virtually, with all the import costs discussed).
In essence, rural Canadian quilters often face the highest prices and the least access, whereas urban Canadian quilters face merely high prices but with a bit more access. Either way, both significantly exceed the costs faced by their American counterparts.
The Bottom Line: A Perfect Storm of Factors
Combining all these factors, we can see why quilting as a hobby is simply more expensive in Canada. To recap:
Currency differences mean Canadian prices need to be higher (a $10 USD item might be $13 CAD just from exchange, and lately the exchange rate has frequently disadvantaged Canadians).
Higher import costs and tariffs in Canada tack on additional hidden costs to goods that often originate overseas.
Exclusive wholesale distribution in Canada concentrates power with a few companies that mark up fabric heavily. U.S. retailers benefit from a competitive wholesaling environment that keeps their costs lower.
Smaller market and less competition in Canada allow “because they can” pricing – manufacturers and retailers know customers have few alternatives.
Manufacturers engage in country-specific pricing, often charging Canadian retailers significantly more for the same product than U.S. retailers pay.
Retail operational costs (wages, rent, shipping, taxes) are higher on average in Canada, and those must be reflected in product prices to keep stores viable.
Cultural acceptance that prices are higher and the inconvenience of seeking alternatives mean consumers begrudgingly pay more, which in turn reinforces the pricing status quo.
It’s clear this isn’t a simple case of price gouging by any single entity, but rather a systemic issue. Each layer – from international trade policy down to the local shop’s electric bill – adds a few percent here and a few dollars there, and by the time a Canadian quilter buys that yard of fabric, the cumulative markup is substantial compared to the U.S.
As one quilter in British Columbia concluded after digging into the issue: “The problem … isn’t ‘free trade’. It’s the wholesalers’ monopoly … [and] suppliers giving exclusive rights, [so] they can set prices as high as they want.” Until those structural conditions change – for example, if more competition enters the Canadian market or if direct-to-consumer sales from abroad become frictionless – Canadian quilters will likely continue to pay a premium for their passion.
Looking Ahead: Is the Gap Closing or Widening?
In recent years, there have been a few signs of change. Michaels, a large U.S.-based craft retailer, now operates stores in Canada and in 2025 even acquired many of the product lines of the former Joann Fabrics. Michaels has been expanding its fabric selection, and with over 1,300 stores across North America (including Canada), it might increase competitive pressure in the fabric market. Online shopping has also given Canadian consumers more power. Canadian-run online quilt shops have sprung up, sometimes offering sales closer to U.S. prices (especially when clearing out inventory). Savvy shoppers use social media to share deals or organize group buys. Add to it, the Canadian dollar, while not at U.S. parity, has been relatively stable, allowing businesses to plan pricing better without huge currency swings.
The Canadian government, for its part, has periodically reviewed tariffs and pricing issues. Following the Senate report, some tariffs were reduced, and there is ongoing pressure to tackle any remaining unjustified import taxes. Retaliatory trade tariffs (like the 2025 episode) are hopefully temporary; if resolved, those clouds will lift.
Still, many of the core challenges remain. TrendTex and a few others still dominate wholesale. Northcott and one or two Canadian fabric manufacturers exist, but the vast majority of quilting cotton will continue to be imported. Unless U.S. or international suppliers decide to flatten their pricing or deal directly in Canada, the wholesale monopoly issue will persist. And unless the Canadian population/demand grows dramatically, the economies of scale will always lag behind the U.S.
For now, Canadian quilters adapt in creative ways: making more with less (scrap quilts to use up every piece of fabric), waiting for sales, using coupons, even thrifting for fabric (repurposing old sheets or clothing as quilt material). The community is strong and finds joy regardless of costs, but ask any Canadian quilter and they’ll tell you they envy the prices their American friends enjoy. Quilting in Canada, like many hobbies, comes at a higher price, and the reasons are woven into the very fabric of economics and trade.
To sum up, Canadian quilters’ options are limited, and manufacturers/wholesalers are aware of this. The market will bear higher prices, so that’s what gets charged. In the U.S., the expectation is often that hobbies like crafting should be affordable (thanks in part to big-box stores’ influence). In Canada, it’s accepted that hobbies – from quilting to woodworking to photography – tend to cost more. As one commenter succinctly put it, “Everything is more expensive in Canada”. While that’s a bit of an exaggeration, it captures the sentiment that Canadians often resign themselves to paying a premium for items such as fabric, books, or clothing.