Sending yarn home from Scotland

It’s an absolute mess. If you buy everything from the same shop, and they regularly ship to the US, have the shop ship your wool. They know how to fill out the forms correctly. The cost will be quite high, over 200€ for a large box. You pay the tariffs on the US end before the box is delivered. Not being home complicates the process unless it’s mailed to someone who will accept to pay the tariffs and récit.

Speaking as a knitter myself, this is a case in which I would seriously consider compression packing cubes for bringing the yarn home yourself. Depending upon how you pack and how much you buy, that might or might not work.

How were the tariffs collected as I will not be at home when the packages arrive.

I suspect that they will not deliver unless there is someone home. The one time I received a package where duty was due (before the current tariffs) , the carrier sent me forms that I had to fill out with the amount due. I had to complete the forms and pay before the package was released. I can’t remember the carrier (it was probably DHL). DHL has some info on U.S. tariffs. https://www.dhl.com/discover/en-my/logistics-advice/import-export-advice/All-You-Need-to-Know-About-US-Import-Tax-and-Duties

You might also check a service like ”Sendmybag.”

You might consider getting yourself a lightweight duffel or tote bag with a trolley sleeve so that you could carry the wool on top of your rolling bag (assuming that is what you have). Does your Baltic trip start and end in the same place? If it does, you could look for luggage storage while you travel.

Here is an example of a lightweight bag with trolley sleeve:
https://www.zappos.com/p/baggallini-carryall-expandable-packable-tote-mist/product/9967077/color/13852?

Send My Bag uses DHL.
I forgot to tell you that the sender must have a local Shetland Island address. If it doesn’t get through customs or FDA, it will be sent back at your expense.
Compression sacks and an extra suitcase is the only way to go.

Here's a way to bring along an extra suitcase:
https://repack.eaglecreek.com/l/morphus-22/6a725374-08c3-4b99-a0d1-4c25c41de649

Not Scotland, but in June 2025 I had olive oil shipped home from Spain (the store handled the shipment via FedEx). I believe the tariffs were in place at that time. The package was delivered after we got home, then a week or so later, a bill from Fed Ex came for what I can only assume was tariffs (it was all in Spanish and hard to decipher even with google lens). So in my case, nothing was required at delivery, but I had to pay Fed Ex later.
Compression bags sound like a great idea.

I posted elsewhere the recent ordeal with wine shipped from an Italian vineyard to my home. After 3 weeks it was released by US Customs and the FDA (because it is edible/drinkable) and delivered to my doorstep - no signature was required, which I thought was odd.

The next day Fedex sent me a bill for "duties, taxes and fees," which was around $20. Please note this did NOT include the cost of shipping which even before tariffs was pretty steep. Also, the package was delivered before August 7, after which Fedex advised that "the United States will apply updated customs tariffs on imports from the European Union. As a result, your shipment may be subject to: Longer customs clearance times; Additional duties or import related costs." Not sure how this may impact items from the UK since they are no longer part of the EU, but likely a similar situation.

In the past, I have happily shipped items home from Europe but in the future, I am packing a collapsible duffel and will simply bring items home with me via a checked bag. Moving forward, the only time I would consider shipping something home is if the merchant did it for me and was familiar with dealing with US shipments. In talking several times with Fedex about the above wine shipment, more than one operator let me know that the shipping merchant was very timely and thorough with providing the additional documents that were required.

I would definitely try and fit it in one of your bags. Maybe bring an extra packable backpack with you that you can unfold at the end and fill it full of yarn. Then you can check your suitcase and use that as a carry-on or under-the-seat bag. I've done that a

Keep in mind that things like socks and other items that take up space can be stuffed in your extra pair of shoes—basically get creative with your packing. I think it's risky to ship anything like that home unless you are actually okay with paying a huge amount of money. And as others mentioned above, yarn can be easily compressed, and it shouldn't hurt it at all. You can get quite a bit of yarn in one compression packing cube. Or just use a gallon-size Ziploc bag, pack it with yard, then sit on it and squeeze it shut with the yarn compressed inside.

I got it, one of the posters reminded me of the company send my bag. Which I had looked at for sending my bag home, but there was a problem with personal items versus new items and it was really just a big pain. But I got thinking send my bag will send my luggage from London hotel to my hotel in Helsinki. No extra luggage to lug around the Baltics. With my bag in Helsinki I can bring it home on my flight. So I’ve got my answer and in a roundabout way, I have a plan. Thank you.

I'd suggest knitting it into a sweater and wearing it home :-) We just returned from a May trip and my wife brought some North Ronaldsay wool (sea-weed fed) home in her luggage. There was no customs so we didn't have to even fib about the cost.

She bought an Aran sweater in Kilronan pre-tariffs, and shipping was quite reasonable, fully arranged by the shop. I wouldn't think tariffs would apply to shipping cost.