Price difference is due to tax. I used to find it worth my while buying fabric from the states but it became ridiculously expensive since over and above the $40+ dollars for postage, I'd often be done for import duty usually costing in the region of £20-30 which sometimes included a £12 handling fee by Royal Mail. While there was the occasional parcel that arrived with no or minimum fee latterly, esp after the privatisation of RM, it just became silly.