Yes, You Can Buy American

Backcountry Notes ^ | November 29, 2009 | Jay Henderson

[jay1949]

I saw a piece on the news recently which said, in essence, that even if you want to "buy American," there are so few American-made items in the stores that it is almost impossible. Sad, and if you insist on buying the trendy stuff at the mall, probably true. But there is an alternative. All across our land there are artisans, craftsmen, and artists who produce Made-in-America items which are far superior to the brummagem stuff made in China.

[Marie2]

The company I work for, Watkins, does all of its processing and packing here in the U.S. Although we carry a lot of spices and of course some spices must be imported.

[12Gauge687]

Some mass-produced items are still made in the US, too. Most C.C. Filson woolen clothing; Pendleton blankets; Kershaw and Benchmade knives; most All-Clad cookware; Limmer handcrafted hiking boots; Russell Mocassin shoes and boots; Kitchen-Aid stand mixers; many Danner boots and socks; Thorlo socks; Pro Tool’s Woodsman’s Pal; Bowery Lane bicycles; some pants and shirts by Schaefer; and Diamond Gusset jeans.

The above is just a partial list; I’m sure there are other firms making products in the US. The problem is many of us are convenience shoppers buying mass-produced items like buckets, spatulas and underwear at the local discount store.

[tbw2]

A potential business plan is an All-American store.

[12Gauge687]

That might be tough because of the whims of business. C.C. Filson used to make all of their products in the USA. However, now more than half are made in Asia. Not only have labor rates gone up but so have rents (factory space is at a premium in Seattle, their hometown); business and workmen’s comp insurance; and fabric (now mostly made in Asia) costs. In addition, processing fabrics and leathers is impacted by local and federal EPA standards.

One manufacturer informed me it’s actually cheaper to train and pay (sometimes sharing the cost with other firms) a quality-control person overseas then manufacture product there and ship to the the US than it is to continue manufacturing in the States. And, too many of us are price sensitive and most companies know it.