Thread: The Quest For "Made in the USA"

I saw the story on this Saturday's GMA. If you go to abcnews.go.com, you can search "Made in the USA" and the video of the story will pop up. Unfortunately, there was no way for me to link the video here, based on the way their video system is set up.

But here's their article on the story. Enjoy the new "Made in the USA" movement!

TexasGal

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=3638309&page=1


Made In The USA -- or Is It?

It Took One Family More Than a Year to Find Sneakers Made in the U.S.A.

Recalls of foreign-made goods have some consumers turning to American-made products -- if they can find them.

Sept. 22, 2007


The Gilley family is on a hunt for shoes, but not just any shoe will do. They will only consider products that bear one common theme -- that they are made in America.

"It's an economic train of thought that when you buy American, you support American jobs, tax base, which generates things like good bridges and roads, public education," Darin Gilley explained.


But these days, it's becoming an increasingly taller order to find American-made goods within U.S. borders.

"If you look at footwear, if you look at toys, virtually everything that is on the marketplace has been made in a foreign country," Consumer Reports magazine's Don Mays said.

In fact, the Gilley family said it took a full year before they found American-made sneakers.

The lure of cheaper overseas labor has driven many manufacturers, in all business sectors, off shore. But experts say the lower prices can come with higher risk.

"Lax government regulations in foreign countries, as well as lack of enforcement of government regulations in our country, have jeopardized the quality and the safety of the products in our marketplace," Mays said.

Several top fashion designers have gotten the message. Designers like Nicole Miller and Oscar de la Renta are not only making fashion statements, they're making a political one as well -- sending a message that is decidedly pro-USA.

"We are very proud of the "made in the USA" label, and we think it represents a premium quality product," said Alex Bolen, CEO of Oscar de la Renta.

Designer Nicole Miller agreed.

"It makes you very flexible," she said. "I think also the customers really respond to that, because so many things are made in strange places these days. It's kind of refreshing to see that 'made in the USA' label."

And more consumers are taking notice, looking at the actual labels for guidance.

But buyer beware: Some manufacturers conscious of the patriotic trend may be trying to jump on the "Buy American" bandwagon without telling the whole story.

"What often happens is many of the components of these products are being manufactured overseas," Mays said. "They may be assembled here. And so then they qualify for the 'made in America' stamp on their product."

He added that the majority of the products may have be manufactured on foreign soil.


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Good job Gilley family!

But buyer beware: Some manufacturers conscious of the patriotic trend may be trying to jump on the "Buy American" bandwagon without telling the whole story.

Assembled in... Distributed by...

Look for Made in the USA.

My personal thought is, if you can't find it made in America, then you probably really don't need it. Your house is filling up with cheep crap from China that you really don't need.

Instead of those 10 cheap decrative items from China, you could have bought something very nice from an American artist.

It's about quality, not quanity!

Dixie

Originally Posted by Dixie

Good job Gilley family!

But buyer beware: Some manufacturers conscious of the patriotic trend may be trying to jump on the "Buy American" bandwagon without telling the whole story.

Assembled in... Distributed by...

Look for Made in the USA.

My personal thought is, if you can't find it made in America, then you probably really don't need it. Your house is filling up with cheep crap from China that you really don't need.

Instead of those 10 cheap decrative items from China, you could have bought something very nice from an American artist.

It's about quality, not quanity!

Dixie

ABSOLUTELY true, Dixie!

All they have to do is sew on a button and claim it was made here in some cases . I use to like to eat the greasy fish at the major restaurants ,'for old time sakes, haha ' , but since the employee told me they are from China I no longer eat out much at all . I also try to buy local produce .

I heard years ago that most of the major burger franchies raise and prepare their hamburger from Africa . This means millions of acreas are destroyed to make profits and people pushed out into the desert die from lack of water .

Nestles Bottled water has dried up many third world nations aquifers so we can use bottled water . The largest concentration of springs in the world famous to cave divers in North Florida is now in danger of being dried up by Coca Cola pumping out millions of gallons a day .

So many things to watch if we get another chance .

JP... has a site for made in the USA products. See the links in his signature line.

...just a note... I hope Americans are not buying MATTEL Products until they start production in the US again!


Here is JP's link.
Buy American!
http://www.buydirectusa.com/links/index.php

I've been registered to this site and there are some products not listed.
For Lawn and Garden equipment, including Lawn mowers, lawntractors, snow blowers, edgers and weedeaters,rototillers,and more.
"MTD"is made in the USA and proudly displays a sticker of the US flag and stating "Made in USA."
RYOBI was just bought out by MTD but is not a USA product.
I'm sure alot of you already have MTD products. They're very popular.
If you have:"YardMan", "YardMachine"."Cub Cadet",,"BOLENS",,"WHITE",,[/b]or TROYBUILT products, you have MTDproducts.