How Important is American Made to you?

[Chad]

Over the last 10 or so years buying American has become increasingly important to me. What began as an effort to choose American made goods over others has become such a part of me that I will do without rather than buy Chinese. I can not tell you how many brands I no longer buy or buy very limited items from that used to be staples in my life. For example, Carharrt, I probably own 50 or more Carhartt articles of clothing from socks, to overalls to coats and jackets. However at this point, I will only buy very select items from them. I have chosen to buy Round House jeans and overalls as they are 100% US made, still looking for good American made carpenter shorts... Another is Danner boots. I know that there are a few styles still made here, but for the most part they have moved over seas, so at this point it is either White's or Double H boots for me.
My wife and I are expecting a DD this fall, I have gone so far as to not allow ANYTHING Chinese onto the gift registry. I am lucky in that my wife supports this and agrees (for the most part).

So the first question is, I can't be the only one that is checking labels for where the item is made on everything they buy am I?

Second, if you are taking this approach, what resources are you using to FIND American made goods.

Recently in looking for a stroller I found that not ONE manufacture produces a stroller (or even a car seat that I could find in the US). Even the high end European strollers are made in China now. My solution was to buy a high end second hand stroller made in Italy, before they moved to China. However it took me HOURS of research to find where each product was actually made.

[Awnry Abe]

I guess I get yet another chance to talk out of both sides of my mouth.

Buying American is very important to me. All things being equal, and they seldom are, I will give the nod to the producer that is closest to my own back yard. I don't obsess over socks and undies, but the further up the $ scale, the more scrutiny I give to the person producing the item.

Here comes the other side of the mouth:

I own a big orange tractor.

[MO_cows]

Good for you, Chad. If more people put out the effort you reported, our economy would be in better shape. If only people would have woke up and smelled the coffee 30 years ago.............

We try to buy "made in USA", but sometimes there just isn't a product available. I avoid all Chinese food products, their track record for toxic things is too scary. I avoid "Bangladesh" clothing, too, there have been too many deaths in their sub-standard sweat shops, er, factories.

Some things will surprise you if you take time to read the labels. Arizona Iced Tea in the tall cans -- Is it from Arizona? Nope, made in Canada.

It's a conscious decision - are you going to have a lot of shiny new cheap foreign made stuff, or are you going to have less stuff, probably a lot of it used, but have quality pieces that were built to last.

Even some items that are still made in USA have been cheapened up to compete with the imports. It's an up hill battle.

[am1too]

Originally Posted by Chad

Over the last 10 or so years buying American has become increasingly important to me. What began as an effort to choose American made goods over others has become such a part of me that I will do without rather than buy Chinese. I can not tell you how many brands I no longer buy or buy very limited items from that used to be staples in my life. For example, Carharrt, I probably own 50 or more Carhartt articles of clothing from socks, to overalls to coats and jackets. However at this point, I will only buy very select items from them. I have chosen to buy Round House jeans and overalls as they are 100% US made, still looking for good American made carpenter shorts... Another is Danner boots. I know that there are a few styles still made here, but for the most part they have moved over seas, so at this point it is either White's or Double H boots for me.
My wife and I are expecting a DD this fall, I have gone so far as to not allow ANYTHING Chinese onto the gift registry. I am lucky in that my wife supports this and agrees (for the most part).

So the first question is, I can't be the only one that is checking labels for where the item is made on everything they buy am I?

Second, if you are taking this approach, what resources are you using to FIND American made goods.

Recently in looking for a stroller I found that not ONE manufacture produces a stroller (or even a car seat that I could find in the US). Even the high end European strollers are made in China now. My solution was to buy a high end second hand stroller made in Italy, before they moved to China. However it took me HOURS of research to find where each product was actually made.

It is very important to the future life of this country. I'm in a very bad situation. I can't find employment that will allow me to pay more for American made goods. Until a tariff is placed on outside goods to allow American made goods to compete we are fighting a losing battle. A business can't be taxed till there is no profit. If a reasonable return can't be made from the investment it will be moved to where it can.

[am1too]

Originally Posted by Awnry Abe

I guess I get yet another chance to talk out of both sides of my mouth.

Buying American is very important to me. All things being equal, and they seldom are, I will give the nod to the producer that is closest to my own back yard. I don't obsess over socks and undies, but the further up the $ scale, the more scrutiny I give to the person producing the item.

Here comes the other side of the mouth:

I own a big orange tractor.

There are no tractors made in America for my acreage size. Not having one means I can't even mow the place.

[o&itw]

I "try" to buy American. There are several reasons for this. One is to promote American jobs. Another is that, at least until recently, most American made things (excluding cars) were of better quality.

Now, the quality has gone down here, and many manufacturers who used to provide good quality were either forced out of business or required to locate in other countries with cheap labor. I find many things are no loner made in America, period.

The majority of Americans have adopted the "throw away and buy another attitude" and the manufactures have responded accordingly. There may more people buying shovels that they will use maybe once a year, then there are people that will wear out a shovel from use in a couple of years. Most of these shovels now, will be used once or twice, not cleaned, and left to rust in the corner of some garage in the burbs. Next year, when the people want to plant a rose bush or two, they will probably pitch that mud encrusted rusty shovel, or the one with a rotted handle because it was left outside, and buy another. Why make a shovel that needs to last, when 95% of the people buying them will never give them much use.

As an aside, I read a survey taken from industry executives that said the main reason they were taking their factories outside of the country wasn't primarily the cost of labor, but it was of all the governmental rules and restrictions which raised their cost of doing business so much. Included in this was the length of time it took to build a new factory, due to having to get permits from so many distinct entities. Because of this, they could have a factory up and running in another country in a year and a half, and here it would take two or three years.

Still, like most people that are not independently wealthy. The cost of high ticket items does have to be taken into consideration when purchasing.

I think most homesteaders when they purchase are looking at a cost that is correlated to both quality and price. If they can buy American under those circumstances, or even close, they will.

[Chad]

Originally Posted by am1too

It is very important to the future life of this country. I'm in a very bad situation. I can't find employment that will allow me to pay more for American made goods. Until a tariff is placed on outside goods to allow American made goods to compete we are fighting a losing battle. A business can't be taxed till there is no profit. If a reasonable return can't be made from the investment it will be moved to where it can.

I partially agree, I do not agree that a Tariff is the answer, I do agree that cutting taxes on business and manufactures would go a long way to bringing them back to our shores. However you have to make the whole situation more appealing. The US as a whole is HEAVILY regulated and makes for a difficult environment to start a manufacturing site. Ask Detroit how it has all worked out for them.

Then of course you can always get into the union wage discussion....

[salmonslayer]

The US economy has evolved past labor intensive manufacturing and no amount of pining for the good old days will bring it back. I am more interested in quality and buying local than I am obsessing about COO and I doubt even if manufacturing returned to the US in a big way we would have the same kind of jobs since we have made great strides in automation and robotics.

There is a perception out there that somehow U.S. made goods are higher quality than other countries and that is far from universally true. For me, I buy higher end things that last a long time and that is expensive in the short term and often the COO is not the U.S..

But I ask you the OP to consider this, in your quest to buy only American made products you will by necessity have to by pass some of your local stores and vendors to find "the U.S. made" item which potentially harms local businessmen and employees; doesnt that kind of defeat your purpose?

[Chad]

Originally Posted by salmonslayer

The US economy has evolved past labor intensive manufacturing and no amount of pining for the good old days will bring it back. I am more interested in quality and buying local than I am obsessing about COO and I doubt even if manufacturing returned to the US in a big way we would have the same kind of jobs since we have made great strides in automation and robotics.

There is a perception out there that somehow U.S. made goods are higher quality than other countries and that is far from universally true. For me, I buy higher end things that last a long time and that is expensive in the short term and often the COO is not the U.S..

But I ask you the OP to consider this, in your quest to buy only American made products you will by necessity have to by pass some of your local stores and vendors to find "the U.S. made" item which potentially harms local businessmen and employees; doesnt that kind of defeat your purpose?

It's an interesting point, and really what I strive to do is not buy Chinese, more than strictly American made, as I stated I bought an Italian made stroller. I agree quality is certainly not synonymous with US made. I certainly DO NOT pass up my local business men and women. It has been at least 5 year since I have stepped foot in a Wal-Mart or a Home Depot. I ALWAYS default to small local stores, of which there are plenty in my area thankfully. I am by no means wealthy, in fact I would say on the low side of middle class, but I agree with you in that I would rather buy it once and spend extra than replace it many times. Having said all of that I agree with you that the US will never return to the "good ol days", but making the choices I do is as close as I can come to it.

[Larburlingame]

If manufacturing did come back they would have to important workers. Most young people now days don't want to get dirty or have to sweat to make a living.

[mnn2501]

Is it important? yes
Do I go crazy researching? no

[Ernie]

Quality and durability is most important to me. In general, that does tend to mean American brands, but not always.

If you're an American producer of junk merchandise that isn't suited or fit to a homesteading lifestyle, don't wave the flag at me and try to induce the dollars out of my pocket that way.

Make a quality product and I'll buy it, and I don't care if it comes from Bangladesh or Boise.

I generally do make allowances for local businesses and craftsmen, but that has to do more with establishing relationships with local merchants in a local economy than any ideological concept.

[salmonslayer]

Originally Posted by Chad

It's an interesting point, and really what I strive to do is not buy Chinese, more than strictly American made, as I stated I bought an Italian made stroller. I agree quality is certainly not synonymous with US made. I certainly DO NOT pass up my local business men and women. It has been at least 5 year since I have stepped foot in a Wal-Mart or a Home Depot. I ALWAYS default to small local stores, of which there are plenty in my area thankfully. I am by no means wealthy, in fact I would say on the low side of middle class, but I agree with you in that I would rather buy it once and spend extra than replace it many times. Having said all of that I agree with you that the US will never return to the "good ol days", but making the choices I do is as close as I can come to it.

We are fortunate where we live too Chad that there are still a lot of mom and pop stores despite the Wal Marts, Lowes etc. I have always believed in buying local and that its important to keep these small operations going if for nothing else than the sense of community.

I do a lot of repair work on the side of lawn mowers, tractors, and I buy and flip old pickups to folks looking for farm trucks and I have found its almost impossible not to end up buying Chinese parts. I just replaced the front bumper on my 2003 GMC 2500 HD (manufactured in Canada by the way) with an OEM bumper and stamped proudly on the inside lip is "TAIWAN"! (and yes I understand Taiwan is not China...yet).

When I was a kid Japanese goods were considered inferior and since it was close to the end of WWII a lot of animosity existed against them, then they became synonymous with quality and Korean goods were considered inferior. Now Korea has some of the highest quality automobiles, electronics and machinery today and cheap Chinese goods have flooded the market and have inherited the deservedly bad reputation. But...(and there always is a but eh?) Chinese quality has slowly been improving and I predict in 10 years Chinese goods will have assumed their place among quality choices and to my way of thinking India is the next China. I broke a neighbors box wrench no too long ago working on one of his pieces of farm equipment and it had stamped on the handle..."Drop Forged Made in India". Not a quality tool.

With globalism here to stay I just dont see where it will be possible to limit purchases based on COO because even traditionally American companies have operations all over the world and you never know what is what.

[Andrei]

Made in USA is very important and I have been a lucky one to work all my life in manufacturing.
Of course as an imported worker/engineer.
The sad part is the major American brands are not made in USA anymore.
Ford, GM and Chrysler are in big part imports and at the same time Toyota and Hyundai are mostly Made in USA.
What then?
Personally I look at the used stuff when I want to buy tools or cars and even furniture.

[Ernie]

Originally Posted by Andrei

Personally I look at the used stuff when I want to buy tools or cars and even furniture.

Same here. In general, even something that someone else has been using for 30 years is going to be better quality and last longer than something you buy brand new off the shelf at Walmart.

[davel745]

I make my painting tool here in WV. But I own a large Green tractor made in India. But at least JD is a USA based company.

[Darren]

I go out of the way to buy American made products such as tools and hardware.

A friend bent a forged hook,(made in China) trying to pull a large bush out. That was a hook for 3/8" chain which is normal for transport use. That means any flatbed semi or straight truck you pass or passes you on the highway with a chained down load has the potential to loose the load with catastrophic results.

I saw a mill roll of steel after it left the trailer. It smashed through the concrete jersey barrier like it was nothing and unrolled across the other lanes. It didn't stop until it hit the hillside. No one got hurt, luckily. That experience has changed the way I drive around loaded trucks. I don't spend any more time either close behind them or alongside than I have too. Either pass as quickly as possible and as far away as possible or if they're passing you, slow down to limit the exposure so they can pass you faster.

I read of an instance where a utility used Chinese hardware to fasten a walkway onto a concrete wall. The fasteners broke and the walkway peeled off the wall.

The steel for a Kalifornia bridge ended up being a losing proposition when the quality issues ended up costing money.

It's gotten to the point that when I see older usable American made tools at yard sales, flea markets, and certain items on eBay, I buy them.

[karenp]

I try not to buy from China, their products worry me. I would like to add, a stroller is fine, but please don't buy a used car seat. There is no way to know if it has been involved in an accident which can damage it in ways that are not always visible. Best of luck with your new addition.

[paradox]

I don't get real worked up about where something is made, nor shopping small business vs. big business. Because if you really get down to brass tacks you are supporting Americans one way or the other.

American companies import goods and re sell them. So you are supporting Americans along with the companies overseas who made the product. Companies that make their product in America often get much of their raw goods from overseas (i.e. the place I work - the product is made and assembled here, but much of what goes into it comes from places all around the globe - so that was an eye opener for me into the world of the "made in America" labels). So there you are supporting both American and foreign companies as well. It is all so intertwined these days, I am not sure many things can be labeled 100% American anymore.

As far as Mom & Pop stores vs big box stores like Walmart. Walmart employs local people. Far more than the Mom & Pop stores ever could. So yes it is a big corporation, but I am sure the people who work there are thankful to get that paycheck, and spend it, right there in your home town. I have nothing against small stores and believe they are a wonderful part of our economy. But I also get tired of hearing people trash big corporations that do provide much needed jobs and access to lower priced goods and large selections of goods. (not accusing anyone above of trashing them - I just mean in general when you see posts on facebook or other places that act as if Home Depot is somehow evil.)

Anyway my philosophy has always been to put your money into whatever you believe in, but give others the latitude to do the same. :-) I am far more likely to avoid shopping at places that are aligned to the liberal politics that are destroying our economy, than to avoid buying a particular item because of where it is made.

[simi-steading]

Funny thing.... a couple of my first serious guns were made in China... and they are my most fool proof always work and never give me a problem guns..

My 1911 is sought after by gun smiths because the steel in the frame is harder than what the American manufacturers use, and they like to build custom guns on the frame of these..

And then I own an American made gun... Passed to me by my mother, and she got it from my grand father... It's a pain shooting that one.. .always miss feeds, and a lot of no bangs.. I will still never get rid of it..

Yes, I try to buy American when I can, so long as it's the better quality and over all value..

Some things you'll never find American made..

We just have to face it... We live in a global economy, and even if you find something American made, there's a good chance it has parts in it from all over the world.. Making it more American assembled...

I wish we did make more stuff here in the US... I wish we made more HIGH QUALITY stuff here.. but just because it's made in the US doesn't mean it's the best on the market..