We all have our reasons. Regardless of your personal values or political affiliation, you probably favor products made in USA. I am trying to avoid purchasing from developing nations that utilize sweatshop labor, have little or no safety standards, and have no environmental regulations. Buying items made in the USA strengthens our own economy, helps us protect our families from products contaminated with toxic chemicals, and minimizes our exploitation of third world countries.
Here is a list of my top five reasons for supporting the made in America movement.
1. Economy
This one is pretty obvious. Buying a larger percentage of American made products helps stimulate the economy through the creation of new jobs, reinvestment of our money and creates a demand for more companies to bring manufacturing back to the U.S.
2. Labor
When products are made overseas there is little to no regulation of working conditions. Sweatshops are notorious for child labor, forced labor and other human rights violations. Buying American made is a good way to avoid supporting these grave labor atrocities.
3. Environment
Most countries manufacturing goods for sale in the USA do not have environmental protections laws, or they are not enforced. American manufacturers are subject to EPA regulations helping to limit the affect of factories on the land, air and water surrounding them. Additionally, a product’s carbon footprint is smaller when it is shipping a shorter distance.
4. Safety
Items made in China have become infamous for massive safety recalls. American made products are tested and inspected for safety standards set by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. This helps protect our families from dangers posed by toxins, health risks and safety hazards.
5. Community
Buying locally strengthens our communities. Supporting local shops helps promote the work of local craftsmen, manufacturers and small business owners. When purchasing goods made closer to home, a larger percentage of profits are reinvesting in the community they are sold in.
Why do you think buying American made is important? Would you add anything to the list? Are you ready to join the made in USA challenge?
My main reason for trying to buy local/American is to support small companies and our local economies. I don’t think that our safety standards or monitoring are adequate. I do agree that for the most part products made in the USA are safer than those made in developing countries, but I think many are less safe than similar products produced in and for the EU. I also buy Fair Trade products to support women and families in developing countries. I believe the origin of the product is not as important as supporting the people who made/grew it. I regularly buy fair trade food and other products grown in Central and South America. That’s why I pay so much for my coffee, bananas, and yarn. But those are the choices that I make.
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Nicole, I agree that standards should be much more stringent, but at least they do exist. We have a long way to go in the bath and body industry in particular, but hopefully the Safe Cosmetics Act will be successful this year!
There are some items that just can not be made in the US, and unique handcrafted products made by artisans are the world. I search for Fair trade certification for purchasing these items as well.
I have been subscribed to the recall list from the CPSA (Consumer Protection Agency) for quite awhile now. Almost every recall involves a product made in China.Obviously the oversight is less than here.
BTW a small thing but really annoying if you have kids in school is the demise of quality yellow school pencils.It took me a while to figure out that even though they look the same they are all made in China and something about the way they are made makes the “lead” fall out when you sharpen them.I have bought many,many pencil sharpeners thinking that was the problem and the cheapo mechanical pencils the drugstores sell are useless and awful.Thanks to the Made in Usa websites and blogs like this that have sprung up I found the General Pencil Company. American Made and they work.So sad to be so excited over new boxes of pencils.
I go to lots of estate sales, but never thought to look for pencils. I bet you could find good ones there, too.
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Since my son isn’t school aged and I use pens I had no idea about the issue with pencils in school. I know there are a few American made pencil manufactures. There is Earth Write pencil that I know is made in USA. Might be too expensive for school districts though.
Patriotism. This country and it’s people has given so much opportunity to us, we need to give back to it, if only one small conscious purchase at a time. If we consume, we can patriotically consume things that are our own.
Well said, Justin. Thanks for contributing a great reason to the list!
Great perspective. I especially like to think that safety is the main concern for some US manufactures. But some may follow the rules and others not. It all depends where their plants are. And of course I’m a recycling freak, it drives my hubby crazy
Thanks for sharing all these great tips.
Barbara Mascareno (@spanish4kiddos) recently posted..Get Organized with Sweet Valentine Holder
Can I just echo your entries? Grin. I guess my top reasons are to support local businesses – I hate seeing all the little Mom & Pop businesses going out of business for large chains which offer the exact same product no matter where you are (and as a crafts person myself I want to support others like me!) and the economy in general. If I purchase two similar products, one made in the USA and another made elsewhere, doesn’t it make sense to buy American and support our economy? Noel
We support handmade items here in the USA too ~ there are disable people who depend on the income ~ single Moms trying to support her family, a couple supporting their family with a 3rd income or what ever the reason may be. For us, we craft because my husband has the worst case RA you can have and sewing is the one thing he can do without judgement/time clock/etc ~ I jumped on board when I started seeing the dream coming true. We also buy homemade items because we understand the time it takes to make items with great quailty.
Great article and thankyou for supporting such small business owners such as ourselves…
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I love the concept behind your business Evielynne. Shops like yours are the heart and soul of the handmade industry. I love how you took a challenge your husband faced and turned it into an opportunity!
Fantastic reasons to buy locally! It’s an amazing feeling to buy smaller companies’ products and reduce your carbon footprint and think of all the ways you stimulate the economy when you buy one product that is made in the USA. Those companies tend to source their raw materials from US based manufacturers as well. You are supporting numerous businesses and services in one go.
I love this post so much that I submitted it to stumble upon!
Thanks!
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Great post. These are basically the same reasons we buy Made in the USA, too.
I agree with all 5 of your reasons. I especially appreciate #3. Knowing USA made products have to go through rigorous testing makes me feel a bit safer!
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Way to go Sarah! As you know, my top reason to buy American is to create jobs for members of our extended American family. I just did a series on American made cars on my blog at simply-american.net and I hope you and your readers might stop buy to see those posts and my other posts as well. Keep up the great work Sarah.
All the best,
John Briggs
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Yes for small businesses. We need your support! Great post! Not Your Ordinary Agent
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I would add quality.
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Another excellent point for the list! American made products typically are more durable and higher quality.
It’s all about our future…if we don’t take control while we still can what will the future hold? I think about what my grandparents and great grandparents would think, this is not the country that they left us to care for! I want to do better for future generations.
I totally agree with this! I am a mom trying to do the right thing and manufacture my product in the US. I also want to offer plush toys and it is amazing how hard it is to get them made here! If the company is in the US, their factory is in China! Why can’t I find a US factory that can make all my plush toys. I never thought it would be this hard!
I definitely want to chime in about safety–there are scary things that have been revealed lately about products that are manufactured outside of the US (heck, there are plenty of recalls for within the US products, too). But it makes me really wary of foreign-made children’s items especially. -Christine
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