Made in the USA

[DireWolf53]

Here is an interesting article about a firm that makes their shoes in ME. The author has just published his book
titled American Flannel which delves deeper into the movement to bring back quality made in the USA clothing.

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archi ... tlantic+AM

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/book ... en-kurutz/

Happy reading

[Hardyrod1974]

DireWolf53,
Great article. Very nice to see what's being done today.
Thanks for posting the links.
Richard

[BSAGuy]

Thanks for the tips. I try to buy USA whenever possible, but it can be challenging.

[tyghguy]

I really enjoyed reading the article. Thanks for posting. I remember the great shoes and boots made in USA that you could wear for what seemed like forever. And the shoelaces didn't break the first time you tied them. I need to place an order. My feet will thank me.

[BigTJ]

The fundamental issue is at lot of young people establishing their careers here in the US aren’t all that fired up about working in the first place, much less work in a factory. Plus today’s higher-end shoes and clothing made offshore are fantastic and an excellent value. Cole Haan for example. In my opinion better than a fair share of the US stuff made in the 70’s and 80’s, some of which was real garbage. Any of you that want to ditch your high-paying cushy white collar job to work in a factory for a fraction of the salary, I say go for it. But don’t be too bummed when you lose your job in 20 years after the robots take over

For these reasons at most the US made stuff will be niche catering to higher-end consumers only.

John

[bluesjay]

Hi Guys, I wear hiking boots made in Spokane; White's and Nick's, Pendelton's, but also Keen's, Wrangler's, Harris and other foreign stuff. Waddayagonnado?

Jay Edwards

[Mistermike]

The fundamental issue is at lot of young people establishing their careers here in the US aren’t all that fired up about working in the first place, much less work in a factory. Plus today’s higher-end shoes and clothing made offshore are fantastic and an excellent value. Cole Haan for example. In my opinion better than a fair share of the US stuff made in the 70’s and 80’s, some of which was real garbage. Any of you that want to ditch your high-paying cushy white collar job to work in a factory for a fraction of the salary, I say go for it. But don’t be too bummed when you lose your job in 20 years after the robots take over

For these reasons at most the US made stuff will be niche catering to higher-end consumers only.

John

A "fair share?" Not in my experience. I have bath towels from the 80s that were made in NY mills that are still going strong. Same with camping equipment, various articles of clothing, and 35+ year old appliances that refuse to die.

[Brooks]

I think the key to quality “made in USA” products is sole proprietorship (or at the very least, private ownership). Once a company becomes “public”, and is beholden to stock holders, quality is no longer job #1.

[ibookje]

As much as I love USA for fly fishing & tying there aren't much products made in the USA that I'd buy.

Great train stopping reels => yes (I wouldn't know why I would need them)
Graphite rods => yes (don't need them either as I got ones made 30 years ago that are still great, one exception is a Daufel Brothers' rod I bought a few years ago)
Bamboo rods => yes (got way too many already)
Fiberglass rods => yes (got already too many)
Deer & Elk hair => yes (they only live in the US)
Cars => never!

[Brooks]

As much as I love USA for fly fishing & tying there aren't much products made in the USA that I'd buy.

Great train stopping reels => yes (I wouldn't know why I would need them)
Graphite rods => yes (don't need them either as I got ones made 30 years ago that are still great, one exception is a Daufel Brothers' rod I bought a few years ago)
Bamboo rods => yes (got way too many already)
Fiberglass rods => yes (got already too many)
Deer & Elk hair => yes (they only live in the US)
Cars => never!

We do OK with wine and guitars and bamboo rods, but I agree with the rest of the above.

[liketofish]

Among a few other things, my business has a line of clothing, brand name MUSA, for Made in the USA. The clothes are sewn locally, but not by Harold and Dorothy. By immigrant-owned shops that employ immigrants. They don't speak English.

Is any or all of this bad? No, it's reality, and I'm proud to provide immigrants the work. (Unless your ancestors were indigenous, they were immigrants, too.) The work is excellent because the workers want and need the jobs., and have worked hard to hone their skills.

A button-down shirt costs my company $43. It sells for $85. FYI, standard retail clothing markup is cost x 4. If we go by that, the shirt is $172. A Ralph Lauren shirt with similar material (all cotton) sells in an outlet store for $25, and nobody's losing money on it.

The 4X markup allows for drastic sales, from wholesale to retailer, without losing money. The RL shirt is more finely tailored.

[ibookje]

Basically every business is trying to make money using the least resources.
Making a product in the USA is no charity decision but a strategy. Sage wouldn’t be able to charge $1K for a rod if they got the rods made in Vietnam.

[Libby]

Filson fishing vests are made in America. expensive but well worth it.

[bucktuffle]

Made in USA- hand tools. Specifically, woodworking tools. No one touches Lie Nielsen, for quality and affordability

[Jaimec]

Welllllll, *ALL* of my products are made in the USA, by yours truly. Braided Silk Fly Lines, Braided tenkara lines, furled leaders and floatants, ALL made right here, in Boise, Idaho! Hell, even my braiding machine was made in the good ol' USA-about 125 years ago! Here's a photo of it!