Poll: Do You Look for "Made in USA" Label?
Controversy over uniforms of the U.S. Olympic Team raises questions such as how many consumers look for "Made in USA" label before they buy
Controversy erupted when politicians found out that uniforms to be worn by the U.S. Olympic team in the opening ceremonies were made in China even though they were designed by Ralph Lauren.
Businessweek says "those made-in-China items are good for the U.S. economy and for U.S. jobs" because it gives companies like Nike and Ralph Lauren the advantage of being cost competitive globally.
That's because "garment manufacturing is a low-cost commodity business. Most of the value in the apparel industry comes from design, technology, sales, marketing, and distribution—not manufacturing."
This week, a group of senators introduced a bill that would require all U.S. Olympic team uniforms to be made in the United States.
Many questions here:
- Should the uniforms for for the opening ceremonies be trashed?
- Should lawmakers be concerned with mandating where uniforms are made?
- Do you buy strictly "Made in the USA" products?
Vote in our poll and add your comments below.
LMTnative
9:29 am on Friday, July 20, 2012
I try to purchase Made in USA products when possible. Unfortunately it is becoming increasingly harder to find American made products for many types of goods. The real question should be are you willing to pay more for an American made product and if so, how much more? I'm typically willing to pay about 10% more depending on the cost of the item.
JANET REILLY
9:30 am on Friday, July 20, 2012
With everything made in China, that is where all our jobs are going. China will own us, oh forgot they already do.
Julie
9:43 am on Friday, July 20, 2012
Wish American-made products were easier to find here in the Lehigh Valley!!!
Tony
9:48 am on Friday, July 20, 2012
"Made in USA" is gone. Will never come back. It's called capitalism and what makes companies profit. We hardly make anything here any longer. Even American car companies outsource to Canada and Mexico to make our cars. No tvs, phones, etc. not made in USA. We need more companies like Bain to help fix this issue.
George
12:37 pm on Friday, July 20, 2012
"Made in USA" will come back. The world cannot continue in this way forever. Something will alter the ease of shipping goods around the planet. Economies will eventually shrink and localize at some point. For every empire that rises, another will fall.
Tony
2:34 pm on Friday, July 20, 2012
I wish that were the case, but it won't. the internet is changing the atmosphere. cheaper labor to produce the products can be found else where.
George
6:03 pm on Friday, July 20, 2012
That's true for now, but the infrastructure that supports the current system is more vulnerable than it might seem. We had a power outtage a couple of years ago that took out much of the northest seaboard. Something is going to happen that will cause major change. Not sure if it will happen tomorrow or in 100 years, but it will happen. I'm not into conspiracy theories, but it seems to me that a war in the middle east that interrupts the oil supply or a computer virus or other defect that gets into the power grid will occur to change the paradigm.
When I'm fretting about the state of things, I like to remind myself of the grass that pushes up through the sidewalk. Eventually, the grass will win. Just like with past civilizations, this one will evolve. Parts of it will crumble. Eventually, the grass will overtake the sidewalk until someone comes along to build it up again.
But yeah, for now, we are stuck with what we have, for better or worse. Have a good weekend out there!
Krista Trometter White
12:08 pm on Friday, July 20, 2012
I try, but it isn't easy.
Mark Spengler
12:31 pm on Friday, July 20, 2012
It is good to purchase American whenever you can. To do this you must stay away from Walmart and you also must avoid the mentality of always finding the lowest price. I wish people would open up stores or online sites that only sell American products. I know that I would pay more.
George
6:05 pm on Friday, July 20, 2012
There is this website: http://www.madeinusa.org/. I just stumbled across it. Not sure how user-friendly it is. Seems like a great idea to have a website in the vein of Amazon that only sells Made in USA products organized in an appealing way. Could even bring down the price of things if enough volume is being moved through it.
93GEO-Metro
9:05 pm on Friday, July 20, 2012
It's not only made in China, but Pakistan, Brazil, Philippines, Taiwan, Japan, Hong Kong, Mexico, Honduras or any other country that can pay their citizens next to nothing in their sweat shops.
93GEO-Metro
9:08 pm on Friday, July 20, 2012
Can't even buy Crayola Crayons. Yes they are made here, but shipped overseas for packaging and shipped back again. So what sense does that make?
Walter
8:38 am on Sunday, July 22, 2012
Unions killed “Made in USA”.