Career Resources

Career Resources

Are You Buying American Made?

Posted June 28, 2013 & filed under Job Search

Are You Buying American Made?

If you’re a member of the manufacturing industry, your job is reliant upon whether people at home & abroad are willing to buy American made goods. The infinitesimal wages of workers in China, India, and other third world countries have given companies incentives to move their operations overseas for decades but none of that would be possible without the consent of consumer & commercial customers. So, are you buying American made?

Obscured Options

Admittedly, it’s not always so straightforward to find American made products. If you browse through the physical aisles or online catalogs of most suppliers, you will find a foreign birth certificate stickered to the bottom of almost anything.

On the consumer side, many big box chains are glutted with foreign made products. Walmart is the most notorious offender with a supply chain that has historically pursued the lowest prices from manufacturers with a blind eye turned to the conditions & quality.

On the industrial side, there are an overabundance of foreign parts & equipment that obscure your search for American goods. Even then, the allure of obscenely diminished price tags may keep lean-minded manufacturers from taking the time to thoroughly look for resources closer to home. On the plus side, awareness is starting to increase and support is popping up in some surprising places.

As of January 16th, Walmart announced it would be adding $50 billion more in American made goods to their product roster over the next decade. Truth be told, that dollar amount is equivalent to 10% of what the company will sell this year at retail, coming to 1% of products over 10 years. Even then, the global retailer’s workforce is generally not aware of the limited American made brands in their stores. Thankfully though, there are a growing number of resources available for those willing to look.

Beacons of Hope

  • Our American Made Home: This blog tells the journey of Patrick & Renee Dubois, a Californian couple building their dream home with as many American made products as possible. They ultimately used 98% domestic goods, which only brought them 2% above their initial budget. Their blog shows buying domestic products is feasible and that domestic suppliers are readily available.
  • Made In America Movement: As a nonpartisan advocate for American made goods, this organization is a great resource for anyone looking to buy American. A list of certified members can be found on their websites as can a list of other domestic manufacturing minded partners.
  • Americans Working.com: An extensive directory of American made products can be found on this web database. Manufacturers of anything from toys & clothing to tools & industrial equipment are organized for quick research.

The Endgame

According to a 2011 Moody’s report, if the average American spent as little as $3.33 each year on American made goods, it would create as many as 10,000 new jobs. That’s the price of a tall latte at Starbucks. So, with minimal cost, you can contribute to local manufacturers and help rebuild the manufacturing industry that will allows both you & your country to pay the bills.

by James Walsh

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