Over Paying

Like one heck of a lot of people these days, I've been out shopping. And, without risking disclosing too many of the items I've been pursuing, I have been in and out of several retailers of what are commonly thought of as high-end clothing. But I had to stop and walk out of a least a couple, much as I like their classic clothing lines for men and women. The problem was this: After flipping over a dozen or so price tags of 2, 3, 4, and 5 hundred dollars on items made in China, Malaysia, and Vietnam, I couldn't take it.  I'm trying to figure out, of that retail price, just how much does Ralph put in his pocket? How much less would he pocket if that coat had been made in the U.S. or Canada or any other country with conscientious labor and environmental laws and sold at the same price? 50%? 75% less?

I ended up buying one item because I couldn't find anything else like it on line or elsewhere. But that's it. I've found that with at least a few retailers, like Nordstrom, if you enter "made in usa" in the search field you'll be directed to all products they carry that are made in the USA. Likewise, if you Google search a specific product made in USA, like flannel shirts, men's pants, shoes, and so forth, you'll find a rather impressive selection. You'll find items made in Ironwood, Michigan and East Barre, Vermont, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and Seattle, Washington, and dozens of other small towns and cities all across the U.S. If I can find a local retailer that stocks the item, great. I'll use 'em. If not, I'll shop from home.

Give it some thought next time you see a shirt/sweater/vest/pants/whatever. Look at the tag for the point of manufacture. The men and women who still man the machines in the small shops here in the U.S. deserve your efforts. And who knows? If we generate enough of a buzz perhaps even the likes of Ralph Lauren will see the value in supporting American workers.