I'm so sick of "Free Trade Agreements" The ONLY 'free' thing about them is it gives other countries cart blanche to take our money in exchange for 'less than' quality goods.
Two months ago I bought a pack of Hanes 100% cotton briefs... yeah, the white ones. Talk about thin... I thought they were rayon and not cotton. Last week I bought another package... Made in India. Same thing. Guaranteed to wear out in 20 washings...
I thought to myself "Well, at least they're not made in China" I have nothing against China or Chinese products... really, I don't. but I do believe most of the Chinese products have no place in America.
Last year, I blogged about Chinese made plywood and how good it was. Maybe that's an exception. I'm OK with $2 throw-away paint brushes, razorblades, latex gloves and many low-end products used in home projects. Great. Do they make any good products over there?
Ten years ago, America used to make office chairs, then Canada started to compete. Now.. it's all Chinese made products. I don't see value. Cheap, yes. Value... no. I bought 3 chairs last year. The red leather chair was perfect... except for that 'funky leather smell' I would have to say it wasn't tanned properly. My nephew didn't notice it... so it went to his office! The ultrasuede chair is the most comfortable and it's in the woodshop office. If my skin touches the arm rests for any length of time they begin to itch. So, I've covered it with cloth. The black leather chair is in my home office. Where else could I find a leather chair for $175.
Would I pay $200-250 for a American made chair? Yes... but we cannot compete with any in that price range. My boss bought a "Judges Chair" American made... $1,200. Maybe his ass is worth it... I choke at the thought of a $1,200 chair. I could imagine coming in from working on a project and a screwdriver is in my back pocket. I sit down to check e-mail and Scrrraaatch... a four inch long cut into the seat.
Something must change... America cannot go on without industry. Every time we buy foreign, our money goes to another country. However, I don't feel guilty for driving a Japanese made car... we all know what happened in that industry and I think they are too resistant to change. It's possible they may go the way of the dinosaur or downsize to sell only the products that America will buy. An oversized gas-guzzling vehicle that needs frequent repairs/maintenance is not my choice in an American car. Build the right product and I'll buy it.
The clothing industry has suffered their blow years ago with off-shore manufacturing. There was a time when American made products were considered best. We competed with the Germans for best of the best in design, engineering and manufacturing. Now... all we do is sell Asian made products... Oh, do you want a one or two year warrantee with that inferior made product that will be obsolete in 6 months?
Please America... start making shit again... not bad shit, but good shit. You know, something that lasts more than one season. Something that doesn't break in your hand the first time you use it. Something that will make you say: "I bought some American made underwear the other day... and good shit too"
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| PLEASE AMERICA... start making underwear again... |
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missliss78
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Jan 17 @ 9:03PM
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 Right on, Chat....
Remember I told you I worked in textile mill for 12 years....I could tell you a story about that, but I don't want to hijack your blog. Here's the short version...
When I first went to work there, I learned quickly to check all labels in all garments when I shopped. It was of utmost importance that we bought American.
We exported millions & millions of yards of cloth to China every year. Meantime, there are 2 or 3 Chinese delegations touring our plant every year...from development right on down to dying & finishing. Pretty soon, the Chinese delegation tours dwindled & next thing you knew, we were exporting less & less cloth over there. THEN, our company started IMPORTING cloth to sell from India! In short order, this big time manufacturer was belly up. End of story.
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scorpiogirl36
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Jan 17 @ 9:15PM
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I couldn't agree with you more...the quaility of what was once American made has been drastically changed for the worse.
Good blog! 
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hoftner
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Jan 17 @ 9:38PM
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!!
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keeno
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Jan 17 @ 9:46PM
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don't get me started on the crap fasteners from china, screws and bolts that break at half the torque they're supposed to hold....
hell yes i would pay more for american made.....
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hereshannon
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Jan 17 @ 10:02PM
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Unfortunately, I think it's too late. My brother and I went to the local Kohls store to return a set of kitchen knives that I had purchased my Mother for her Birthday. Upon opening the knives I discovered they were cheap Chinese Junk. Just out of curiosity, we started looking at various products while we were in the store. We looked at knives, we looked at dishes, we looked at clothing, we looked in EVERY AREA of the store, and could not find anything that was not made in China! It was sad, very sad.
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chatillion
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Jan 17 @ 10:14PM
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For years, I bought German made scale rulers. One company is Staedtler.
The last scale I bought said: Designed in Germany - Made in China
It's like a bad dream or a Sci-fi movie... we've gone to sleep and China started making products for the world. It would appear the Germans are sleeping too.
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DaisyMae420
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Jan 17 @ 10:31PM
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I was thinking today....big companies (circut city, etc) are closing up shop maybe it's time for mom and pop to fill the niche.
As I cleaned my range top made who knows where I thought....cheap, cheap, cheap....I"d rather pay more if I knew it was american made and better quality.
All the NAFTA like programs felt good to the bozo's that made them but I think we are seeing the results. Our retail nation doesn't make much anymore and soon we won't be able to afford to buy anything either!
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summerbreeze916
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Jan 17 @ 10:35PM
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It is an extremely sad situation.  Making and marketing our own products, however, would entail hiring American citizens to do the work at, at least, the minimum wage. Manufacturers don't want the bother, hence..the cost, of having to use decent materials for the U.S.A.'s 'stamp of approval' that we would naturally expect, nor do they want the expense of having to pay the minimum wage or more. What a shame! It would certainly create many jobs here, and even though the prices may be higher.........the quality would be worth it!
I'm so sick of "Free Trade Agreements" The ONLY 'free' thing about them is it gives other countries cart blanche to take our money in exchange for 'less than' quality goods
I could not agree with you more! Chat............perhaps you should get into the Underwear Manufacturing business right here in America. You could maybe call them Chatty Undies or Bloomer Rumors? 
Okay.........I must be really tired..............getting silly. 
Great write, though..........
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bardnsage
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Jan 17 @ 10:54PM
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DO NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE,,,, use a Asian made fastener in an application where serious injury or loss of life could result WHEN it fails.
I've burried at least 40 people in my career, from this alone. Fan's broken from the ceiling, lifting hooks failing, eye bolts failing,,, etc.
WITHOUT exception,,, each time a fastener failed,,,, we did a Rockwell hardness test on the fastener,,,, to find that the grade markings on the bolts were not indicative of the true hardness of the metal.
Now, for you out there who don't know what the little stripes are on top of a bolt,,,, just buy either American or EU bolts, nuts, lifting rigs, etc......
Cause coffins are still made in America,,, but by then,,,, it's too late.
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IamTrinity
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Jan 17 @ 11:31PM
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Two months ago I bought a pack of Hanes 100% cotton briefs... yeah, the white ones. Talk about thin... I thought they were rayon and not cotton. Last week I bought another package... Made in India. Same thing. Guaranteed to wear out in 20 washings...
Simple solution, don't wear underwear. .......... but be doggone careful when you zip up the made in china zipper on your pants so you don't get a hair caught in it.
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jayej
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Jan 17 @ 11:42PM
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Guaranteed to wear out in 20 washings... Do they last that long?
I think it was Hanes that just closed the last factory they had in America this last year.
When they did they also closed a fabric mill, effectively closing 2 companies in the US.
J
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CrackerJackPat
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Jan 18 @ 9:56AM
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And safety pins, too. Whoever would have thought there could be a cheaper safety pin than we had????? But, by golly they did it!!!! Next thing you know we'll have cheap paper clips. 
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thenewguy295
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Jan 18 @ 10:43AM
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It's pretty sad when you go to Sears and the Craftsman tools are made in China. Why would I want to buy an expensive low quality drill press at Sears when I can buy a cheaper low quality drill press at Harbor freight?
Sometimes I just don't buy it at all. I'm tired of junk that only lasts a year, tired of my money going to companies owned by the northern Chinese army. Yeah a lot of Chinese manufacturers are owned by the gov't or the military. They use the profits to buy modern tanks, planes and other weapons.....guess who they think they will be using them against? 
I did manage to find American built socks at Kmart. Interestingly they alternated between US made socks and foreign made on the rack. All in the same packaging by the same manufacturer. I selected the US made socks.
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chatillion
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Jan 25 @ 7:45AM
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CrackerJackPat said:
...Next thing you know we'll have cheap paper clips. Pat... I hope you're sitting down. It's cheaper to bring in truckloads of paperclips from China than making them here. However, the metal they use is different. It's much softer and not very springy, so you cannot clip a bunch of papers and expect them to stay together. The chrome finish rusts easily too. All the files I have in storage have paperclip rust marks on the first and last pages.
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