I’d like to invite you to join me in supporting US manufacturing with your next pair of jeans.
You know I’m a proponent of free and open markets, and global suppliers can certainly be a desirable part of that.
However, when essential goods are outsourced to the point of dependency, it undermines domestic resilience, threatening more than just the economy.
The United States used to be a manufacturing powerhouse, but over time we’ve sold out much of this capacity for lower prices. Without digging into the reasons here, we must acknowledge the risks we’ve taken on when supply chains break down, or political alliances shift.
It’s not just jobs we’ve squandered. We’ve seen what can happen when shipping systems are unexpectedly interrupted. Further, many product categories are sourced almost exclusively from other nations that may not always have our best interests at heart. (One frightening example is pharmaceuticals, as discussed in Rosemary Gibson’s book, China Rx.)
As I said, I’m a free-market guy, and I’m not about to stop buying all imported goods, but I would like to do more to support domestic industry (or, really, critical infrastructure.) As a baby step, I decided to try a pair of jeans from the American Clothing Company, who are dedicated to 100% USA-made products.
These are every bit as good as other brands I’ve bought (quite possibly better) and it feels good knowing they support US jobs, materials, and everything else that goes into running a business. They’re comfortable, durable, and look great. Why not take a baby step and try a pair yourself? If you’re not in the market for jeans, they also make shirts and other items.
Full disclosure: I now have an affiliate relationship with the company, so if you order directly from my link (not the ads you may see after viewing) you’ll also be supporting this American.
