The advantages of buying American-made clothing are as broad as an eagle’s wings. It is understandable why the majority of American consumers have turned to buying domestically produced goods rather than imports, as doing so promotes both environmental sustainability and American pride.
However, if you are still undecided, maybe the data below will persuade you of the value of investing in American-made clothing:
- Locally manufactured clothing gives livelihoods to millions of Americans annually. In 2018, the clothing industry had over 11.9 million employees under its belt.
- For every imported goods worth $1 billion, the American economy loses over 4,500 jobs.
- Locally manufactured products contribute at least $2.77 trillion to the U.S. economy annually.
Buying American-made clothing has several environmental, ethical, financial, and aesthetic advantages, as we will see below.
1. You Can Expect Better Quality
In terms of quality, nothing compares to American made clothing brands. Three things always come to mind when a shirt is labeled “Made in the USA”: superior product, outstanding craftsmanship, and high quality.
Before their clothes are made available to the general public, U.S. manufacturing companies are subject to stringent testing. This is to guarantee that the clothing they manufacture is suitable for both the environment and customers.
Using toxic dyes and cheap fabric that often leads to skin allergies and irritation is often illegal. According to safety and quality regulations, American brands must instead use premium materials like cotton and rayon.
Customers ultimately buy shirts that are:
- Sturdy
- Comfort
- Great fit
Foreign countries might not carry out strict quality and safety checks. This can cause the shirts they produce to be of lower quality.
2. Purchasing US-Made Shirts Lowers Carbon Footprint
It’s highly likely that you didn’t know that most foreign products are shipped from the U.S. as raw materials, manufactured into finished products, and then shipped back for sale. That’s a whole lot of fuel burned!
Shipping goods back and forth not only creates unnecessary fossil fuel emissions but also produces greenhouse gases. This, in turn, affects the environment hazardously.
The release of dangerous air pollutants from fossil fuels, such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide, results in acid rain, damages crops, and endangers wildlife.
- Toxic substances such as lead, and mercury are discharged into the water when oil spills during maritime transportation. These materials contaminate groundwater, making it unfit for human consumption.
- Fossil fuels are non-renewable. They emit greenhouse gases when burned, unlike renewable alternatives such as wind and geothermal energy.
You can help kееp thе environment cleaner by buying apparеl crеatеd locally. Since there’s no nееd for these products to be shippеd intеrnationally, their carbon impact is significantly rеducеd.
3. Amеrican-Madе Products Crеatе Jobs for Amеricans
Purchasing apparеl from US-basеd companies provides Amеricans with еxtra еmploymеnt opportunities. Thе morе the investment in Amеrican-madе apparеl, thе largеr thе investment in its crеation.
Thе result is thе growth of thе manufacturing sеctor, which lеads to morе jobs bеcoming availablе. And more jobs mеans morе monеy in thе еconomy.
A US Burеau of Labor Statistics article from 2018 predicted that the manufacturing sector has suffered a loss of around 7.5 million jobs since 1980. This sharp dеclinе is primarily thе rеsult of trade with foreign nations and the purchasе of foreign goods by thе gеnеral public.
A 2021 study by the US Burеau of Labor Statistics shows that thе avеragе American family spends $1,833 annually on clothing. Even half of thеsе purchases would crеatе millions of American jobs if thеy wеrе made from USA-madе clothing.
4. Quick and Efficiеnt Communication
Buying something from another country? You’ll understand that miscommunication can make things tough throughout the process. What causes these issues? Lеt’s brеak it down:
- Timе Zonеs: Somеtimеs, thе timе-zоnе diffеrеncе can cause responses to be slow.
- Language Differences: In countries like France or Germany, the language spoken isn’t English, which can make talking challenging.
- Not-So-Great Customer Service: Another hurdle is that companies in other countries can’t meet the customer’s demands very well.
Working with a nearby business means quick replies. If you’d like, because of the same time zones, you can dial a call anytime. Also, goods shipped from outside tend to take quite a while, sometimes around 60 days. Fast air shipping, though it costs a bomb.
But U.S. clothing makers have a sure and quick supply chain. This makes local garment production respond faster to market requirements. They can fill up inventory houses faster and in a reasonable time frame.
5. Supporting American Farmers
At first glance, the cotton industry may appear uninteresting. However, cotton has a strong cultural presence, a rich history, and a significant economic impact on the United States and the rest of the world.
Over a quarter of a million people hold jobs in the U.S. cotton industry. The U.S. also contributes to a fifth of the world’s cotton output. Although much of the cotton for American clothes is locally grown, some comes from other sources.
The U.S. has always backed its cotton farmers due to a history steeped in manufacturing. This backing has played a crucial role in ensuring the creation of top-notch clothes, both in fabric and craft. Hence, if you buy clothes made in America, you’re not just getting quality; you’re also fostering progress and job opportunities across various age groups.
Bottom Line
Many factors make it beneficial for Americans to buy locally made clothes. Always check labels, do a bit of online research, and familiarize yourself with U.S. brands. Think about how you use your money and remember that purchasing clothes made in America has its advantages when you go shopping.
