Michigan Internet Marketing Club: Holiday Gifts Made In The USA

Holiday Gifts Made In The USA

Green and red may be the colors of the season, but many shoppers think red, white, and blue when it comes to picking the perfect holiday present.

While U.S. companies have outsourced plenty of jobs and production overseas and south of the border, we tracked down gift-worthy goods of various stripes that continue to be made in the USA—a big plus for some shoppers.

Given a choice between a product made domestically and an identical one made abroad, nearly eight out of 10 of us would prefer to buy the American product, according to a recent nationally representative survey by the Consumer Reports National Research Center. Moreover, 60 percent of respondents say they’re willing to pay a 10 percent premium for the privilege of buying American.

Why the enthusiasm for U.S.-made goods? Some consumers believe that such products are better and safer. Others want to support the U.S. economy and American workers. The result is that more big-name companies now offer at least a smattering of products made under the stars and stripes. Levi’s, for example, has a line of domestic denim jeans and jackets, while PF Flyers has its “Made in USA” sneaker collection.

But don’t expect a company’s entire line to be American made—many companies are now multinational. Take Massachusetts-based Acushnet, maker of Titleist golf balls. It has plants here and in Thailand and materials may come from foreign sources.

So how do you know if those balls are made here or in Thailand? If a company manufactures products abroad, or uses materials from other countries, it is required to disclose those details on its label or packaging. Failure to do so could land a company in hot water. True Religion, for example, recently agreed to settle a class-action lawsuit involving its pricey jeans. The company claimed that some of its products were “Made in USA” even though they may have included foreign-made materials.

So What’s American?

Besides checking the label on the packaging, you can also see if a product is American made by calling the manufacturer’s customer service department, which should have the details. Other helpful sources are websites such as madeinusa.org, americansworking.com, and madeinamericaforever.com.

Here are some brands that offer products that are made in the USA:

Kitchen and housewares: All-Clad (bonded cookware only), Lodge, Nordicware, and West Bend cookware; Lasko, known mostly for its fans, and Vornado, for its space heaters; Kirby and Oreck vacuum cleaners; Bunn coffee makers; Pyrex glassware; Tervis Tumblers (insulated acrylic cups and ice buckets); Cutco, Lamson & Goodnow, and Rada cutlery; KitchenAid stand mixers; Vitamix blenders.

Apparel, footwear, and accessories: American Apparel, BCBG, Brooks Brothers, Carhartt, Club Monaco, Dickies, Filson, J. Crew, Land’s End, L.L. Bean (notably the company’s Maine Duck Boots), Orvis, Texas Jeans, Woolrich (mostly blankets, throws, and socks); Fox River, SmartWool, Thorlos, and Wigwam socks; Allen Edmonds, Kepner Scott, Red Wing, New Balance, G.H. Bass, and Wolverine footwear; Kangol caps and Stetson hats; Copper River bags and backpacks.

Tools and home care: Ariens, Stihl, and Troy-Bilt, power equipment including string trimmers, blowers, and chain saws; Channellock, Moody, and SK, and Stanley hand tools; Maglite, SureFire, and Tektite flashlights; Shop Vac wet-and-dry vacuum cleaners.

Toys and sporting goods: Aerobie flying rings and discs; Wiffle balls; Vermont Teddy Bears; Gravity skateboards; Little Tykes; Lionel trains (made in USA boxcars); Crayola crayons; Wilson (NFL footballs); Hillerich & Bradsby (Louisville Slugger pro wooden baseball bats); K’NEX, Lincoln Logs, and Tinkertoy building sets.

Some other items: Grado Labs (headphones); Klipsch, Danley, and Genesis Advanced Technologies loudspeakers; Gibson, Martin, Taylor, and Rickenbacker guitars.

Don’t Forget the Slinky

If you’re looking for a true American product, this may be a good year to spring for a Slinky. All Slinkies continue to be made in the USA, at a plant in Hollidaysburg, Pa., using the same machinery that’s churned them out since the 1960s, according to Sally Lawrence, marketing manager for parent company Alex Brands.

And this iconic American toy is now celebrating its 70th birthday since it made its debut at Gimbel’s department store in Philadelphia. While there are some 20 metal and plastic variations available—from dog-shaped to gold-plated slinkies—to purists, nothing quite beats the unadorned steel original.

And for many consumers, nothing really beats buying American.

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