I admire folks that actually THINK about where the products that they buy are made. Sadly, it's not me. Don't get me wrong, I don't support child labor, nor do I think that it's fair that anyone works umpteen hours a day for damn near nothing, but it's not the deciding factor in whether I would buy Item A over Item B. I'm more of a style girl. Plus, I'm big. If it looks good and it fits...good enough for me.
I'm always confused about where to draw that line. Is it okay if some of the components are made in the USA...or even assembled? That's giving someone jobs, right? The people that sell it here in the USA make money and can have a store because of that item. That gives someone else a job. Maybe I over-think?
On Sunday, after our gluttonous brunch at The Opryland Hotel, we walked the in-laws around Bass Pro Shops. For hours and hours.
The Mom was SERIOUS about finding items that were made in the USA. She would pick up a shirt, look at it for style, check the tag for where it was made, then decide on whether or not to buy it.
I had no idea how few items were made here by us. Sri Lanka, the Phillipines, and China dominated the women's section.
My girl finally finished making her selections (aka her Christmas presents), her Mom paid and we dragged ourselves back to the parking lot.
We hopped in her Mom's Mercedes Station Wagon and made our way home. Maybe it was too big to turn over?
20 comments:
You were at a Bass Pro Shop and didn't take pictures? They have the best stores...EVER! Did this one have a pond in it???
OK...I have to go relax for a bit. That got me too excited.
No pond. But there's a huge aquarium with fishies! And stuffed things everywhere. I saw this guy taking a picture of me, looked up and saw two huge turkeys over my head! Busted my bubble!
You really need to read The Wal-Mart Effect by Charles Fishman. It will open your eyes to what it is all about. I was already opposed to Wal-Mart but now I really hate it. Believe it or not, when things are sent to China, we lose.
The only thing that impressed me at Bass Pro is the elevator. You can see the fish until you get to the top. Cabela's is nice, you have one of them?
Haha! Some good ol' boy congratulated me for "buying Am-er-cun" the other day because I drive a Jeep Wrangler.
He was less congratulatory when I told him it was built in Canada.
Although my dad has a Toyota that was built in Kentucky, does that count?
Butterfly: Nope, we don't have a Cabelas. I think our BPS is smallish compared to others. Apparently there's a pond that gives a hard one to the boy types.
Michelle: Um, I THINK so?
I love irony. Evn if you found American Made items they would be stuffed into a Mercedes. Cheers!!
I have to admit I don't often checks tags. I'm like you, if it fits and looks good, I buy it.
I was made in America, does that count for something? LOL
Ironic, search hi and lo for American made and drive something like a Mercedes.
I do my best, but truth be told, I have to buy what I can afford, and what fits.
Hey doll come to my blog, I have something for you today!
Well, I'm one of those people who won't even step foot in to a WalMart! I do attempt to purchase products made (at least partially) in the good old USA, but am also informed enough to realize that things I might think are made in the USA just might not be!
Unfortunately, as long as people continue to shop for the lowest price, we'll continue to see the "Made in the USA" products with a higher price tag.
Your MIL *is* a trip!
Bass Pro is pretty cool. The original store is about an hour north of me in Springfield, MO. There's a new store in Branson too, but I haven't been to it. I do think I prefer Cabelas though. They have a cafe where you get all kids of wild game for lunch. Good stuff.
It would be nice to be able to "buy American" all the time. But, since we don't seem to produce all that much anymore it's damn near impossible. I do try to avoid Wal-Mart though. They are definitely the worst offenders when it comes to cheap crap from over seas.
I seem to remember that WalMart started with all "American Made" items - they actually used this as a selling point way back when. Look at them now...
I don't give it much thought, but if I had kids I would only buy American made toys right now.
I don't even look to see where things are made ... maybe I ought to. Truth is, with four kids at home, I usually just grab what I need, pay for it, and head home to cook and do laundry.
Ugh!
I would love to buy more stuff made locally... I'm starting with food. I'm part of a co-op that gets fruits and veggies grown locally delievered.
Did she find any clothes made here? Even the ll bean clothes I get are not made here anymore... I do like to try to buy American, but I would not buy an American car. We just replaced our Chevy truck with a Honda Element- something we swore we would never do! But in two weeks I have already saved over $80 in gas alone!
I sell steel to American tool shops and manufacturing plants. The majority of the material we sell is made in USA, but there is stuff you absolutely can not buy "American" as it is no longer produced here. Thousands of jobs have been lost in West Michigan to overseas companies. Those people contribute less to our economy now, as they are either making less money or not working at all. My prediction for the future: More people will do business with their own country again someday, because energy costs(oil!)will make it economically impractical to ship cheap goods long distances...
I'm old enough to still try and buy American whenever it's possible- but the quality must be good too! This rant is offically over, return to your seats...
My mom stopped me cold the other day when we were talking about Christmas ornaments and she said she was looking for American-made. Mind you, my dad worked for one of the Big Three in Detroit, but still. Christmas ornaments? I sent her the sites I could find, but since she refuses to buy anything online, I think she's out of luck. Her concession seems to be Swedish-made ornaments, so at least she has that market.
If we buy only American what will those five year olds in Sri Lanka do for a living?
Ya gotta love people like that...ha.
Peace
There's a website that talks about all the nastiness that's walmart. I think it's wakeupwalmart.com
If only it weren't one of the only places to shop, because they've run the little guy out of business.
Someday I'll only buy things made in the USA but now, well right now I'm too poor to worry about that. I just buy the cheapest thing I can find.
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