If you move beyond political rhetoric and look at actual numbers, manufacturers are actually bringing jobs back to the United States. There is a variety of reasons, but likely one of the most important is that consumers are demanding it. According to Consumer Reports, 80 percent of American shoppers say they would prefer to purchase goods made in the USA. More than 60 percent of these shoppers also said they would be willing to pay 10 percent more for an American-made product.
Businesses feel the same way. They’re looking for ways to source products or services in the United States, too. Here’s why it’s good for all of us.
We Only Have One Planet
Products made overseas have a higher carbon footprint than those made in the USA. This doesn’t mean the factory or manufacturer itself is to blame. These foreign-made goods must be shipped across oceans to the United States. The maritime shipping industry transports 90 percent of the goods traded around the world, consuming nearly 200 million tons of fuel and producing about 3 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions – about the same carbon footprint as the entire country of Germany. You may pay less for outsourced products, but there’s the ultimate cost of what it does to our environment to consider.
Outsourcing manufacturing to foreign countries has simply outsourced our own country’s responsibility of controlling air pollution. Unfortunately, many of these countries have few or no regulations to protect natural resources. They pollute even more.
The Economics of Keeping It Local
Purchasing American-made goods doesn’t just support these companies and their workers. The benefits ripple outward and create an upswell for the entire economy. When American manufacturers see an increase in the demand for their products and services, they in turn partner with other American organizations to help them meet this demand. The Economic Policy Institute (EPI) estimates that each U.S. manufacturing job supports an additional 1.4 jobs in other parts of the American economy.
Are You Really Buying “Made In USA”?
The benefits are obvious, but making sure you are buying American-made products is less so. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) requires products labeled as “Made in USA” to have all or nearly all content made in this country, including parts, processing, and labor. Unfortunately, the FTC doesn’t have the resources to enforce this requirement. Consumer Reports says it’s easy to find products with “Made in USA” labels that are actually from China.
Additionally, legitimate American-made products often fail to label themselves as such. So, you’ve got your work cut out for you if your goal is to support America by purchasing products made in the USA.
We’ll help you out. Unlike many custom packaging manufacturers, 100 percent of our products are made in-house at our state-of-the-art facility in Minneapolis. Our on-shore manufacturing allows us to meet quicker turn-around deadlines with competitive pricing. We think that’s something to set off some fireworks about.
Want to Learn More?
Contact the Vinyl Art Team at 800-569-1304
Rob Slattery | Executive Sales Director | robs@vinylart.wpengine.com
Tim Hitchings | Vice President | timhitchings@vinylart.wpengine.com
