5 Reasons That "Made In America" (or some version of it) Matters
ZB Savoy makes more than 99% of our products here in the USA. Technically, by the federal and California state guidelines we are more of a "Hand-Crafted in California using fabrics found throughout the World" brand.
Made in The USA can mean a number of things depending upon which agency you are asking and what state you are producing in. For some it means that a portion of the product is made in the USA or that it is assembled in the usa, or for the shadier companies it means that once the product is made over seas it is then shipped to the US to have the labels affixed to it.
When you buy one of our ZB Savoy Bow Ties or leather goods you are buying a product that was designed, cut and sewn here in in San Diego CA. The fabrics are generally made in Japan or Turkey. But all the labor to make the product is done here.
But why is this important?
1. Community
Your community (like every community) has people who are artists, crafts people, and makers. Most of these local artisans rely on piece work to be able to continue doing and making what they do and make. Our ability to support these people strengthens our respective communities and benefits all those who live in them on a micro economic scale. So if you are starting a coffee shop, reach out to a local pottery maker for mugs, have a boutique? ...touch base with a designer in your community, as a maker of bow ties, we hire local sewers to sew.
2. Labor Standards
Rules and regulations can be extremely annoying, especially as a small business owner. But I think we can all agree that small children shouldn't be slaving away in factories for 8, 10, 16 hours a day. Overseas manufacturing is notorious for child labor, forced labor and human rights violations. Buying in the US is a good way to avoid these issues.
3. Environment
Despite the recent Paris talks addressing global warming and the environment, some key players were not at the table. You can imagine (and you would be correct) that when Labor laws are not in place, neither are environmental regulations. The US's EPA on the other hand keep environmental laws enforced on US soil.
4. Economy
On a more Macro scale, there is nothing that is better for the US economy than to make a product in the US. If one makes a leather key fob in the US, one may buy a clasp and grommet from a US company that wholesales these parts from a US manufacturer. A US leather worker may cut and assemble the FOB from a hide of leather purchased from a US distributed who got the leather from a US Tannery who buy hides from a US rancher. The number of US employees who are touching this product (and this truly is the tip of the iceberg) is more than most people might take into consideration.
5. Trade
Global trade is not inherently bad. In fact it may do more for positive relations between foreign powers than politicians will ever do. But building up industry in other countries and sending American dollars to those countries weakens the US economy. While producing domestic products that we may sell at home and ship abroad strengthens our country and our economy.