Have you ever heard of these suppliers?
Bicycles Products and/or Services Made in USA

It really is ridiculous what some stuff goes for doesn't it? 99% of the time you are just paying for the name.

There is nothing like the old stuff. They just don't make anything like they used to in the "old days".

Yes. Chrome bags, I own several of them. They are military grade nylon, so I believe their supplies are also made in the US.

Betty Basket liners, there is NO way their materials are made in the US. The liners are sewn here, but the fabrics are most likely imported.

As far as actual bikes, the only one I have heard of is Seven. Goes to show how small these companies are that hand make their stuff in the US.

There is another company here in OC called Livery that they hand braze their frames. Prices are not that bad considering. About $700-1000 for a frame.

Capt Noonie made some excellent points. Boycotting Chinese products could hurt American small business owners and their employees. Nothing is ever simple.

I am more than happy to buy American-made products, but I have had some bad experiences with them. One was a simple light fixture for my laundry room. I wanted to replace the cracked plastic "globe" that is more cake shaped. None of the stores carried anything like it so I had to order one online.

The fixture was proudly advertised as Made in America and it arrived covered in American flags. Sadly, the whole thing was a mess. The special bulbs could not even be installed because the sockets were welded on incorrectly, and the globe section was pathetic. It looked like 2 pieces of rough plastic glued together. I threw the whole thing in the garbage and ordered the one from China. It was perfect.

Don't laugh :rolleyes:and probably not an option everywhere:confused:-ever though of getting a custom blown globe?

We have an abundance of glass blowers here, go figure.
We have Made in China ceiling fans and the new energy effective (compact florescent CFL's) don't fit so we leave the globe off-getting a sun design bright orange/yellow one for my oldest son's outer space themed room.

hmmm I'll need to restock light bulbs pretty soon wonder where those are made and how I'm going to substitute if they are made in China.

^^Sounds nice, but this is a basic light fixture requiring a plastic, flat cover (globe). It is in the tight utilities room, so it cannot be glass.

China can make some nice quality products as long as you are willing to pay them. If you want cheap labor, they will give you a cheap product. If you pay them for quality, they will deliver quality. They are not evil, souless people out to poison Americans. We as americans have demanded cheaper and cheaper goods, they have to cut corners somewhere. The amount of quality and effort depends on how much they are compensated. I found this to be very true also when I was in the fashion industry. Many of the companies my former employer would use to finish our denim also finished for high end designer denim labels as well. We just didn't pay them as much, so we got back crappier stuff. :p

Also in line with your post, I did happen to find Made in USA picture frames from WalMart. I bought a few of them as I needed them to display our business license etc and wanted something that looked kind of nice. $3 bucks and made in the US, heck yeah! So all of them have since broken, and they just sit there, not doing anything. Air broke them. Or just being broke them IDK LOL.

I didn't see this till now. I knew Coach was made in China, but not always. They used to be made in the US and also Turkey, which they have many quality leathergoods makers there. Did you notice that they started raising their prices when the C signature stuff started coming out, and that was when they started producing them in China. Doesn't make sense, you get cheaper labor, but you raise prices? And they have a very loyal following!:confused:

I got over Coach quickly when I got my Coach scribble bikini (yeah that long ago) and not only was I shocked it came (pre-order to boutique for me) shipped directly from China. Then after a single use and wash (yes in a garment bag) the seems all came un-stiched and the ends of my string were all un-sewn and unravels and frayed.

I have no loyalty to any company that lack loyalty to their consumers, works etc.

I have no love for China as an entity anyways to be totally honest this was just the final straw for me: human rights, political oppression, bankrupting the little guys all over the globe, animal cruelty, lack of application and appearance to global threats, and furthermore the total lack of concern for the environment.

I feel bad for the people for China, because their governing power is evil IMHO.

I agree. We easily forget they are a communist country and the people for the most part have no say whatsoever. It is their govt that is corrupt, and we easily blame the people. Of course, no one can control where they are born. If you are born into poverty in a third world country you do whatever you can to survive, including taking jobs that we see as absolutely horrendous. Sometimes you just don't really have a choice.

So today I finally did a lil questionable shopping for the house.

I thought I'd really push the limits of my the boy is between pay periods and Made in China boycott, so I did the unthinkable dirty lil shopping trip to of all place...dun dun dun...The Dollar Tree corporation store!

I was surprised!

Personal disclaimer: I'm so not trying to promote that store I actually boycott this particular store under previous management for not letting my three year old at the time nephew use the restroom as we were checking out and he was caught holding his crotch, besides they're a big icky corporation/franchise.

Anywho here's how it went and for all practical matters proves Made in China can be avoided, anywhere.

I had to look and make some substitutions. I usually only use Bon Ami & white vinegar but it's the bi-annual cleaning time in the house here-the only time I buy a lot of these items.

I bought:
1. The Works brand toilet cleaner USA which substituted for the Lysol which is from China.
2. A birthday bag made from 70% post consumer-USA
3. Two GIANT plain paper coloring pads-USA!
4. Marrick brand tubular hangers USA
5. Breck kids 2 in 1 shampoo-USA
6. LA's Awesome lemon scented bleach -USA
7. LA's awesome fabric softener-USA
8. Ty-D-Bol cleaners-USA
9. teaching Tree words boarders Made in India
10. A giant addition and subtraction tables poster-USA

Not bad-but I did go without buying the D batteries I need for baby's swing, only Made in China's were available there. I've heard Costco has rechargeable made in England so that's going on the Costco list.

Seriously thus far I've notice I rarely do buy items Made in China.

Really having issues with light bulbs & batteries though.

Found this advertised this way on eBay loving the Made In USA specification and so cute!
Doormat FiddlersElbow Yorkshire Terrier NEW Made in USA | eBay

Well I've been sick for hm 4 or has it been 5 days now?

Anyways the boy had to do all the shopping (wow being technical support while he was walking around the grocery store with me directing him was well let's just say I had no idea how well I have the grocery stores memorized!) and he blew it!

He went and bought some (of all things right-?) kebab skewers for little cheapo wood ones for chicken on a stick and he failed to notice they were labeled Made in China! Ironically later that night I didn't feel like cooking at all I told him he was going to have to clean up after himself so we went out to Chinese Buffet for dinner...

He redeemed himself today though we have the F=bomb going on here...fleas!

In our yard of all places really bad so tired of it Princess is picking out her fur which she just grew back already. So he went and bought 10 pounds of Diatomaceous Earth and a hand pump duster

Hudson model #67203 by H D Hudson Manufacturing Company-it's a polyethylene duster and get this it has a 2 year manufacturer warranty-it was $13.99 both made here! I love it the box for the duster even has a little gold seal on it stating "WE EMPLOY AMERICA"

both Made in the USA

Still no batteries in baby swing or vibrating chair, and only 3 spare bulb in the laundry room...

Feel better! I've been sick since Thursday myself. I think I have a bit of a fever as I type. Kaji won't let me sitback and get better. :rolleyes:

Light bulds solved but huh not locally, or inexpensively!
Lights of America
CFL's have mercury which is harmful for the environment.

There are NO CFL light buld manufacturers in the USA because they are so hazardous to the environment in production we BAN them (by default due to EPA regulations) being produced here!
How freaking scarey is that! The EPA-doesn't even budge or take a bribe on this one, even with BIG money corporation it is illegal here!

Light bulds solved but huh not locally, or inexpensively!
Lights of America
CFL's have mercury which is harmful for the environment.

There are NO CFL light buld manufacturers in the USA because they are so hazardous to the environment in production we BAN them (by default due to EPA regulations) being produced here!
How freaking scarey is that! The EPA-doesn't even budge or take a bribe on this one, even with BIG money corporation it is illegal here!

Light bulds solved but huh not locally, or inexpensively!
Lights of America
CFL's have mercury which is harmful for the environment.

There are NO CFL light buld manufacturers in the USA because they are so hazardous to the environment in production we BAN them (by default due to EPA regulations) being produced here!
How freaking scarey is that! The EPA-doesn't even budge or take a bribe on this one, even with BIG money corporation it is illegal here!

I posted an article from another thread that I thought kind of touches on this subject a bit. Particularly the last paragraph about goods made in US and/or Italy, pertaining to the fashion industry:

What the Fashion Industry Doesn’t Want You to Know

Most of the fashion industry is built on an illusion of glamour. Even those of us who love the sequined, sartorial facade (And we do most of the time!) have to admit that that there are certain uncomfortable truths about the industry that are anything but beautiful. Here's a small peek at what's behind the couture curtain.

They Crave Young Models—but Not Just For Their Looks
The reason runway shows are full of Slovenian teenagers isn’t only because clothes look inherently better on younger women. Designers and modeling agencies depend on a steady flow of extremely young girls because they’re the only ones who will work for free, live in crowded apartments, and have their occasional wages docked by their agencies to pay for things like travel expenses and comp cards. As a recent editorial in The New York Times illustrated, average models (not the superstars) often get paid in clothes, work very long hours, and have no workplace protections—an arrangement some former models have compared to indentured servitude. Agencies are eager to recruit teenagers because they don’t know enough to stand up for themselves and negotiate for better.


They’d Rather Waste Than Damage Their “Brands”
Ever wonder what happens to garments that go unsold? They don’t all go to outlet malls—they get destroyed. Every once in a while, a big retailer gets caught destroying garments, or “damaging out” unsold merchandise, leaving people to wonder why they don’t donate the garments to the poor. Well, if the homeless lady at the bus station was wearing Victoria’s Secret sweatpants that she got for free at the shelter, who would pay $50 for them? Maintaining a brand’s image is all about pricing them and marketing them so that the “right” people wear them, projecting the image the brand wants to create. Retailers would rather see clothes burned than given to people who wouldn’t project the right image.


Design Theft is Rampant—and It’s Okay
Fast-fashion retailers knock off designs they see at runway shows, and even designers themselves appropriate design elements from each other. Not to mention all those purses on the sidewalks in Chinatown. But although the industry talks a big line about how knock-offs and counterfeiting hurt their sales and hinder creativity, the truth is that in some ways, designers may actually benefit from both. Knock-offs are marketed to a very different segment of the market than true designer fashions, and they serve to bring appreciation for high fashion to a larger group of consumers, who eventually get tired of owning the knock-off and start wanting the real thing. Counterfeit bags heighten the perceived value of the real ones, suggesting that the reason they were counterfeited in the first place was that they were so desirable and so in-demand.

They Still Rely on Sweatshops
Even if it wasn’t made in China or Bangladesh or Indonesia, there’s a good chance that a garment was still produced under sweatshop conditions. A tag that reads, “Made in Italy” is the gold standard in fashion, suggesting quality craftsmanship and attention to detail. However, the reality is far from the fantasy of an elderly cobbler making shoes by hand. The luxury goods factories in the Italian garment districts are now staffed with tens of thousands of immigrant Chinese laborers, who are paid far less than the Italian minimum wage. Even in the United States, designer Donna Karan was sued by garment workers who labored under sweatshop conditions right in New York City.

oops double post

Yeah USA and Italy both have sweat shops-did yu know we are the world's largest consumer of trafficked people!:eek:
That's right! We are also the world's largest consumer of slave labor...:mad:

Speaking of fashion...
 

My daughter's costume was custom so it was not at risk. She's a Vidia fairy from Tinkerbell one of the other mom is making them for all the girls...

The boys however harsh.

Milo initially wanted to be a robot so I ordered one it was ruined.

:newarrow:Then we went to a certain big boxer-shame on me yes I know-anyhow he found this batter operated one that makes him 'all puffy & fat' LOL so we made Marek match him...seriously I did not chose this he did I even tried to talk him into being a character from Peter Pan so we could be a matching family...I was loosing and realized I was not going to bribe the M&M costume out of Milo's little fingers...Dad says" you realize it's Made in the USA and that's all kosher with your Yorkie Talk Made in China Boycott" yeah he's a real smart a$$ sometimes...we bought the candy grabber, Phineas and Ferb book and I forget the other bribery items for Milo anyways...

So the boys are M&M's!!! The shirts next to the costumes are their Halloween pics shirts all pumpkin colored and Made in the USA too-Maisy refuses pumpkin colors and hasn't decided what to wear-ugh TWEENS!!!
Sorry all the fashion talk made me creative so I oil painted one pic during resizing for Yorkie Talk :D

I wear Genuine Italian Calf skin leather-only from certain brands though...the meat was used for veil, excess or fertilizer, the intestine for sausage and seine, the hooves for jewelry and some of the bones...

I eat meat.
I'm a carnivore.
I just prefer the animal is treated humanely while alive and being killed for me to consume.
I had better damn well consume all of the animal that was killed or my purposes...
I also prefer organics as I care about the environment, my health and sustainability.

I am also a really big believer in trying to use as much as the animal as possible. I actually love eating the parts that most people would think is nasty, such as organ meats.

May I ask what brand of shoes you wear and how did you find out this info?

You know what would be a good idea. If retailers would put "Made in the USA racks in all their departments and post a sign. I think they would be very surprised how much of it would sell.
I think it is too hard to go thru labels when you are trying to shop.
It probably wouldn't be to long before they had to expand.

I have a bunch of various shoe brands my Chanel boots came with a certification certificate stating it.
I noticed not all Chanels do so it's kind of scarey huh?
Italian made Gucci is-read their PR statements.I think Tom Ford has maintained the mantra of resposnsibility in 'craft'smanship'
Chloe used to to be.
Quite a few Italian made brands do because of their dynamic there:traditions, etc
It has more to do with what leather supplier they got them from-the slaughter houses themselves.

ATM I'm wearing some no name brand thongs on my feet so yeah, I honestly haven't bought leather goods in years since child #2 designer good were out...so I'm going off of info from then. I'll check on it and post when I have more...best thing to do is go to the shop you buy it at and get the seasonal handouts label's send to vendors (boutiques).

A few research sites:
What kind of leather does Gucci use?? - PurseForum
Made in Italy | The Iconic Gucci Loafer | A Continuous Lean.



Today, Gucci’s Made In Italy production coupled with a strong social responsibility towards its employees ensures that 100% of its leather goods, shoes and ready to wear are still produced in its Florence workshops, employing over 45,000 people in Italy alone, in addition to Gucci’s own employees. This handcrafted legacy passed down through generations of artisan families, continues to be an immense source of pride for Gucci and has made a huge contribution to its position as a worldwide leader in the luxury business.
Above from:
Gucci - made in italy
Actually friends of mine have toured their facilities in Florence It.

Many have small sections like this. I've heard (on here actually) Walmart does.

I'd like to see a little American Flag sticker next to the tag of the item, and in big box retailers a little American Flag sticker on the shelf label...assuming the American Flag stickers are printed on soy paper ...or okay I'll compromise; they are at least Made in the USA themselves.

I think I need to start a letter writing campaign & include this link in it...

I always read labels when shopping, but I also don't find it that hard to flip something over and read where it is Made in.

Darn copy/paste...
I however spend awhile shopping...

Here's Milo & Marek today in their costumes...Milo looks so serious he has been very sick poor guy this time of year every year!

I wonder where Louis Vuitton stands on this? In regards to the article I posted. LV is one of those companies who damage and throw away their goods that are not up to standard. They do not have outlet stores. Their "damages" that occur in store are available to purchase by their employees only. I wonder how they get their leather.

:thumbup: I actually love how he looks so serious!