Why Buy American Made Products?
A Growing Trend
If you check the tag or sticker on products while out shopping, you will notice that most say “Made in China” or maybe Taiwan, Mexico or even India. Though it is still rare, products are beginning to say “Made in America” again.
The Reshoring Initiative, founded in early 2010, is a nonprofit that focuses on restoring American manufacturing jobs and training suppliers on how to sell against lower-priced offshore competitors. This organization’s founder and president, Harry Moser, reported that about 170,000 U.S. manufacturing jobs were announced to come back from offshore in 2017, which is up 2,800% from 2010.
According to 2017 Ipsos/Reuters Poll Data, 70% of respondents say buying American made products is very important or somewhat important to them. Why this is this a growing trend? It's because more and more people are wanting high quality, ethically sourced products. The survey found that 96% of respondents say buying a quality product is very important or somewhat important to them, and 65% say buying an ethically sourced product is very important or somewhat important to them. Some, but not all, American made products are more expensive, but luckily a majority of the population is willing to pay more for American made products. 26% of the respondents are willing to pay 5% more for an American made product, 21% are willing to pay 10% more, and 9% are willing to pay 25% more.
Why Buy American Made Products?
There are many reasons to buy American made products, the most notable reasons being that it helps create more American jobs and improves the American economy.
James Stuber, who has his bachelors and masters degrees in political science and a law degree from Georgetown University, explains that American consumers can provide the most effective economic bailout with their power to purchase American-made goods. In his book, “What if Things Were Made in America Again: How Consumers Can Rebuild the Middle Class by Buying Things Made in American Communities,” he calculated that consumers purchasing American made goods could bring home $500 billion of consumer spending, create six million jobs, take the slack out of the economy, and get the virtuous circle going again.
In addition to being good for the economy, products made in the USA also have a lower carbon footprint and create less pollution. This is because goods produced offshore have to travel further for delivery and they are made in countries with little to no environmental regulations.
GO-KOT®: An American Made Product
We believe in the value of American made products, that is why since 1978, each and every GO-KOT® has been handmade right here in the USA! Not only are our cots made in America, but we also source the best American raw materials available, to include: 1000-denier water-repellent nylon fabric, thick aluminum side poles, galvanized spring steel legs, and high-impact hinges.
Because we manufacture our cots in the United States, in a warehouse we own, we have complete control over the process. This allows us to ensure each cot is handcrafted with precision and attention to detail and is of the highest quality. For these exact reasons, we have been the cot of choice for outdoor professionals, military, first responders, and adventure enthusiasts.
Pictures from our warehouse in Springville, AL
For more information on the GO-KOT®, click here! If you want more information on American made products, the USA Love List and AmericansWorking.com are both great resources!