Made In USA Test

As part of ABC’s Made In America Series, a Dallas family, the Usry’s, try to live their life with ONLY all-American made products.  They have agreed to empty their living room, kitchen, and master bedroom of any imported products and then try to replace them with similar products available from United States manufacturers.  Recalling how she felt when she first heard ABC’s request, Anna stated, “I thought that Ashton Kutcher was going to be coming around the corner, we were being punked.”

Jon estimated that 50% of the products in their household were made in the US. To find out exactly what percentage of the Usry’s belongings were actually made in America and to hear the entire story of the Usrys, click on the image below:

What percentage of your belongings do you think are made in America?

Products Made In USA

As part of a week long “Made in America” special ABC recorded a family that wanted to re-do their home with all Made in America products and the challenges they faced trying to find these products.  Not too much surprise, they found that it is difficult to find American made products because almost all of the big box stores shoppers usually visit to not stock these products.

One thing they did find on their quest is that Made in America products are thriving online.  American manufacturers have been driven to the online world because big name companies have opted to go for lower priced outsourced goods in favor of larger profits, pushing Made in America products out of stores worldwide.

Manufacturing has a major impact on the American economy and its workforce.  According to the National Association of Manufacturers, Manufacturing supports an estimated 18.6 million jobs in the United States and nearly 12 million Americans are employed directly in manufacturing.  ABC reported “if every American spent an extra $3.33 on United States made goods, it would create almost 10,000 new jobs in this country.”  Now that is something to think about!

To read more on the series click here: MADE IN AMERICA SERIES

Do you know where the products you purchase are made? Are they Made In America?

Madcapz are proudly made in USA. Please remember that this holiday season!

American Made Products Making Comeback

According to a new study released by Boston Consulting Group, manufacturing here in the US  is making a comeback! The study states that China manufacturing costs are rising and coupled with the fact that here in the US we are focused on making jobs, by 2015 there will be a tipping point of sorts, such that US companies will be thinking twice about manufacturing here in the US.

We here at Madcapz are fully committed to manufacturing here in the US and hope this study proves to be true!

For more about the future trends of American made, watch this clip on AOL Finance: American Made Making Comeback

Looking For Some American Made Items?

In a previous blog I mentioned products that were no longer produced in the USA. It’s sad to know that some of our favorite toys, house products and clothes are no longer being manufactuered here; but there are still many products that are made in the USA.

Moneywatch.com has listed 10 items still made in the USA. Although we are thrilled that they even focused on Amercian made products, they identified rather large US companies and it would have been great if they had chosen some small US companies in the mix, like MADCAPZ! There are many of us who are small businesses and are manufacturing here in the US – we are here and we believe in manufacturing in the USA!

Here are some products still manufactured in the US:

• Tibor Fly-Fishing Rods
• Mortara Instrument ECG machines
• Allen Edmonds Shoes
• Harley Davidson Motorcycles
• L.L. Bean’s Maine Hunting Shoes
• Tesla Motors Roadsters
• Weber Grills

For more specific info on these American made products read the Moneywatch post.

Exclusively American Made Products To Be Sold In One Of Smithsonian Museum Stores

The Smithsonian Museum has over 30 museum shops and none of them sell exclusively American-made products – until now. Thanks to Senator Bernie Sanders who wrote a letter to the National Museum of American History Director Brent Glass, calling for the museum to sell American made products.

The National Museum of America History has agreed to start selling American made products in one of their gift shops, The Price of Freedom Gift Store. The commitment to sell only USA made products in the store is a victory for Senator Sanders who is trying to push American-made products for all of the Smithsonian’s Museum gift shops.

We totally support Senator Sanders’ efforts and hope to see American made Madcapz in the Smithsonian’s museum stores before too long!

Follow A Woman’s Search To Spend A Year Finding and Buying American Made Products

Here’s a short video from ABC News in conjunction with their series on American made products. This video introduces us to Tina Polito who has a terrific blog, ChinaAteMyJeans.com. Her blog documents her daily search for finding and buying products made in the USA. Take a look – we promise you’ll be hooked:

Products No Longer Made in USA

As many of you know, Madcapz are made in the USA. There are very few women’s baseball caps actually made here, most are made in Bangladesh and China. Many cap manufacturers say they are made in America, but actually the caps are made overseas and the embroidery is done here in the US. We are proud that Madcapz are 100% manufactured here in the US.

What’s the reasoning behind why many companies no longer produce their products in the United States? Here a few companies that have stopped producing their products in the USA and why:

Converse shoes- The company began producing shoes in 1908 in Massachusetts. The most famous of their shoes, Chuck Taylors, began selling in 1918 and by 1997 their sales had reached over 500 million shoes. By 2001 sales were declining and the U.S. factory closed; they are now being produced in Indonesia.

Radio Flyer’s Red Wagon- Radio Flyer had been producing their iconic Red Wagon in Chicago for years. In 2004, it became too expensive for them to keep producing their products there and decided to move their producing company to China.

Dell Computer- In January 2010, the company decided to close their factory in North Carolina and move to Asia. They felt this was a better way to keep up with the industry.

Incandescent Light Bulb- The last company to produce the light bulbs closed shop in September 2010. This is due to the fact that in 2007 Congress passed a measure banning incandescent bulbs by 2014.

Canned Sardines- The demand for the fish has declined therefore forcing canneries to close their shops.

To read more on these companies and others that have stopped US production, read on: American made products

Madcapz Proud to be a Part of Petriot.com – Made In USA Website

Madcapz is committed to manufacturing here in the USA. There are very few baseball caps made in America nowadays, but we are proud to continue to manufacture our products here in the US.

There is a new website that we have recently partnered with, Petriot.com.

Petriot.com sells only Amercian made products.

Check out this terrific website and shop American.

There is a relatively new website, DIGUSOUT.COM that promotes American companies who manufacture 50% or more of their products in the USA.  Madcapz is happy to have recently been added to this website. As many of you know, we manufacture our caps and visors here in the USA – quite unusual nowadays to find a baseball cap made in the US!

We are proud to be a part of the growing family of American made products. If you are searching for items made in the USA, check out this terrific resource, DIGUSOUT.COM. You can find everything from technology products to food & drinks to apparel to sports equipment to beauty products. Well worth giving this website a look!