After a recent shoe hunt I came to the realization that there are very and I mean VERY few items made here in the USA.
I had originally thought that Frye boots were made here – wrong. I was also under the impression that New Balance and Timberland shoes were made here – wrong again. Not Toms, not Clarks, not Sketchers USA..etc. the list goes on.
We searched the following stores:
- Aldo
- Charlotte Russe
- Clarks
- Dillard’s
- Famous Footwear
- Forever 21
- H&M
- Journeys
- Macy’s
- Nordstrom
- Sheikah Shoes,
- Sketchers and
- The Walking Company
And were only able to find 3 brands. At Nordstrom we found Allen Edmunds for men $$$ and Monru for the ladies $$. And at Macy’s we only found one brand, Onex for women $$. This is astounding.
As some of you may or may not know…
Between March 1998 and October 2012, the United States lost 5.7 million manufacturing jobs, nearly a third (32 percent) of manufacturing employment; most of these job losses were due to the growing U.S. trade deficit.
We’re giving away our jobs while increasing our nations debt with an $43.0 billion + trade deficit and many consumers are not even aware.
The solution. We need to guide the government with our purchases. Read your tags!!! The tricky part is succumbing to the realization that American-Made products simply cost more. We’ve got to pay for SEC set industry regulations for safety and fair treatment of workers, we offer employee benefits and most recently we have enacted various environmental acts that companies must abide by here in the US in order to remain in operation.
This is why you see such an increase in the price of American-Made retail goods. However, this comes with the piece of mind that the workers making your items are happy and healthy and treated fairly and that there was no unnecessary carbon emission created or runoff from the manufacturing or distribution of your items.
I will keep you posted as I continue to seek affordable options. But for now my faves are Allen Edmunds and CWDWOQ. However both are quite pricey. When you think American-Made remember the quality and craftsmanship as well as the integrity, after all, you may be buying a shoe that you’ll have for the rest of your life.
Quality over quantity – purchase wisely.
You can find Allen Edmunds on Amazon or @ http://www.allenedmonds.com/aeonline/cati2_Shoes_1_40000000001_-1_1_image_0_N_120552_120552__subcategory?gclid=CPWM-76e5LsCFQ1yQgod6j4AZw and CWDOQ @ http://cydwoq.com/
Resources
Economic Policy Institute. 2013. Reducing U.S. trade deficits will generate a manufacturing-based recovery for the United States and Ohio. http://www.epi.org/publication/bp351-trade-deficit-currency-manipulation/