Made in America. Does this matter to anyone?

[abh159]

I recently bought a few shirts from a brand that I love. Their shirts used to be 100% made in the USA, but now their description states "assembled in the USA with foreign materials". Unfortunately, I didn't realize this until after they arrived and they were on final sale so I cannot return them.

Now I know the "made in the USA" can be a big marketing ploy, but immediately upon opening the package I noticed how the new shirts felt significantly cheaper compared to the older ones I have. I understand the cost of foreign goods is lower and that you have to save every penny you can to make it in this day in age, but I was disappointed to find out this brand now seems to be cutting corners with their manufacturing thus resulting in a cheaper feeling product. Sadly, the brand has now lost a customer.

Anyway, do you all care if your products are made in America?

Do you feel you get a better product when it is made and produced here, or do you find it to be nothing more than a marketing scheme to get you to pay more?

[mcadamsandwich]

What brand is this specifically? Are you sure it wasn't a different model or fabric on purpose, ie: "lightweight oxford cloth" or poplin?

Yes, I care a lot about where my clothes are made. Most of my outerwear and shoes are from first world countries with known ethical standards. Sure, you can buy MiUSA crap but the same can be said for every other nation.

[abh159]

What brand is this specifically? Are you sure it wasn't a different model or fabric on purpose, ie: "lightweight oxford cloth" or poplin?

Yes, I care a lot about where my clothes are made. Most of my outerwear and shoes are from first world countries with known ethical standards. Sure, you can buy MiUSA crap but the same can be said for every other nation.

The brand is Buck Mason. They recently had a 50% off sale so it seemed like a good time to add a few more of their tri-blend t shirts to my collection. I ordered the exact same shirts (same size, same model, same material ratio, etc) just in different colors that I didn't already have.

The new, non-USA shirts are somehow stretchier even though they use the same material percentages and the collars are significantly thinner. Both big negatives in my book.

I emailed their customer service department, but I don't expect anything to come from that.

[mcadamsandwich]

Return the shirts if you're not happy. Vote with your money.

[JBarwick]

Do you know if their older shirts used US based materials? MiUSA doesn't always mean 100% here. I have purposely purchased older items because they were MiUSA but don't know if the change was due to margins or whatnot.

[Mr. Charles]

For me... it depends on the item, cost and quality I'm expecting. For shoes/boots, I like American made (or quality foreign - Italy, etc), think Allen Edmonds, Red Wing, Whites, etc... For textiles, I don't really care. Usually I don't find it worth the added cost to hunt out American made for the difference in quality. As long as the brand has a good reputation for quality, and I'm happy with the product, I don't care where it was made.

[hockeysc23]

On two equal products I do factor it in but lately it just hasn’t been worth the extra time for me to find out. It doesn’t seem apparent as it used to be to me.

I just noticed a few months ago my Oakleys which I used to buy because they were made in the USA no longer mention that.