City Keeps Buying Foreign Made Goods

[ForumManager]

"Made in the USA" remains a gray area.
The clothing on that site could have materials from another country and still be labeled as such.

FTC website
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/buspubs/madeusa.shtm

The following  excerpt  is from a wikipedia article citing FTC examples
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Made_in_USA

The FTC gives the following examples[2]:

    Example 1: A bicycle is assembled in the United States, and its frame is manufactured in the United States. Of the remaining parts of the bicycle (tires, derailleur, gear shift, etc.), some are manufactured in the United States and some are imported from foreign countries. Overall, U.S. costs constitute 75% of the total costs of manufacturing the product. In addition, under U.S. Customs Service rulings, the bicycle would be considered to have been last substantially transformed in the United States. It would likely not be deceptive for the bicycle to be labeled "Made in USA."

    Example 2: A toaster is made from primarily U.S. parts and is assembled in Canada in a process that constitutes a substantial transformation. U.S. costs account for 75% of the total costs of manufacturing the product. A claim that the toaster is "American Made" would likely be deceptive, as the last substantial transformation occurs outside the United States.

    The following example shows in more detail how marketers might calculate U.S. content:

    Example 3: A company manufactures lawn mowers in its U.S. plant, making most of the parts (housing, blade, handle, etc.) itself from U.S. materials. The engine, however, is bought from a supplier. The engine's cost constitutes 50% of the total cost of producing the lawn mower, while the manufacture of the other parts and final assembly costs constitute the other 50% of the total. The engine is manufactured in a U.S. plant from U.S. and imported parts; U.S. manufacturing costs constitute 60% of the engine's total cost. Thus, U.S. costs constitute 80% of the total cost of manufacturing the product (50% [U.S. cost of final assembly and other parts] + (60% x 50%) [U.S. cost of engine]). Because U.S. manufacturing costs exceed 75% of total manufacturing costs and the last substantial transformation of the product took place in the United States, a claim that the lawnmower is "Made in USA" would likely not be deceptive.

[jay]

If you are looking for a source of American made polo shirts, try this website.

www.allamericanclothing.com/polo.php

[irishbobcat]

Well, who would have thought 30 years ago I would be standing in an Old Navy store buying  men's polo shirts made in Vietnam for 40% off?

[jay]

I'm sorry to report that at least two items distributed at the city wide clean up on Saturday were not made in the U.S.  The work gloves were made in China.  The volunteers' T-shirts were made in El Salvador.   There are still a few remaining American manufactures of work gloves and T-shirts.  Why does our city's bureaucrats fail to see the need to purchase items made in our own country by the men an women who pay the taxes?