(EMAILWIRE.COM, June 21, 2008 )
By Nan Moon

One of our competitors has closed its doors. Not surprising news during this economic downturn, certainly, but definitely sad news and a sign of the times. What bothers us at American Joe most is that the company sold American-made apparel, as do we. So the influx of foreign-made goods has once again struck at the heart of our great nation and the American worker.

Let’s put this into perspective. According to Blair Pethel (Bloomberg News, Pittsburgh Post Gazette), the U.S. textile industry lost 700,000 jobs between 1994 and 2002. Bureau of Labor Statistics projections are that by 2014, there will be a further decrease of 46 percent. Add to that Goldman Sachs’ report that up to 1 million manufacturing jobs (textile industry included) have been shifted overseas since 2001 by U.S. companies and their suppliers. Do the math to see what’s left, and it’s a pretty scary statistic. Entire towns in the Southeast, once thriving apparel manufacturing sites, have all but become ghost towns. The mills have closed, leaving generations of families out of work.

As a strictly USA-made apparel company, this affects us; there are fewer U.S. clothing manufacturers, making it harder to come by American-made apparel, which is second to none, I might add. There are also fewer U.S. fabric weavers, because of fewer U.S. yarn spinners, because of fewer U.S. cotton growers. Why? Because the American consumer as a whole has simply accepted the concept of a ‘global economy’, moving with the times and not questioning our domestic economic situation. It’s easier to shop without looking at the ‘Made in’ label than it is to be concerned and try and track down American-made items. Unfortunately, while we’ve been occupied with the day to day business of life, so called globalization has taken over the way we make our livings, and the regulations imposed by our government have exacerbated the situation – regulations that foreign manufacturers do not have to live up to.

If you believe in clean air standards, fair wages, employee benefits, good working conditions – buy American.

And not just in the apparel industry. Try to buy an American-made washer and dryer – good luck with that. That American brand car you’re driving? It might be assembled in the United States, but I’ll guarantee you that an incredible number of its parts are manufactured elsewhere. Even all but the most stoic furniture makers in the United States have moved their operations out of the country. The reason why is simple: it costs more to produce goods in the United States. Our workers are paid at least minimum wage. They have benefits, many times employer-paid, such as medical insurance. We have strict OSHA standards to protect employees in the workplace. There are no sweat-shop manufacturing facilities in the U.S. And the EPA makes sure our domestic factories keep their acts – and our air – clean.

Many American-owned companies are employing workers in China, Mexico, Honduras, India and dozens of other countries to make the goods we ourselves once proudly produced. So, that shirt you’re wearing that you bought at the local discount or department store – or even at your favorite exclusive boutique - more than likely was made in a foreign sweatshop, possibly by a child who was paid a few cents for an entire day’s work – and their workday is much longer than ours. There is no safety board controlling his workplace. He gets no benefits. And you can bet there’s no environmental agency monitoring and preventing the tons of hazardous waste his factory is pumping into the air and water. Worried about global warming? Look at all the foreign-made goods that pour into the U.S. every day, goods that were manufactured under no environmental standards – not even taking into consideration the cost to ship the products here.

It’s time to wake up, America. We’ve put ourselves at great risk – what do we do in the worst-case scenario of being unable to receive foreign-made goods into the U.S.? It’s unlikely, I admit, but not impossible. Even in this time of global (shared) economy, there are countries that would love to cripple that of the U.S. Do you have any idea how long it would take to reactivate our own manufacturing plants, or to train workers? To create the materials needed to again produce goods domestically? And imagine the cost to restart domestic production in those industries that have moved everything offshore. The risk is real. We need to find a solution to the problem.

Buying American-made will help, and it’s a simple step each of us can take in making sure that we are supporting our workers, and not working to support substandard working conditions. Regardless of political affiliation, that has to be something everyone can stand behind. Buying American keeps good jobs in America.

Nancy Moon
General Partner
American Joe Apparel
www.americanjoeapparel.com

American Joe Apparel is headquartered in Plano, Texas and is a retailer of fine American made, manufactured and marketed apparel.

Contact Information:
American Joe Apparel
Rodger Roeser
Tel: 859.291.4302
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