New Balance Footwear - A Personal Favorite

Twenty years ago, I discovered a simple US made product that enriched my life.

It was a pair of walking shoes.

As I aged, I realized my body was less tolerant of abuse. I could no longer sleep on my tummy or improperly lift and back pain became a part of my life.

The first directive from my physician was to purchase a good pair of walking shoes. I learned about caring for my back and shopped for walking shoes - needed for the hours each day that I wasn't wearing 1 1/2 inch heels with my suits.

My search for a US made walking shoe fortunately led me to New Balance. At the time, there was a sign that I read near their display in the store. It addressed unwise trade policies and the importance of US manufacturing. After reading that sign, I purchased my first pair.

With good, supportive & comfortable walking shoes on my feet, my back pain was soon relieved. Free of discomfort, I was able to again enjoy walks in the evening which is good for my overall health. I even did some landscaping at my family's home whereupon I fell from a low retaining wall, turning over on my ankle.

I was surprised to learn that it takes months to recover from such a sprain. I soon turned over on the same weakened ankle while watching my son march in a parade.

Again, fortunately, I discovered a style of New Balance shoes that has a "rollbar" feature. I think of it as a stopper on the edge of the shoe. It does a splendid job of discouraging and preventing someone from turning over on their ankle. This style was 810, now called 811 and soon the weakness in my ankle dissipated. My ankle regained strength and I've not sprained my ankle since.

No type of compensation is involved - this post results from the good will that New Balance has earned with me over the past 20 years. I'm a very satisfied customer.

I'd like to thank New Balance for terrific products that serve me extraordinarily well. My style can be had for under $90.00 which is kind to my wallet. I'm pleased that New Balance seems understandably proud of their communities and their capable workforce.

I'd also like to thank whichever of my fellow Americans made my footwear. Your craftsmanship is apparent in the fine product you produce. You arise early every morning, work hard all day long and your work contributed to a marked improvement in the quality of my life, thank you. I wear this footwear for hours each day and they wear for years. Less than $90.00 permits me years of activity & mobility that is free of discomfort.

New Balance has been and remains committed to manufacturing in the US. Some New Balance styles are imported but New Balance operates five manufacturing facilities in the US which produce walking & running shoes for men & women.

It's possible to spend hundreds of dollars on athletic footwear that is made in China or perhaps Korea manufactured by New Balance competitors.

Can you spot the value in the marketplace?
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New Balance has presented a video that honors their community, US manufacturing and my fellow Americans who craft my footwear.



Visit New Balance Here

Mary - web person for FindUSMade.com

Do You Have What It Takes To Be An American Manufacturer?

Could I interest you in some role-playing? Would you like to test yourself by making some important business decisions? Would you like to explore your ethics and values as well as your business savvy? If you’re game, please keep reading.

Let’s review our respective circumstances in this role-playing exercise.

I’m a manufacturer in the US and I must pay at least the minimum wage for labor.

I operate according to guidelines, regulations and laws that govern my product and my conduct. There’s a set of standards and regulations for every manufacturer operating in the US. They govern what I can and can’t do when I manufacture.

Perhaps you’re thinking that my circumstance is somewhat stifling, enough possibly to get in the way of profits. I’m thinking though that I have the easy role in this exercise.

You are a manufacturer in China. Technically, there is a minimum wage but you can ignore that if you like and pay what you wish for labor.

The Chinese government takes no proactive role in manufacturing and only addresses problems if they become known and made public. It’s extremely doubtful that your product will ever be inspected or tested. With no regulations in place to get in your way, you are free to make all sorts of choices.

That sounds rather splendid doesn't it? As a theory, regulations are an unnecessary burden that would just get in the way of your profits, right? Let’s take that theory to the real world and test your ability to make decisions.

All sorts of US companies have come to your country, China, looking for the absolute cheapest price for goods. Quality & innovation can be had elsewhere so everyone comes to you solely for cheap prices. You’re positioned well with great flexibility on how you manufacture and how low you’re able to keep labor costs. You’re ready to make some money, aren't you?

This exercise could be accomplished with a variety of products from any industry, but we’ll use simple, familiar examples.

For now, you get to manufacture paint. It’s okay if you don’t know much about chemicals because I have only 1 decision for you.

Do you use lead pigment in your paint or a more expensive alternative?

I know you just started manufacturing and this is new to you but this decision must be made in your new business. Do you have an answer? You can secure a contract and move product out the door if you've sharpened your pencil. How badly do you want a contract? Using lead pigment lowers your product cost, right?

How nice that the government - delighted with their role in the global economy, doesn't care about the decisions you make in your business. You deserve to succeed, correct? You certainly deserve the contract.

Somehow I sense that you haven’t yet committed to a decision on the lead pigment. Does something give you pause about such a choice? Oh, you know that lead is a poison, don’t you? You might worry that your paint would be used on toys. Children would be exposed to the lead in your paint and they could suffer with blood and brain disorders.

Is there any reason though to drag ethics and conscience into a business decision?

Don’t look at me, I face no such choice. I could have contracted product in China but it never crossed my mind because I don’t want any part of such a decision so I’m manufacturing in the US. You’re the one with the freedom and flexibility, which should serve business well, right?

So, do you use lead pigment in your paint or a more expensive alternative?

I understand your hesitation, believe me, I understand.

Your fellow manufacturers in China will readily make that decision so we’ll leave the paint manufacturing to them and find you another role.

Okay, how about a fun business like making toys? Congratulations, you’re now a toy maker in China. Disney is already knocking on your door with a contract for swell and cool looking painted toys. They want them of course, as cheaply as possible.

Painted toys? Eh. You know a thing or two now about paint in China, don’t you? Your government even signed a meaningless agreement in 2007 that banned the use of lead paint on toys. It’s not enforced and is ignored by your fellow manufacturers.

You’d rather not use any paint on your toys that has lead pigment. Where would you find some and what would it cost? What would it cost to test so you could be certain it was free of lead?

Pressure to produce goods cheaply, always seems to turn you and your fellow manufacturers toward difficult choices, doesn't it? Maybe you can cut back further on payroll and hope your people will still come to work. You can’t save money by cutting frivolous things like safety equipment because unlike me, you never made any such purchases. Ensuring any product safety just adds cost to your product and makes it harder to compete for contracts. You’d certainly like that contract with Disney though…

What do you do?

You haven’t had any fun yet nor have you made any money.

You know it’s possible, but maybe you’re just not cut out to be a manufacturer in China. That’s okay, neither am I.

Maybe you’d like to own an American business and outsource your manufacturing. That role comes with many perks. That could be fun. You see, if you outsource production, you can trade labor & material costs for a massive profit margin. Nice. Retailers love that margin and they'll throw consumers a dollar or three in savings to bait them into buying something imported over something domestic. Your products will get a ton of shelf space.

Go ahead and arrange that fitting for new suits at the tailor. Check out the Hamptons and choose from the many available homes. Select a designer and get the boardroom redecorated.

You'll make lots of money in business and that's what counts, right? You can nail the American dream. Who would have guessed that the path to the American dream ran through China? You'll be part of the global economy and you can have a nice office building with an American flag flying out front.

The likelihood exists that one of your products will one day be recalled, but given your massive profits, you'll be able to handle the loss from such an event.

Would that role suit you?

You don’t have to wonder at all if I envy someone in that role because if I did I would have outsourced my own production.

You know, there’s a reader I lost earlier when they decided in favor of lead pigment. I lost another reader who would have crossed their fingers when they bought paint for their toys. I lost yet another reader who is daydreaming about grand homes in the Hamptons.

I’m left only with you, someone who hasn't yet found a role that suits them in this exercise.

Welcome brother. Come have a seat by me because it’s clear that you have what it takes to be an American manufacturer. Let me tell you about the role. You won’t make massive amounts of money but if you work hard you can make a good living. In addition to income, you’ll have wonderful people who work with you daily and help you succeed in business. You’ll view them not as an expense, but as family.

You'll make decisions that serve you in the long term, not the short term since you're building a business for this generation and the next.

You’ll have to deal at times with retailers that can be downright hostile to your products because of their smaller profit margin, but you’ll take great pride in the products you produce.

You’ll sleep well and contentedly at night except when you worry about competitors foreign made products because you know where they cut corners.

When shoppers question you about your products, you can tell them honestly that quality and safety matter to you because your actions prove it every day. Any time you like you can leave your desk and step out on the shop floor. Keep your eyes and ears open because the same people with hands on your product can offer tips and ideas that you can use.

An especially good part is the customers. You’ll come to treasure them because they’re the ones who value what you produce. You’ll come to recognize their names and faces because they return so often to do business with you. You’ll be thankful that at no point in your lifetime will you likely look one of these people in the eye and apologize because your product harmed one of their family members.

You’ll also get to set up a special file. It’s not for complaints, no, it’s for those hand written letters from your customers. You’ll be surprised and flattered whenever you receive them, yet, there they’ll be with expressions of gratitude. Yep. You’ll get them and treasure them as well. You might even have them framed so they can adorn your office walls because you consider them the most prestigious awards you won this year.

You and I can laugh at those rewarded only with dollars and who don’t realize that ethics and values are very much a part of smart business. We’ll agree that the American way is the very thing we should export in the global economy.

Outside your plant, you’ll likely fly the American flag. You might even raise it yourself in the morning. You’ll know the same as I that the path to the American dream doesn't run through China. You’ll recognize everything that is right and just about that flag flying outside your door. It’s fitting for everyone whose love of country is greater than their love of money.

Mary - A proud American manufacturer and web person for FindUSMade.com

American Manufacturers Shop With You For Made in USA Products

Who might you think, first and foremost is most supportive of American manufacturing? I ask the question because I suspect that most consumers who shop for Made in USA products, don't realize who is shopping with them.

I've mentioned that for the past 3 decades I've been an ardent consumer of US made products. My home is filled with domestic goods, as is my business.

The boxes and shipping tape I purchase for our shipping department - Made in USA. The desks, chairs, paper, envelopes, pens, binders, etc. that I purchase for our office - Made in USA. I also purchase product material, some of which is recycled - Made in USA. Equipment & tools that I purchase such as fire extinguishers and hand trucks - Made in USA. Our company vehicles are union Made in USA. My business buys US made products whenever possible.

Are my shopping & purchasing habits unusual for an American manufacturer? Goodness, no, they are commonplace.

There is more to this than American manufacturers acting in support of our beloved country and each other, it's also a cost effective business practice. American manufacturers, like consumers, want products that deliver value. Don't show us something cheap and shoddy that we'll only need to replace in three months. We want dependability and quality. We understand well why an imported product may come at a slight savings, so we'll happily spend the difference to obtain quality and safety.

There is another consideration. Who would understand manufacturing processes if not manufacturers. We know well why lead & toxins are found in so many foreign made products.

We know that 98% of recalled products are foreign made and that about 90% are made in China. We know that most consumers never learn of recalled goods. We know that most recalled products are never returned to stores and instead remain in homes and businesses.

Like you, we have no desire to expose our children, grandchildren, customers, employees, pets or ourselves to the dangers of substandard products.

There is a very nice symmetry at play here in that the very same things we seek for our businesses & households, namely quality, safety, value & dependability, are the very same things we offer to consumers with our own products.

When you next visit our site, keep in mind that we're shopping with you. And don't be surprised if perhaps one of Mattel's VP's is shopping right along with us.

Mary - web person for FindUSMade.com

Country of Origin Labeling on Meat Products

New labeling requirements for meat products are now in effect which should hopefully better inform consumers about the origin of meat offered to them in stores.

One contributor to our site lives in a state that shares a border with Mexico. He phoned today with concerns about labeling he saw on a package of ground beef he found at a Walmart store. It might be helpful then to review the guidelines for this new labeling. If you shop for meat products of US origin, you need to check for this particular labeling:

Muscle Cut Labels

United States Origin - only meat from livestock that are born, raised and processed in the US may say "Product of the US."

Ground Meat Product Labels

United States Origin - only meat from livestock that are born, raised and processed into ground meat in the US may say "Product of the US."

What that contributor discovered of concern to him was a package of ground beef that was labeled, "Product of USA, Canada, Mexico" He asked if he should believe that the beef in the package came from all three countries.

I explained to him the problem I saw with the new regulations as they pertain to ground meat. It's possible that this package actually contains beef from all three countries, and it might also contain beef from just two countries; perhaps Mexico and Canada. It's also possible that this package actually contains beef sourced only from Mexico but was produced in a US plant that typically also sources raw materials from Canada and the US for other products.

Unfortunately, the consumer still won't know the country of origin from such a label. Ground beef may be sourced from different countries to be processed in one US plant and the label need only reflect the countries from which the company typically sourced its raw materials for products over the past few months.

In the US we also typically source leaner beef from grass fed livestock from New Zealand & Australia, countries that may be listed on some labels of ground beef.

We also import young cattle from Mexico & Canada to be fed & fattened in the US. Meat products from such cattle will carry multiple countries of origin on their labels.

If the consumer desires a truly domestic meat product, they will need to seek the "Product of the US" label.

The phone conversation I had with this contributor was overheard by shoppers in the Walmart store. At the end of our conversation he told me that nearby shoppers had removed packages of meat from their carts and returned them to the meat case. He, and perhaps the nearby shoppers, had concerns that the ground beef offered at this Walmart store was likely sourced from Mexico and produced in a plant that also processes meat from the US and Canada.

Unfortunately, the new label does nothing to designate the actual country of origin of ground beef for consumers.

After shoppers decided against their meat purchases, our contributor was asked to leave the store by Walmart personnel. While I've proudly never set foot in a Walmart store, he is quite accustomed to such treatment. He's learned repeatedly that Walmart does not like information sharing with their customers, even accidental sharing from overheard cell phone conversations.

It could be the new country of origin labeling is an improvement but not yet satisfactory for consumers, at least with ground meat products.

Sources for domestic meat & seafood products can be found in our Gourmet Food/Drink department.

Mary - Web person for FindUSMade.com

New Feature - Resource Search

We hope everyone is having a lovely holiday season. During this period, we returned briefly to our site in order to implement a new feature for our visitors.

There are a number of other resources that appear to make an honest effort to assist consumers with locating Made in the USA products which we very much appreciate. We list these other resources on our site but it occurred to us that a dynamic search of those resources could prove helpful for shoppers.

So we combined those sites and their pages into a custom search and they can all now be simultaneously searched from one location. You can give this new search a try here: Resource Search of Made in the USA Sites

Some of these resources are shopper friendly with links to sources of US made goods. Some merely list, without links - manufacturers, retailers or other sources. These sites can be helpful though and a comprehensive search of those sites could provide greater efficiency for shoppers. If a consumer simply finds a company or manufacturer name, that information alone could lead them to goods that we overlooked or have not yet listed.

Each resource was tagged with either Resource or Resource/Blog. Two of the sites in this search are also Blogs which usually review American made products and also offer Weekly Giveaway's of US made products. The search results includes these tags so that visitors will know the type of site appearing in the results before they click and visit.

Our own site is included in the search and may appear in some search results. The purpose of the search though is to highlight other resources and the hopefully helpful information they offer to shoppers. We are not responsible though for the content presented on those other sites.

We'll resume work on FindUSMade.com in January after a bit of a break to spend time with our families. Again, we offer our best wishes for a lovely holiday and a happy and prosperous New Year.

Mary - web person for FindUSMade.com

New Department - Union Made in the USA

Our descriptions usually note if union made goods are offered at a location and we've decided to gather up such sites and duplicate them in a new department -Union Made in the USA This will permit visitors to more easily browse and shop products made by union workers.

Union workers tend to understand well the value of manufacturing in the US and they also tend to shop wisely in the marketplace for US made goods.

Many commercial goods, which aren't listed on our site, are made by union workers. There is a considerable amount of consumer goods that are made by union workers so this new department will expand in the future. Presently, there is a sampling of a number of consumer products that visitors can browse.

I suspect often consumers don't realize how many well liked products are union made. The EMCO storm doors you may have purchased for your home - made by union workers. If there's Land 'O Lakes butter in your refrigerator - it's union made. And if there's a Bradford White water heater delivering hot water for your shower in the morning - that's union made.
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When I first started work on our site, during verification there was a union made urban tee & sweatpants that caught my eye. I ordered them and when they arrived I marvelled at those garments. I'm so accustomed to US made quality, yet I found my new purchases impressive. The tee was heavyweight, soft cotton, expertly stitched. The sweatpants were also heavyweight, fleece lined, double stitched and had 2 large side pockets. They are so snugly warm and they look great.

Out of curiosity I went to Amazon and searched for sweatpants. I found them. They were imported, lightweight and had no pockets. They were $18.00 - just what I paid for my union made domestic pair. Neither was sale priced.

The maker of my sweatpants was Eagle USA and they made a profit on my purchase and paid union workers. I can't help but wonder what the profit margin was for that foreign manufacturer who had much less in labor & material costs. There was no savings for the consumer, but there was a larger profit margin for the manufacturer.

Somewhere there was a shopper on Amazon that bought those imported sweatpants. Possibly they thought they got a deal. Foreign manufacturers and retailers promote the notion that consumers will find savings with imported goods. US made products are so expensive, right?

Wrong. That poor Amazon shopper will probably be on their third or fourth pair of sweatpants in the time it takes me to wear through these. That shopper may have spent $18.00 on their pair, but I invested $18.00 in mine.

The first time I used our site when live was to reorder these sweatpants in other colors. I wanted a good source for Eagle USA which has a Dealer Locator but I discovered that by using a search engine and searching Eagle USA with the style number of the garment I wanted, I could usually snag the item at a retailer. This is when I discovered my sweatpants on StitchXpress for $16.44 available in 10 colors. Well now, I can buy union made in the USA for less than imported. Does this mean more whining from foreign manufacturers about competition?

Sadly, some folks think union wages add to the cost of products. As an American manufacturer I understand well the distribution of profit behind the ultimate price to the consumer. The presence of union workers in US manufacturing explains only the value & craftsmanship found in the products they produce.

Did you, the consumer, believe that companies moved production abroad with an altruistic intent to pass on the savings to you?
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I offer my appreciation to whichever of my fellow Americans made my tee and sweatpants. I've often laughed aloud in stores at poorly made imported goods but I've always owned US made sweatpants and these are the nicest I've ever owned. The stitching is expert & they launder extremely well. The long trip to the mailbox is much easier to brave this winter with this fleece lining. I've hauled pet toys, mail, paperwork and several cans of soda in these huge pockets. You've artfully mastered product quality, value & customer satisfaction. You're the competition the foreign manufacturers whined about, aren't you? The best they could do was match the price while coming nowhere close to matching the quality. (Bless their hearts, they think they can compete with you.)

Now I can ponder whether those foreign manufacturers are simply enriching themselves by manufacturing abroad or if perhaps they're just terribly inefficient operations unlike domestic manufacturers with union employees...

Mary - web person for FindUSMade.com

A Family Favorite, Anderson-Little Is Back!

The classic New England clothier, Anderson-Little is again making apparel in the USA. Founded in 1933 by Morris B. Anderson, this apparel manufacturer pioneered the concept of "factory direct to you." Anderson-Little garments were well received and appreciated by consumers and the company grew to 40 outlets. At one time, they employed 600 people in Fall River, Massachusetts.

Anderson-Little was a regional brand and was sold in 1966 to Richman Brothers, a national chain. The brand was bought and sold a few times until finally the last store was closed in 1998.

My family considered this a noteworthy loss because Anderson-Little was a family favorite. The garments were smartly designed, well made & comfortable. They wore well and as with most US made goods, they were fairly priced. Somehow the fit was ideal because I can't recall ever exchanging an Anderson-Little garment.

The Classic Blue Blazer - $139.00 plus free shipping

The Anderson-Little label and my own family are an example of business done right. This solid brand earned our trust & loyalty and wove its way into the fabric of our lives, our celebrations and memories. Birthdays, anniversaries and Christmas were all occasions that included a well received gift from this clothier and they were also the occasions this clothier's garments were worn.

It took years for the indomitable Scott Anderson, grandson of Morris Anderson to legally reclaim the name Anderson-Little. I'm not surprised that the Anderson family would return to what they know and do well - manufacturing men's apparel. It's not simply something they do - it's who they are; which as an American manufacturer, I understand.

Many US made products bear someone's name which traces to the pride they feel in what they've produced. Such folks understand there's a better way to do business and they're stubborn in insisting on employing American workers, offering the value of fairly priced well made goods and delivering superb customer service.

No type of compensation is involved as my words are offered as a satisfied customer. I find comfort in a familiar and time tested brand. I can spend my money and be assured of quality, fit and value. I can also do business with folks, not unlike myself, who embrace standards and who treasure their reputation as I do my own.

As the Anderson family tradition continues so will the tradition in my own family. They'll be a box under the tree this Christmas for my son. He'll receive a classic blue blazer with a label that bears the name Anderson-Little, just as things should be in my home. I'll be proud of the gift I purchase and I have no doubt my son will take pride in his appearance, just like his father and grandfather before him.

Thank you Mr. Scott Anderson & Mr. Stuart Anderson. Your family reminds me of who we are as a people and I thoroughly appreciate the reminder. Moxie is after all a hallmark of American manufacturers. Please know that your return to the American marketplace is greatly welcomed.

No surprise here that I could quickly dip into my stockpile of gift boxes and retrieve a suitable box for my son's Christmas present.

This long lived box is sturdy - like the garments - like the family - like the brand.

Should anyone wonder why I buy American made goods?

Mary - web person for Find US Made.com

Gateway to the American Made Marketplace©

Our professional logo is in place & the code for our link banner was written, but we're excited most about the new search feature on our site which we've dubbed - Gateway to the American Made Marketplace©

Unlike your local retail store where the rare find is a US made item, we’d like to introduce you to the reverse situation.

Behind a simple search interface, we carefully assembled a vast collection of the prime Internet locations with 100% or virtually 100% Made in the USA products.*

The locations we search include the online malls, state malls, manufacturers’ sites and selected merchants whose inventory is exclusively Made in the USA. All of these different locations can now be simultaneously searched in one place.

Relieved of the clutter from imports, we view this search as the simplest, quickest & most efficient means to match a US made product with a shopper who seeks such a product.

Nearly all locations in our search have a shopping cart, so a shopper can promptly locate & purchase US made goods if they wish. Since the balance of the inventory is US made on the sites in our search, the discerning consumer can continue to browse or shop for other US made goods.

About Our Search:

All sites and their inventory were carefully researched & vetted prior to inclusion in our search.

*We held to this rule while developing this search. If a location had only 1 identified imported product while the balance of the inventory was Made in the USA, they were acceptable. If they had more than 1 imported item or if it was not identified as such, the location was excluded. This is how we achieved such a pure concentration of Made in the USA products and it explains the 8 isolated imports in our vast search - imports which are identified as such in the product descriptions.

While we have no control over the inventory offered by the sites in our search, we do have control over whether or not a location remains. If we become aware of an increase in the number of imported products offered on a site in our search, it will be eliminated from the search. Likewise, as we find additional suitable locations with 100% US made products, they will be included.

A few of the sites in our search note product origin only on their Home, About Us or FAQ pages so you may not see the origin in some product descriptions. We've checked but since inventory can change, you may wish to verify the origin yourself prior to any purchase.

In some cases, a site's technology was somehow incompatible with our search and so unfortunately, they were not included. In the future, we hope to correct that situation, if possible. Locations that were not included in our search are marked with a red asterisk in our departments. We suggest browsing our departments in addition to the search for additional locations for US made goods.

Search Tips

Results from a query are based primarily on relevance and they can range from No Results to numerous pages dependant upon the search query. (No location appears in our search due to any type of compensation.) They are present because the goods they offer are exclusively US made.

When using the Gateway to the American Made Marketplace©, it can be helpful to use both less specific and more specific search terms. By simply searching the two words shower and curtain, results will deliver both shower curtains and shower curtain rings. Rather than simply searching for stuffed animals, a specific animal can be searched such as a stuffed giraffe.

Sizes can be searched successfully such as Plus Size or Big & Tall. Brands and companies can also be searched.

Results can differ when using or not using quotation marks or from singular and plural versions of words. You might like to try your searches with and without quotations and in a singular and plural form. Terminology can achieve different results such as searching the word overalls or coveralls.

Presently, the search represents about 50% of the compatible sites from our departments. It is already possible to search and locate a surprising quantity and variety of goods, all Made in the USA. We'll continue to contribute and enlarge the search over the next few months. We're noting our progress for users in the left column of our search page.

Please take a few minutes and give our search a test drive. We'd be delighted to hear from you about our site or our search. Please send any comments or feedback to mary@findusmade.com

Mary - web person for Find US Made.com

Discover American Manufacturing

Find US Made.com can be a learning experience for visitors. Not everyone is aware that we produce potato vodka, caviar & extra virgin olive oil in the US.

Our oldest rice mill is still in operation as well as Indiana’s oldest commercial water-powered flour mill. Since 1888, Charles H. Baldwin has produced possibly the absolute best vanilla extract. The Frye Co. is our oldest continuously operated shoe company and for the past 166 years, Johnson Woolen Mills has been producing wool apparel.

Consumers are wise. When they find a value, they return to it time and again which explains our 8th generation companies.

Recycling and technology has brought new businesses and new products to the American marketplace. The growing demand for organic products is being met by many of them. Environmental concerns are spawning eco-friendly products and I believe technology will one day fulfill consumers wildest dreams.

What is common to both long established companies & the new companies listed on our site, are their values and their dedication to domestic manufacturing. They chose to employ Americans. They chose to be subject to our laws, codes & regulations. They also chose to compete in the American marketplace, even against unfair subsidized foreign competition. American manufacturers have moxie, don't they?

Even the merchants that we list, carefully selected the lines they would offer to consumers, and they wisely chose to include American made goods.

Your local large retailer has no doubt selfishly chosen to limit your options by filling their stores with imported products. Unfortunately, you, the consumer is not well served by limited options. You can't be expected to find the value in the marketplace if US made products are absent.

Permit us then to introduce you to the choices you've been missing.

Consumers deserve their choice of US made large stainless steel utensils from Kwik Kut, 6 pieces for $11.25. Casual shorts from Duck Scrubs are $10.00. An organic cotton nightshirt from SOS From Texas is $12.50. A 17 piece recycled plastic tea set from Green Toys is $24.99. The consumer also has the choice of colored glass tree ornaments from Bronner's, 8 for $4.99.

Consumers should be aware of all available options, and we're working hard to spotlight the US made products so often absent from your local store.

The most recent generation of American manufacturers - you know, the ones with moxie, are anxious to meet you. They've worked hard in the American marketplace while playing by the rules and they deserve the opportunity to meet and hopefully impress you. I've visited each and every one of the thousands of locations listed on our site and goodness knows they've impressed me.

Now I'm wondering which of these new companies will be in their 8th generation years from now.

The wise consumer will explore their options and discover value in the marketplace. They'll be rewarded with products they'd purchase again from the manufacturers who earn their business.

What might you discover?

Mary - web person for Find US Made.com