American Made - Whats it mean to ya?

[HerrDeacon]

We are slowly killing this nation by killing its manufacturing ability.

This line reminds me of a good show I recently watched called 'The Boat That Guy Built'. Guy Martin (mechanic/Isle of Man TT racer) did a show where he fixes up an old river boat using old techniques invented and pioneered by the British. He lamented the fact that they are no longer the type of country that builds and invents things like this, basically just a country of consumers. He is a very hands on person and you could see his excitement/passion for these lost arts.

Pretty interesting show, check it out.

 

[canyoncarver]

I find alot of foreign manufacturers get American sizing like XL and XXL pretty mixed up. A wide, short torso shirt fits like crap and shows your ass crack on the bike. Lol.

It may be just a t-shirt but I'm picky about them because I wear the crap out of them. Give me a great quality, great fitting t-shirt made here in the USA and I'll gladly pay a few extra bucks for it.

 

[Hoofhearted]

I don't understand why everyone seems to think and American made T shirt is $4 more. I don't believe they are. I'm sure the price varies a bit but I think the $4 figure is something to put you off. Why not a little pull down bar that says "Proudly supporting American industry. No extra charge". Or would that be un=American?

 

[Flugtechnik]

I am in the same boat as Justin. If a T-shirt costs more than $20, I'm not going to buy it. The only time I've spent more than that was on my DTT shirt but that was custom printed front and back. I think your price is excellent now. A fully american made shirt for $20 or less would be great. I don't think your sales will drop.

That being said, I haven't bought any of your shirts yet. But there is a method to my madness. Christmas is coming up and my family never knows what to buy me. You should have some orders coming your way.

 

[Maritime]

I am in the same boat as Justin. If a T-shirt costs more than $20, I'm not going to buy it. The only time I've spent more than that was on my DTT shirt but that was custom printed front and back. I think your price is excellent now. A fully american made shirt for $20 or less would be great. I don't think your sales will drop.

That being said, I haven't bought any of your shirts yet. But there is a method to my madness. Christmas is coming up and my family never knows what to buy me. You should have some orders coming your way.

I am in exactly the same boat. Links will be sent and sizes given for presents.

 

[Hoofhearted]

This line reminds me of a good show I recently watched called 'The Boat That Guy Built'. Guy Martin (mechanic/Isle of Man TT racer) did a show where he fixes up an old river boat using old techniques invented and pioneered by the British. He lamented the fact that they are no longer the type of country that builds and invents things like this, basically just a country of consumers. He is a very hands on person and you could see his excitement/passion for these lost arts.

Pretty interesting show, check it out.

Guy Martin is lamenting the loss of boat building (and other skills) while we are here lamenting the fact the America can't make a competitively priced T shirt. A fucking T shirt people!!! Pretty sad.

 

[bluenose bomber]

Someone out there is saying, " I knew he'd bite", your right, good on you. I don't buy from Walmart, most of it is shit, at least the Asian made crap.. They're anti union, they buy offshore, read Asian, they put American and Canadian workers out of their jobs and think nothing of it.. Providing people with " what they want" so who is to blame!!!! NAFTA sucks too. I bet most people on this list know someone who lost their job to an Asian offshore outfit.. Tell them it was the cost of doing business and see what response you get. I'll pay extra to get a T or anything else for that matter made in the US or Canada.. Or I'll go without and wait until I find what I want, unless it`s European, their stuff is good..
Had friends visit from San Fran and they were with people from Las Vagas. A Nova Scotia souvenir was wanted. Everything they saw was made in China, Vietnam, Malaysia... ad nauseum. Christ, even the RCMP Teddy Bear, was made in China. FYI, the image of the Canadian Mounti is licensed to Disney Corp. Finally found something made here and it was a bit more expensive but not by much, but what a search.
Buy local made stuff by local tradesmen or craftsmen. Bring down the unemployment rate. If we don`t support our own, no one else will. We`ll nickle and dime ourselves into a debt we, Americans and Canadians, will be unable to get out of and the man taking it all away will speak Mandarin an no one to blame but ourselves. Worth saving a few $$ is it... .CHE (risen from the dead)

 

[loganrm]

This is all some fantastic insight guys. I really appreciate the feedback. Hoof you are right man, here we are discussing a fucking t shirt. We literally can't even make a damn t shirt in this country anymore. It's not just about the shirts with this conversation but the fact that craftsman/tradesman no longer exist. I used to sit in my Grandfathers (WW@ Prisoner of War) wood shop and watch him make things for hours. I spent my entire childhood mostly without baby sitters or friends but with my dad building houses. If I was not in school, I was on a job site. He started me out driving nails as a little kid. I don't have a lot and I suspect I never will but that is O.K. with me. I try to do as much with my hands as possible because thats how I was taught to do it. We kind of always had this motto of "if you can't make it, you don't need it". It saddens me that no one learns a trade anymore. We just buy and buy and consume and throw away.


I could talk this way for hours...That all said I don't want to charge people too much for apparel. I want to be fair but I want to do it with a good, clear conscious. My ultimate goal in the next few months is to switch over all of my products to American made. That means shirts, ink, paper and even the equipment that I use to print it on is made in the U.S. I feel like I can do this, grow the business and keep the shirts under $20.00.

 

[JustinLonghorn]

Righteous, sir.

 

[bluenose bomber]

Read Matthew Crawfords, Shopcraft as Soulcraft, An Inquiry into the Value of Work. It will answer many questions and can make people who appreciate working with ones hands....angry.

 

[loganrm]

Read Matthew Crawfords, Shopcraft as Soulcraft, An Inquiry into the Value of Work. It will answer many questions and can make people who appreciate working with ones hands....angry.

Second time I've seen this mentioned in a week. I believe I will pick it up and check it out.

 

[JustinLonghorn]

Damn good book.

 

[canyoncarver]

My ultimate goal in the next few months is to switch over all of my products to American made. That means shirts, ink, paper and even the equipment that I use to print it on is made in the U.S. I feel like I can do this, grow the business and keep the shirts under $20.00.

+100

 

[johngofast]

For anyone looking the book is titled "Shop Class as Soulcraft" by Matthew Crawford. Definitely a good read.

I too am good with paying $20 for a shirt that you design, print, and ship on your own, whether or not the shirt itself come from the United States.

 

[Jonny_C]

I don't get you guys that are saying we can't make a t-shirt here in the US. Of course we can, but it benefits ALL OF US to have people with lesser skills in a newly industrialized nation get paid a lower wage to make t-shirts for us. People forget that the $4 less I pay for a t-shirt is money that can be invested/spent elsewhere, while in the mean time, the richer and more advanced the newly industrialized nation becomes, the better for us because they will have even more products they can trade with us.

If we all sat around making things as simple as t-shirts, we would be damn poor. I'm all for buying quality products, but it makes no sense to spend more than you need to.

 

[4eyes]

Logan - I think if you can do a MADE IN THE USA shirt that is 100% USA including the ink etc. for only $3-$4 more than the already inexpensive $14 you charge, you'll get tons of support from us certainly and the market in general.

I'd try for an even $20 per shirt, giving you room for the occasional sale knocking them down to $17 or something to clear out inventory when you need to. I'd happily pay $20 for an all USA shirt of good quality. Soft cotton, proper fit. No Gildan shirts please

I agree!
$20 + shipping is what I expect to pay for a single-side printed T. Having that made in U.S.A. is icing on the cake.
As a tool and die maker, I have watched many of the companies that built America close factories and lay off my friends. Levi's, Whirlpool etc. We need more manufacturing in the U.S.A. it is one of the few ways to build a countries wealth, mining/forestry is another.

 

[Hoofhearted]

I don't get you guys that are saying we can't make a t-shirt here in the US. Of course we can, but it benefits ALL OF US to have people with lesser skills in a newly industrialized nation get paid a lower wage to make t-shirts for us. People forget that the $4 less I pay for a t-shirt is money that can be invested/spent elsewhere, while in the mean time, the richer and more advanced the newly industrialized nation becomes, the better for us because they will have even more products they can trade with us.

If we all sat around making things as simple as t-shirts, we would be damn poor. I'm all for buying quality products, but it makes no sense to spend more than you need to.

Good logic except for the one problem that crops up each time. As a country progresses and advances their prices rise. Japan is a prime example. After the war we were flooded with Japanese made products. All cheap crap. Now they are one of the top manufacturers of quality goods but none of them are cheap like they once were. China is on the rise and before long we won't be able to afford their products. I was reading an article on global economics a while back and on thing that was said is that China is becoming too expensive and other countries are being "scouted" for cheap labor.

We are pouring our money out of the country and losing our country to foreign investors as the buy up America. China is one country that has bought up an almost pornographic amount of America. As we become dependent on cheap foreign labor that allows us to go to Harbor Freight and buy that lathe for $400 that would normally cost $2000 (and we put up with crappy tolerances and cheap workmanship and think we got a bargain) we are weakening America further. There was a time when American meant quality. And what we make is still quality. We just don't make enough.

T shirts may not be even a drop in the bucket as far as manufacturing goes but its part of the whole.

 

[Sonreir]

I was reading an article on global economics a while back and on thing that was said is that China is becoming too expensive and other countries are being "scouted" for cheap labor.

Yup. You won't find too many textiles for sale right now that are from China. They're moving into South East Asia, now.

[quote author=Hoofhearted]There was a time when American meant quality. And what we make is still quality.[/quote]

Back in the 70's maybe. The last thing anyone would want to own in an American car from the 80's and 90's. Innovation and quality went right down the tubes. The manufacturers were resting on their laurels and depending on tariffs to keep them in business. Since the bailout, they've been doing a lot better though. Better quality, at least, and innovation seems to be making a bit of a comeback with cars like the Volt.

Something not good seemed to happen in our country right around the 70's and 80's. Chasing money began to be more important than chasing pride and recognition. When I read about how companies like Chrysler pioneered the auto industry in the 50's and 60's (especially with cars like the 300) it blows my mind. Constant research and development with new models always coming out. Just a couple of decades later we see Ford using the same damn engine block in the Mustang for like 22 years in a row. WTF?

 

[4eyes]

One thing that we got away from in the late '70s, was the mentor/apprentice method of training and a emphasis on College education. That has lead to company management that has no idea what the employees on the manufacturing floor do. People used to start at the bottom and work their way up, through the ranks in the same company.
Now there is less loyalty from the workers to the company, and vice-verse.

 

[Sonreir]

One thing that we got away from in the late '70s, was the mentor/apprentice method of training and a emphasis on College education. That has lead to company management that has no idea what the employees on the manufacturing floor do. People used to start at the bottom and work their way up, through the ranks in the same company.
Now there is less loyalty from the workers to the company, and vice-verse.

Definitely. I truly long for the days when a guy could sign on with a company and know he had a job for life so long as he wasn't a fuck up. I've changed jobs more times than I care to admit because the opportunities are no longer available. People are treated like any other commodity and that's not a recipe for creating a quality product.