Anyone else trying to buy Made in USA or at least not made in China?

babystoli · January 2013

We tried the made in USA thing for our wedding registry, and actually for most major purchases since being married. Both bath and bed linens were impossible to buy made in the USA, unless you wanted to spend thousands! So we settled for not made in China or not made in a country that would really like to blow us up.

We are attempting the same for baby purchases. and I know this is going to be MUCH more difficult. Furniture will be no problem. But strollers?? That is another story. It looks like any made in USA stroller has sent production to china at some point in the past 15 years.

Anyone else trying to do the same??

maggie2324 · January 2013

It is nice to try and support American jobs and buying locally to be green. I can't afford to spend extra to do so though.

H_loves_T · January 2013

We bought DD's crib and glider at a kids' furniture store, and I think the owner was big on American made. He made a point to tell us which bedding was made in China, etc. They used a company based in Oregon which was basically made up of people sewing from their home. For the most part it was custom made, but you could also pick styles from a book they had in the store. I can't remember the name of the company, but I always thought that was a cool option. It wasn't thousands of dollars, but it was a few hundred so still not super cheap.

JCWhitey · January 2013

Yes, if you actually read the post OP was not implying that China wanted to blow us up. She seemed to imply that she doesn't support that way things are made in China.

I do try to buy American made if possible or at least European made. Things made in China aren't always cheaper, either. Many times you can find some affordable American products that are comparable, it just takes a little more effort.

Peg Perego is made in Italy still, I believe. THey are pretty affordable.

kathleen02 · January 2013

JCWhitey:
Yes, if you actually read the post OP was not implying that China wanted to blow us up. She seemed to imply that she doesn't support that way things are made in China.
I do try to buy American made if possible or at least European made. Things made in China aren't always cheaper, either. Many times you can find some affordable American products that are comparable, it just takes a little more effort.
Peg Perego is made in Italy still, I believe. THey are pretty affordable.

Yep, I believe Peg Perego is made in Italy...though some of the parts may be from China. And Inglesina is another stroller manufacturer. They say made in Italy too but you can look into that further. Both are good brands. We have the Primo Viaggio infant car seat along with the Skate and we love both and will reuse with this child.

UA81112 · January 2013

JCWhitey:
Yes, if you actually read the post OP was not implying that China wanted to blow us up.nbsp; :nbsp; She seemed to imply that she doesn't support that way things are made in China.nbsp; I do try to buy American made if possible or at least European made.nbsp; Things made in China aren't always cheaper, either.nbsp; Many times you can find some affordable American products that are comparable, it just takes a little more effort. nbsp;Peg Perego is made in Italy still, I believe.nbsp; THey are pretty affordable.

I really like to stay out of the posts when they turn political or to flaming and So I want to be clear, this question comes from an openminded place of curiosity. Why does buying from a European country make you feel better than buying from an Asian one? I understand efforts to buy American made, but why European vs the rest of the globe isn't obvious to me. I may just be ignorant and I swear this is a genuine question and not some sideways attempt at flaming.

rahrahlee · January 2013

UA81112:
JCWhitey:
Yes, if you actually read the post OP was not implying that China wanted to blow us up.nbsp; :nbsp; She seemed to imply that she doesn't support that way things are made in China.nbsp; I do try to buy American made if possible or at least European made.nbsp; Things made in China aren't always cheaper, either.nbsp; Many times you can find some affordable American products that are comparable, it just takes a little more effort. nbsp;Peg Perego is made in Italy still, I believe.nbsp; THey are pretty affordable.

I really like to stay out of the posts when they turn political or to flaming and So I want to be clear, this question comes from an openminded place of curiosity. Why does buying from a European country make you feel better than buying from an Asian one? I understand efforts to buy American made, but why European vs the rest of the globe isn't obvious to me. I may just be ignorant and I swear this is a genuine question and not some sideways attempt at flaming.

I have to say, I am a little surprised everyone seems to be pointing out the political reasons for not choosing Chinese manufactured goods, and no one has mentioned the safety standards problems that products from China and other developing countries have had in recent years. I'm talking about lead and other hazardous chemicals in painted toys and furniture, melamine in infant formula, etc, etc. Children have died as a result of the more relaxed, or non existent standards in Chinese manufacturing. Manufacturers in the US, and in Europe especially, have not had such a bad track record.

That said, I'm still very choosy about the American made goods I purchase also, especially in regards to plastics and the flame retardants used on fabrics, which have been shown to cause reproductive and cellular damage to children. Generally, certified organic goods, or products hat meet the stringent California standards are safer, but you really have to do your research and, unfortunately, many times it means paying through the nose.

opheliainwaders · January 2013

maryannespier:
UA81112:
JCWhitey:
Yes, if you actually read the post OP was not implying that China wanted to blow us up.nbsp; :nbsp; She seemed to imply that she doesn't support that way things are made in China.nbsp; I do try to buy American made if possible or at least European made.nbsp; Things made in China aren't always cheaper, either.nbsp; Many times you can find some affordable American products that are comparable, it just takes a little more effort. nbsp;Peg Perego is made in Italy still, I believe.nbsp; THey are pretty affordable.
I really like to stay out of the posts when they turn political or to flaming and So I want to be clear, this question comes from an openminded place of curiosity. Why does buying from a European country make you feel better than buying from an Asian one? I understand efforts to buy American made, but why European vs the rest of the globe isn't obvious to me. I may just be ignorant and I swear this is a genuine question and not some sideways attempt at flaming.
My first guess is it might have something to do with labor laws and fair labor standards, which are on the whole better in the EU. And side note, you can't buy anything from Cuba anyway, what with the silly embargo. They don't really want to blow us up, though. They want us to lift the embargo so American tourists can go spend money there. All the Anericans I know who have been there said they were more than welcomed.

The EU also has much stricter environmental standards than most places, so that's good. Although if your concern is environmental, the carbon footprint of shipping stuff isn't always great. Unless it comes flat-packed in container ships, which is one of the most energy-efficient ways to move goods around the world.

Also, this is one of those things that I have to write about for work a lot, so someone feel free to smack me if I start going off onto too many tangents about trade agreements, environmental standards, and carbon footprints Wink

Overall, honestly, your best bet is to buy fewer, higher quality things that are manufactured in a responsible way, and keep them longer. The more disposable crap you buy, the worse it is for the environment.

JCWhitey · January 2013

PPs have already answered the question that came up, and, yes, it has both to do with human rights violations and working conditions as well as quality and safety standards of products.

Just Google "US Sanctioned Countries" and you will find a list of countries that the US has declared to be huge violators of human rights. Now, many of these are political so take each with a grain of salt, but there is some good information out there on what our desire for merchandise at a low price is costing the citizens of other countries.

And because we want things FAST they don't put as much quality control into production as they should sometimes. It's been a few years since the last lead-paint-in-children's-toys debacle, but the fact that it's happened in my lifetime (born in the 80s) is alarming. And just looking at the recall board at WalMart will show you a host of children's products that have not been made to meet safety standards, most of those come from China.

To be fair, a very large percentage of our products come from China, so of course a bad apple of two is inevitable and US made products have their issues, too. But when you combine that with the conditions of their factories and treatment of workers it's a condition I'd personally rather not support and I will pay a little more or spend more time researching a better option.

luvmyducks · January 2013

Um....I buy from Etsy a lot. And the local farmer's market when they are open. Otherwise, no. I don't stress about it.

I don't shop at Wal-Mart. I guess that's helpful to your cause..?

Elinetrouwt · January 2013

gulickr:
Overall, honestly, your best bet is to buy fewer, higher quality things that are manufactured in a responsible way, and keep them longer. The more disposable crap you buy, the worse it is for the environment.

Agreed, but with baby stuff, there are many things that you'll only need for a short while.

I'm in Europe, and both for environmental reasons and human rights (working conditions) concerns, I prefer local. Which is not easy with baby gear.

My solution? I will try to find a large share of what we need second hand, either from friends or on Ebay.

Want a personalized experience?

Anyone else trying to buy Made in USA or at least not made in China?

Re: Anyone else trying to buy Made in USA or at least not made in China?

Choose Another Board

Search Boards