Made in Chi-- America?

President of Carolina Cotton Works inspects fabric made in the USA.

In the last 20 years, the American manufacturing industry has largely disappeared. It used to be that nearly half of all apparel bought in the United States was made here within the country, but because of a few events, laws, and CEO's discovering cheap labor across the sea, it's rare to find a pair of slacks anymore that is "Made in the USA". Simply because it is cheaper to manufacture goods overseas. Labor costs about 3 times more here at home than it does in China or India, and even after transportation costs, the overall price to manufacture something overseas is still less than it would be to make it over here. BUT it seems that the textile manufacturing industry has started to reopen its doors after years of being closed. Carolina Cotton Works has, since 2010, reopened a formerly closed factory in Parkdale, SC. So, what are the benefits? If it costs less, how are they to compete with cheaper goods from overseas. Well, CCW claims that transportation costs are much less, and though labor costs more, there are benefits such as being able to check on quality, oversee production, and toss around ideas with managers. Plus, it takes about 1/3 to 1/5 the time to make a sweatshirt domestically than it is outside the country. Mills are much safer now than they were years ago, and with all of the unpredictability of having a mill overseas, the company can make sure working conditions are maintained and upheld at a good level.Most of the work is also done by machines now, so companies do not have to hire as many human workers as they once did. If this keeps up, and if more companies end up moving back home. It may put the US back in position to have a global manufacturing influence. I doubt that the US will ever have such a large industry as it once did. Consumers may find the appeal of American-made clothes enticing and possibly more ethical which could help bring business back to our shores.

Read about it here!