After my July 4th article detailing 101 American-made products from American-owned companies, I realized that some of my favorite U.S-based brands fell through the cracks. As they say, you can’t (always) have it all.
So I wanted to add some of those great patriotic brands that weren’t part of the original list of 101 companies.
Cockpit USA has been proudly made in the USA since 1975. A whopping 90% of all the products on their website are made in the USA, which is a higher percentage than many other websites that offer similar products.
On the Cockpit USA website, you’ll find leather jackets, motorcycle jackets, nylon jackets, sheepskin jackets, and more.
Phil Amormino is the father of four and grandfather of 10, and has invented a spill-proof snack cup called the Munchie Mug for children that is 100% made in Sonoma, California. The material suppliers are American-based, and the raw materials come from Am4erica.
Of course, there is a long list of children’s products being imported from China, but many of those have toxic and other dangerous materials. The Munchie Mug contains only FDA food-grade materials, and the product is independently laboratory tested in the United States.
My go-to company for kitchen gear is Rada Mfg. Company, where everything is made in Waverly, Iowa. All Rada products have been proudly 100% manufactured in the USA since 1948 – including materials and construction.
I have been a happy Rada Cutlery customer for many years, and I recently purchased a knife sharpener and a pizza cutter. I know I’ll be ordering more products in the future. This proud American company has made and sold more than 170 million knives since it began 78 years ago, which has earned it a reputation for outstanding cutlery, service, and value.
Buying American is not just about jobs and economics. It’s also about keeping us safe and healthy, as shown by from the Cyclospora parasite outbreak apparently found in imported Mexican iceberg lettuce. Taco Bell, unfortunately, sourced its lettuce from Central Mexico, which caused 6,000 people to be sickened, 250 to be hospitalized, and two people to die.
What is so aggravating is that Taco Bell could have been sourcing its lettuce from Central California instead of Central Mexico. California supplies America with lettuce from April through November, and Arizona supplies the vast majority of lettuce in America from November through April. Taco Bell’s owner, Yum! Brands Inc. reported a net income of $853 million in the second quarter of this year, so I think it’s safe to say this large corporation can afford to pay U.S. wages and source its lettuce domestically.
Check out California-crafted Nature’s Envy products for your haircare and skincare needs.
New Balance makes footwear at five factories in the U.S. (Maine and Massachusetts), but I also buy shoes from SAS (San Antonio Shoes), which claims 100% of its shoes are made in the USA (Del Rio, Texas). I also use SAS and Wigwam for my socks. Wigwam socks are made in Sheboygan, Wisconsin.
If you like apple juice or apple cider, Martinelli’s uses exclusively U.S-grown apples. A significant portion of the apples come from California’s Pajaro Valley in Watsonville, California. Martinelli’s is a fifth-generation family business and adds no water, chemical preservatives, or sweeteners to its juice or cider.
Try Authenticity50 for bed sheets, pillows, and blankets made in the USA from Seed to Stitch. Authenticity 50’s fabric team is in South Carolina, the pillow manufacturers are in California, and the weavers are in Washington State.
Yes, you might pay a little more for an American-made product vs. an import, but we need to look at this not as an extra cost, but as an investment in America. American workers are not a labor cost problem to be dealt with. They are contributors to a high-standard-of-living economy from which we all benefit.
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You can now reserve your copy of the forthcoming 4th edition of “How Americans Can Buy American: The Power of Consumer Patriotism,” due out at the end of this year. All you need to do is provide your name and email address. Reserve your copy today!
