Why Buy American-Made Clothing?

The answer to this question is the heart of Bluebell Boutique's existence. Why not just buy (and as a retailer, sell) what's cheap and cute, no matter where that comes from? Why shouldn't stores just give consumers super-affordable, trendy clothing that can be pitched at the end of the season? What does it mean to support American busines?

Things Get Political

"Buying American" has always had a political undertone to it, ever since the Revolutionary War. Professor Deirdre Clemente of University of Nevada, Las Vegas, was quoted in a March 2017 Business Insider article that colonists stopped buying British goods, particularly textiles, as a way to demonstrate our economic independence. This continued well into the 20th century, but instead of showing that we could manage our economy on our own just fine, thank you very much, it was to show that we didn't need the cultural influences of Europe to look perfectly fashionable.

Now, I dare anyone to say that the brilliant ideas that our British and continental brethren (not to mention countries hailing from the African and Asian continents!) haven't contributed to gorgeous clothes, incredible advancements in science, technology, and medicine, and more music and other cultural richness than you can shake a stick at! We're living in a global society so it's important to not isolate ourselves into an insular, airtight, claustrophobic world, afraid of including others.

So...Why Does It Matter?

Buying clothing made in the USA is about ethics and supporting the people who live and work next door. Too many countries where big-name brands have manufacturing contracts have paper-thin regulations for worker safety, and regulations that are in place are barely enforced. I feel far more comfortable buying and selling clothing that was made in the United States, because while there is always room for improvements in both workplace safety and efficiency, we generally treat our workers fairly. It's much easier for brands to check on how their products are being manufactured too -- hopping on a plane to a country thousands of miles away isn't always possible, especially for smaller companies, but stateside factories are far easier to access.

The people who are employed in the American clothing industry are our neighbors. They are moms and dads, sons and daughters, brothers and sisters. When Americans vote with our money and say, "Clothing that was made by people who are being paid and treated fairly is important to me," the market will begin to bring more and more clothing manufacturing back to the USA. More manufacturing in the US means more jobs, and more opportunities for enterprising designers to have their clothes made here. This will ultimately mean that those of us who love fashion will find it easier and easier to find clothes with a tag reading "Made in the USA."

Talk to Me

How do you shop with an eye on ethics, or is that just not something you are able to add to your plate right now? Tell me in the comments!

Source:

http://www.businessinsider.com/history-of-buy-american-in-fashion-2017-3