Are you thinking about buying furniture. At first it may not be important to you to buy "American made product", but there are more benefits than you may know. No one will just tell you if it is American Made. You need to ask. Many of the names you know and trusted have been sold and bought out by import companies. Standards have been changed- but the old trusted name is still the same, because that company knows the reputation it had and wants you to keep believing that it is the same company your grandparent's trusted.
Many companies throw the word "American" in the title to throw you off as well. Be careful, American Freight, Furniture for America, American Signature are all examples of imported companies posing as true American Made product companies.. If you see the word American or USA in the companies name, it should be a red flag that it is probably an imported product.
1. Support Your Family & Friends
Buying American products has many positive impacts on the economy, but it’s often overlooked. First and foremost, buying American reduces the unemployment rate over a period of time. When companies manufacture in America and consumers focus on buying American-made products, the demand increases. If the demand increases, the manufacturers need to keep up with the supply, which leads to more jobs introduced into the marketplace. When manufacturing jobs return to a community, the entire labor force sees a boost. This demand boosts employment in the service and retail industries, replenishing the spending cycle in the local economy. You money stays local and helps to pay for the local roads, schools and community events. We have all been to downtowns where all the businesses have closed their doors. Those towns do not have much to offer, because the money is not there to support them. No local business, no local jobs, no more local opportunities.
2. Safety
There is a difference between American Made and American assembled. Made is actually American product by American standards. American assembled is cut and sew kits sent overseas at the foreign product standards. Know the difference. Foreign products are manufactured under low safety standards. Poisonous levels of lead, or other toxins, have been discovered in products shipped to the USA, especially in toys and furniture. When you buy goods manufactured in the USA, you can be confident that American consumer protection laws and safety standards are in place to protect your and your family. Not only are you protecting your family, but you are protecting the rights of those who would be exploited overseas. Lack of minimum wage, worker safety, or environmental pollution controls in many countries undermines the safety and well being of their citizens. No nation can compete on product price with a country willing to massively exploit and pollute its own people with cheaper and less safe manufacturing practices. When you buy only American-made products, you insist on a higher standard in your own country, but also countries around the world
3.Buy Once
When you buy American you are buying a quality product you won’t get anywhere else. When something has been manufactured in America it is held up to the highest standards. Andy Tracewell, Director of Marketing for Caretta Workspace, knows the quality of the wood they use for their American made furniture.
“We use American made materials because they’re the best materials in the world,” Tracewell said. “The cherry, the ash and the black walnut that we use, grows in the state of Ohio, and, in a lot of cases, is the best wood in the world. The wood grain, the feature, and the color - you just don’t find better wood.”
When manufacturing is done in America, waste is also reduced. Products aren’t damaged during long transportation overseas and quality products don’t break down over time as easily. So even if buying American costs a little more upfront, which is not always the case, you buy once and waste less.
Your money is also in the product itself. It is not in the freight or the surcharges for the container coming over the sea. Often the fees to get the product cost more than the product itself. Think about that? I would rather put my money into a product vs transport.
4.Choice
When you purchase an American made product there are choices within the same product.
You should have your choice of comfort: plush, firm, extra firm.
You have choice of style: rolled arm, track arm, attached back, welt or no welt.
.You have choice on features: reclining, accent chair, swivel, power, no power.
The item is made for you. Locally. It is not sitting in a warehouse waiting for someone to pick it out. It is hand crafted by the families in Michigan, North Carolina or Indiana who have been trained to produce that piece of furniture. Many of these individuals have learned through family lines on how to perfect their craft.
5. Warranty
What happens is something goes wrong? A warranty is what gives you peace of mind and security to know that if something does happen, the company that made it will help. They stand behind their product and the way it is/has been crafted. Thinking like a business professional, would you put a warranty on items that you know are going to fail or have issues? Of course now! Why would I want 1,000 calls to service something that I never intended to service. That is why it was such a low price. It only had to make it through your door and now it is your problem, not the manufacture's. If the manufacture has no faith that it will last more than a year, then neither should you. You have no where to stand once that piece breaks. Often the fees to remove it, rebuy it and redeliver it cost more than just buying a better American product the first time around.