Buy American Blog

Sunday, December 30, 2007: After the year of the recall, what's next?

Sometimes it takes something bad to make something good. People get complacent and don't like to think too hard. Then things happen that grab headlines and some of them wake up.

Tainted pet food that killed animals last spring was traced to China, where melamine, a chemical used in making plastic, somehow got into the food. Toothpaste, also from China, killed 51 people in Panama. It contained the chemical diethylene glycol. The same ingredient was found in recalled toothpaste sold in the U.S., but imported from South Africa.

Then came the lead paint recalls. Toy after toy was cleared off the shelves when tests revealed that the Chinese imports exceeded safe levels for lead. This went on throughout the summer and well into the Christmas shopping season. On top of that, Aqua Dots, expected to be one of the hot sellers of the year, were recalled after children were sickened by a solvent that turned out to contain the same chemical as the date-rape drug.

Nervous parents began clearing their children's toy boxes of Chinese-made toys. Suddenly Made in USA was popular again. American toymakers had to hire additional staff to keep up with demand and some of them still couldn't meet all their orders.

I confess taking some perverse pleasure in China's troubles. Finally we can have this discussion about why Made in USA matters. Safety grabs attention where quality, economy and national security don't, for some reason.

And it's no stretch to say national security is at risk. According to a story by McClatchy Newspapers earlier this month (Security concerns raised as China fills U.S. medicine chest) China has doubled its pharmaceutical exports to the U.S. over the past five years. Check your medicine cabinet. Anything scary in there, like a Made in China label?

According to the McClatchy story, two of the key ingredients in antibiotics used to treat anthrax poisoning are only made in China and India. We have stockpiles of these ingredients, but when they run out, we become reliant on other nations. What happens if there is a full-scale anthrax attack?

How have we let ourselves become so vulnerable? And will it take another worst-case scenario for America to wake up to the dangers of allowing China to become a major drug supplier?

As to personal safety, aside from the pills you pop, there may be other hazards in your bathroom. My wife discovered some of the lotion she got for Christmas (not from me) was made in China. How much do you trust that on your skin? I'll pass, thanks.

Stay vigilant in 2008. When the next wave of headlines hits you'll be glad you did.

Wednesday, December 26, 2007: So what'd everyone get?

I hope everyone had a nice Christmas. Ours was fun, busy, and tiring. We visited with a lot of family at a lot of places and I'm glad to have a couple of days off to recover before going back to work. I got some great Made in USA gifts from my wife, who had completely thrown me off her trail with a few fake hints.

She got me a pair of blue jeans from All American Clothing (www.allamericanclothing.com). I wore them last night and they are easily the most comfortable jeans I own. I highly recommend these to anyone shopping for a new pair of pants. I also received a weather vane with the logo of my school, North Carolina State, made by EZ Vane Weathervanes of Michigan (www.ezvaneweathervanes.com), and a Snoopy puzzle from Buffalo Games (www.buffalogames.com).

As for what I gave her, I kicked off the shopping way back in early October with three pairs of socks from Wheel House Designs (www.wheelhousedesigns.com). These were a big hit. I loaded up a basket from the Peterboro Basket Company (www.peterborobasket.com) with lotions and a couple of Beanpod Candles (www.beanpodcandle.com). I also got her a Byer's Choice caroler (www.byerschoice.com) to go with her amazing assortment of Christmas decorations. That could be the start of a new collection.

Christmas may be over, but I've got more goodies on the way. I ordered myself a new coat from Sterlingwear of Boston (www.sterlingwear.com) and a pair of boots made by Weinbrenner (www.weinbrennerusa.com). Those should be arriving soon to get me through the winter.

So what did you get? Anyone get any good Made in USA stuff? Use the comment form and let us know.

Wednesday, December 19, 2007: Last-minute gift ideas

We're less than a week from Christmas now, and if you haven't gotten your shopping done, your hunt for Made in USA gifts is getting tougher by the day. Without paying for overnight shipping, most internet options are not going to arrive in time for Christmas morning. Don't give up hope, however. Here are some gifts you should be able to find in a retailer near you.

• Buffalo Games (www.buffalogames.com, Buffalo, NY) makes board games and a wide array of puzzles. For more details, see the Buy American Weekly Spotlight. Their products are available through major retailers across the US.
• Byers' Choice (www.byerschoice.com, Chalfont, PA) makes unique Caroler figures to display at Christmastime. No two Carolers are alike. They are available through nearly 3,000 retail outlets across the country, mainly in card and gift shops.
• Mag Instruments (www.maglite.com, Ontario, CA) makes rugged flashlights in both LED and standard versions. These are the same high-quality lights used by police and rescue personnel across the country and make a practical gift. Maglite flashlights are available in many major retailers across the US.
• Maple Landmark Woodcraft (www.maplelandmark.net, Middlebury, VT) crafts high quality wooden toys, from ABC blocks to Chinese checker boards. They can be found at many independent toy stores across the country. For a dealer near you, check their web site.
• Perler Beads (www.perlerbeads.com, Reading, PA) allow your child unlimited freedom to create colorful art designs by artistically arranging beads that will be ironed into place. Perler Beads can be found at craft and toy stores as well as major retailers.
• Replogle Globes (www.replogleglobes.com, Broadview, IL) are a great educational gift to help any child—or adult—master geography and just where in the world they are in relation to everything else. They are available at Barnes & Noble and other national chains.
• Sauder (www.sauder.com, Archbold, Ohio) makes all kinds of furniture. Does someone on your list need a TV stand, bookshelf, or maybe a desk? Many national retailers carry Sauder furniture, and you can find their full line at EZ Home Furniture outlets.
• Whittle Shortline Railroad (www.woodentrain.com, Louisiana, MO) makes wooden trains that run on the same tracks as Thomas and Brio trains. Whittle makes The Little Engine That Could for young engineers and realistic freight and Amtrak trains for bigger kids. Their products are available at fine toy and hobby shops. See their web site for a full list.
• Wiffle Ball (www.wiffle.com, Shelton, CT) has been around for more than 50 years. The plastic bat and ball has been a staple of backyard activity for generations of boys and girls. Wiffle products are available at many major retailers.
• Wigwam Socks (www.wigwam.com, Sheboygan, WI) are available in men's and women's sizes in different weights for hiking, winter sports or daily wear. They are widely available in shoe stores, sporting goods stores and numerous other retailers. See their web site to search by zip code for a store near you.
• Zometool (www.zometool.com, Denver, CO) is a challenging toy that will help your child master science and geometry while building structures such as a DNA helix, an alien virus or a square bubble. For a list of toy stores that carry Zometool products, see their web site.

On a more general level, how about an American flag? Several companies, such as Annin & Co., CF Flag, J.C. Schultz Enterprises, and the Valley Forge Flag Company, make flags in the USA. These are widely available at retail outlets across the nation. But check the labels carefully. Some retailers stock cheap, shoddy imported flags.

Books also make a great gift. Most books are still made in the USA, but China is grabbing market share here, so check the back cover or title page for verification that your book was printed in the USA.

Good luck with the rest of your shopping. I hope you find something great for everyone on your list.

Tuesday, December 18, 2007: Call to action, help the toy drives

Every day I spend a little time surfing around various newspaper sites, looking for interesting stories to link to in the Headlines section on the home page. One theme I've been seeing in papers across the country is that the toy drives just about everywhere are hurting for donations this year. They've been victimized in a sense by the toy recalls, as they've had to weed out some of the donations they've received, and they're spending valuable time checking recall lists instead of doing all the other things they'd normally do to help get presents to underprivileged children at Christmas.

We've still got a few days left before it's too late. Here's my challenge to you: Buy a Made in USA toy and donate it to a toy drive in your community. Give some kid a gift they won't have to worry about losing to a recall, and support your U.S. toy manufacturers at the same time.

The Marines conduct a Toys for Tots campaign in just about every city in the country. Here in Rochester we have the Pirate Toy Fund. I took a little time out of my holiday shopping tonight to find a gift for the Pirate Toy Fund donation box in the mall. I went with a Disney puzzle made by Buffalo Games. Maybe some kids would be bored by a puzzle, but I loved them when I was a kid, so hopefully it will get to someone who will appreciate it.

I know there's not much time left to find American-made gifts. Many products aren't carried by your local retailer and it's too late to order anything and hope it will be shipped in time. Tomorrow night I'll brainstorm some ideas of gifts that you should be able to track down in a store near you. Then you've got no excuses. Find a toy and donate it while there's still time for the toy drives to get it in a child's hands on Christmas.

Sunday, December 16, 2007: Not to be an ingrate, but make mine Made in USA

At the risk of sounding ungrateful, I got a gift this week that made me think, "why bother?" At work one morning we all found a package in our mailboxes. The gift, from our company to its employees, was a magnetic board with three tiny picture frames, complete with a gold "Made in China" sticker on the back.

[Side note: I like my job and don't want to come off as critical of my employer, so no names will be mentioned here. It's not my goal to single them out. I'm sure this happens in many, many offices across America.]

I may use it, if I can find some small enough pictures. Maybe. Most likely it will go the way of the rest of the cheap, Chinese-made gifts I've received there over the years. The only one I can recall using was a blanket that we gave to my cat. The logoed tote bags and back packs that looked like they'd split if you packed more than the aforementioned blanket inside have never been used. So I say again, why bother?

It must add up, buying something for everyone in the company. I know we shouldn't expect anything spectacular, like a car or a widescreen TV. But when I see these gifts my first impulse is to wish they'd spend just a little more and buy something made in America. Take whatever it was they spent, times X number of employees, and you have the potential to make an impact for an American manufacturer. Not to mention maybe the employees would actually use whatever it was.

I realize not everyone has joined me in swearing off Chinese made trinkets. But if I'm not going to buy them, I'm not really hoping to get them as gifts. Does this make me an ungrateful recipient? I don't think so. At least not in this case. It would be different if someone had gone to some effort to pick something out they really thought I'd like. I would bite my "why didn't you buy American?" tongue as I opened it, and try to appreciate both the gift and their thoughtfulness.

But when someone, somewhere paged through a catalog to purchase thousands of these gifts with zero thought as to the potential positive financial impact of buying American, I don't feel bad about not even feigning gratitude. Spend your money on something useful or don't bother. Honestly. Save the money and treat us all to lunch. Or give it to the CEO's kid. Whatever. He can have my picture frame, by the way, if he wants it.

Monday, December 10, 2007: Way scarier than lead paint

The toy recalls have been about the only thing to really grab people's attention and make them think twice about buying Made in China products. But this story on Bloomberg News should frighten you more than a box of tainted Aqua Dots.

As a result of the weakness of the dollar, China is looking to invest in bargain opportunities over here. They already hold nearly $400 billion in U.S. Treasuries, and rank as the second largest holder of U.S. debt. Now the Chinese Ministry of Commerce is encouraging Chinese businesses buy American assets, including banks. The instability in the wake of the mortgage loan crisis makes some banks and mortgage companies prime targets. Who ever thought when we talked about buying American we'd be referring to our own houses? If Chinese companies buy up American banks, the interest on your mortgage could wind up going to China.

It's hard to talk about this without sounding racist against the Chinese. But this would be a problem regardless of what nation it was. Say it was England instead. It would be just as big a mistake to let England take such a large share of our assets. It's not healthy for us to be so indebted to anyone, especially when their interests don't mesh with ours. As it is China laughs off our requests to treat her neighbors and her people with respect. Will we even bother to ask any more when China is the super power?

Throughout the history of the world, no nation has maintained its grip as No. 1. Greece, Rome, England—they all fell by the wayside eventually. We've had a great run at the top, but if we keep literally handing over our assets, our days are numbered. At this rate the sun may set during our lifetimes. We may look back someday and reminisce over the time when lead paint seemed like a big deal.

It seems sometimes like it's too late to make a difference. Even if you don't buy anything from China again in your life, everyone else will. The ships will keep pouring into our ports. The trade imbalance will grow. China will invest that profit into more of our assets. Can you really make a difference by buying American? Maybe not. But at least you'll have a clean conscience.

Saturday, December 8, 2007: Hitting the nail on the head

I was surfing around this morning, looking for interesting stories when I landed on a great article on CNN.com, under their Fortune Small Business section, called "How I just said no to low-cost offshoring." It's written by Lucie Voves, the founder of Church Hill Classics, a diploma framing company in Connecticut.

Church Hill Classics makes high end frames, worthy of a diploma that took four years (or more) to earn. Voves describes the hurdles she faced in getting bookstore owners to carry her line of products, given that the competition is priced drastically lower. Her answer was to step up her marketing to target each retailer individually. Once they stocked her frames, they saw how well they sold. The quality was obvious to consumers. She also tried a direct marketing campaign, targeting parents of the graduates, and had success with that as well.

Innovation and quality are the things that have carried Church Hill Classics, and I think they are the keys for any small business. There is a market for quality products, and I'm not just talking about high-end stuff. A certain segment of the market is willing to pay extra for something that is well made. The trick is finding efficiencies throughout the manufacturing, marketing and selling of the products. Church Hill is a great example.

Thursday, December 6, 2007: China resists change—surprise, surprise

If you're counting on China to clean up its act any time soon, well, this story from the International Herald Tribune may prove of interest. They're playing games with us. For every demand we make of them to correct their toy and food safety issues, they are coming back with demands for us to correct issues with the goods we're shipping over there. Maybe it's a way for them to save face. I'm not sure what they hope to gain from this, but it doesn't surprise me.

I expect a lot of doubletalk from them on the fixes to eradicate lead, cadmium, date-rape drug, etc., from their products. While it's in their best interest to produce safe goods, it was all along, really, and they didn't. They had to know what was going into the toys, toothpaste, catfood ingredients, etc. Someone over there knew. Would they be looking into improving safety if they hadn't gotten caught? And are they truly serious about it now?

It sounds to me like they're not taking this seriously. Instead of taking measures to ensure their factories aren't coating toys with lead paint, they have started erecting barriers to our goods moving into their economy. They are suddenly holding our medical equipment to higher standards than similar products produced in China. (Perhaps they take it as a given that the Chinese made supplies are unsafe, so why bother having standards for those.) They are hassling our beef and chicken imports, ostensibly to guard against mad cow disease and salmonella. For every legitimate concern we raise, they are retaliating with a BS one of their own.

The problems with product safety may have grabbed the headlines, but a bigger issue in the long run is the simple fact that China doesn't play fair.