When you buy an American made
product, what does that mean? According to the Federal Trade Commission, the product must be “all or virtually all” made in
the U.S. Simply being headquartered in the U.S., or having a
distribution hub in the U.S. does not qualify the products sold
through a company to be identified as American made.
Why is this important? Because many
companies imply that they are selling quality, American made
products, pointing to their distribution facilities here or a misleading label as
proof. The imported products they sell are not necessarily made to
standards you would expect. Their manufacture definitely does not
benefit the U.S. economy.
Products brought in from overseas
rarely have manufacturers liability insurance to protect the end user
and all people in the supply chain from damages in the event of
failure. Ask your suppliers where their products are made. Ask if
you can tour their facility. Ask them for certificates of origin for
their materials. If the answer to any of these questions isn't what
it should be, can you afford to use their products?
