As fashion-forward consumers become more and more preoccupied with where their goods come from and how they are produced, some companies in the promotional products industry are finding that offering USA-made products can meet the moment in more ways than one.
American manufacturing
For one, discerning customers are drawn to American-made products because of the trust and transparency built into the manufacturing process. U.S. employers are held to higher labor standards than those in many foreign countries, which means no child labor or dangerous working conditions and better pay for workers. Those manufacturing jobs are also supporting workers and families in communities across the country who then go on to buy goods and services in their neighborhoods and invest in local economies.
In addition, American-made products also reflect a commitment to protecting the environment, which is especially important to consumers in an era when climate change is often top of mind. Much like with labor standards, U.S. companies are held to higher federal and state environmental regulations, which means buying American keeps the world a little cleaner for future generations.
Sourcing
While those aspects of “made in America” have always been true, the supply chain disruptions of the last 18 months have taught businesses and consumers another valuable truth: avoiding imported goods in favor of American-made items can help ensure access during times of global upheaval.
Like many in the promotional products industry, headwear distributors have struggled to source and maintain stock as demand far outstrips supply from vendors with extensive foreign ties. One solution is to offer more USA-made headwear.
Style and brand
Brands like Classic Caps out of Texas offer super popular styles like dad hats and truckers in a variety of tried-and-true colors that can be difficult to track down in this era of uncertainty.
Plus, with winter approaching and freezing temperatures around the corner, even people who shun hats for most of the year will start to don warm beanies. That means demand isn’t going anywhere for knits, and consumers want choices.
Cap America, another USA-made brand, can fill this opening with an array of solids, stripes, camos and unique patterns, including USA-inspired designs and pom-pom beanies that bring a playful touch to any winter outfit.
For the most selective consumers, niche brands like Sandlot with their wool caps or Helen Jon’s gaiters and masks can fill in the gaps in distributors’ warehouses.
While each brand brings different strengths to the table, they are all committed to product longevity. The longer lifecycle of high-quality headwear means less waste and happier consumers year after year.
