How easy is it to actually buy American? Well, it's complicated. We are the world's largest importer, the world's largest consumer. Dr. Patrick Gurley is an associate professor of economics and business analytics at the University of New Haven. He says most of the low value goods we buy are made overseas. Cheap plastic toys or anything like that, it's generally made abroad. *** lot of our textiles are made abroad. Most of our clothes are made in other countries. For *** product to call itself Made in the USA without qualifications, the Federal Trade Commission. Says all or virtually all of it must be made in the US. The line for virtually all can be thin, but qualified claims are also allowed. Apple, for example, brands its products as designed in California, made by people everywhere. When you think about an iPad, it might say made in China in it or something like that. China is often the place where all the component parts get put together, but that's not where the value is in an iPad. It doesn't matter who actually screws all the the circuits together. It matters. Who actually designs the circuits. *** 2024 report from the Department of Commerce shows that US manufacturers source internationally about *** third of the ingredients, materials, or parts used to make something. When you think about the expensive goods that consumers buy, there is no one country that anything is made. So how can you find true American-made products or even mostly American made? We found some online resources like the Alliance for American Manufacturing. USA Love List and Southland Heritage. REI has *** Made in USA search filter on its website, and cars.com ranks how American-made vehicles are. But know that for some products, buying American could come with *** premium. For labor intensive goods, it's gonna be *** lot more expensive to make them in the US, but for complex goods that require *** lot of automation or have *** lot of robotics, the US is actually *** pretty good market to make so. And here are some interesting items we found that are still made in the United States, large cast iron skillets, Wilson footballs and Gibson branded guitars. In Washington, I'm Christopher Seas.
How easy is it to shop 'Made in the USA?'
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Updated: 2:19 PM CDT Apr 15, 2025
How easy is it to buy American? Well, it’s complicated.For a product to call itself Made in the USA without qualification, the Federal Trade Commission says all, or virtually all of it, must be made in the United States. The line for "virtually all" can be thin, but qualified claims are allowed. Apple, for example, brands its products as "Designed in California, made by people everywhere."Dr. Patrick Gourley, an associate professor of economics and business analytics at the University of New Haven, says that, for the expensive goods consumers buy, there's typically no one country where everything is made.“When you think about an iPad, it might say Made in China,” says Dr. Gourley. “China is often the place where all the component parts get put together, but that’s not where the value is in an iPad. It doesn’t matter who actually screws all the circuits together, it matters who actually designs the circuits.”The United States is the world’s largest consumer, importing more goods than any other nation. Dr. Gourley notes that most low-value goods, like cheap plastic toys or textiles, are generally made abroad. Meanwhile, the U.S. is the second-largest producer, behind China, and its top exports include things like aircraft parts, gas turbines, and medical equipment. “The U.S. does make a lot; it’s just not as visible to people,” says Dr. Gourley.Even for products manufactured in the U.S., some parts or components may be sourced from other countries. A 2024 report from the U.S. Department of Commerce shows that U.S. manufacturers source internationally about a third of the ingredients, materials, or parts used to make something.Online resources like the Alliance for American Manufacturing’s Made in America Directory, USA Love List, and Southland Heritage can help you find American made, or in some cases mostly American-made products. REI offers a Made in the USA filter on its website, and cars.com ranks how American-made vehicles are.For some products, buying American could come with a premium price. “For labor intensive goods, it’s going to be a lot more expensive to make them in the U.S.,” says Dr. Gourley. “But for complex goods that require a lot of automation or have a lot of robotics, the U.S. is actually a pretty good market to make stuff.”
How easy is it to buy American? Well, it’s complicated.
For a product to call itself Made in the USA without qualification, the Federal Trade Commission says all, or virtually all of it, must be made in the United States. , but qualified claims are allowed. Apple, for example, brands its products as "Designed in California, made by people everywhere."
Dr. Patrick Gourley, an associate professor of economics and business analytics at the University of New Haven, says that, for the expensive goods consumers buy, there's typically no one country where everything is made.
“When you think about an iPad, it might say Made in China,” says Dr. Gourley. “China is often the place where all the component parts get put together, but that’s not where the value is in an iPad. It doesn’t matter who actually screws all the circuits together, it matters who actually designs the circuits.”
The United States is the world’s largest consumer, importing more goods than any other nation. Dr. Gourley notes that most low-value goods, like cheap plastic toys or textiles, are generally made abroad. Meanwhile, the U.S. is the second-largest producer, behind China, and its top exports include things like aircraft parts, gas turbines, and medical equipment. “The U.S. does make a lot; it’s just not as visible to people,” says Dr. Gourley.
Even for products manufactured in the U.S., some parts or components may be sourced from other countries. A shows that U.S. manufacturers source internationally about a third of the ingredients, materials, or parts used to make something.
Online resources like the Alliance for American Manufacturing’s , , and can help you find American made, or in some cases mostly American-made products. offers a Made in the USA filter on its website, and ranks how American-made vehicles are.
For some products, buying American could come with a premium price. “For labor intensive goods, it’s going to be a lot more expensive to make them in the U.S.,” says Dr. Gourley. “But for complex goods that require a lot of automation or have a lot of robotics, the U.S. is actually a pretty good market to make stuff.”
