I got some signed up FOR SPAM email yesterday from a "high speed" outerwear manufacturer - think Arcteryx like hardshells in multi cam and such. They profess to be suppliers to the mil with lots of pics seemingly showing guys overseas using their gear.
The mil use isnt an attraction but their designs look good. I have one product of theirs - pants - and they have served me well.
Any way the email includes a video review of their patrol parka and they focus on a tag that states "Material from USA, Made in Vietnam"
I sent an email stating gear looked great up to the point I saw the made in Vietnam tag.
Almost immediately I got a response....
Hi Phil,
We get where you are coming from and appreciate your feedback. We want to offer our customer high level quality for a reasonable price and sadly the US isn’t doing that right now. But we keep looking for ways to keep it all in the US if and when possible, like our nylon which is Made in USA.
Best,
Their parka sells north of $625 - typical gortex, hooded, arcteryx style gear.
My reply...
Thank you for the reply. I appreciate the response, it was unexpected. Pretty stand up on the part of ****.
I understand our govt makes it attractive to manufacture overseas.
Foreign manufacturers don't have to comply with OSHA, EPA, or labor regulations a US manufacturer suffers real costs for in order to bring a product to market.
I hope these conditions will be changing at some point.
Your products are at premium price that would seem to exceed the pricing one would expect from a Vietnam manufactured garment.
I see the material is made in USA but I don't get it how its cheaper to send material to Vietnam, have it cut/sewn into a product, than have it shipped back here. Obviously it is.
Im not a climate alarmist by any means but if I were I see the transportation alone as problematic.
Obviously building overseas so cheaply entails using labor, environmental and worker safety issues we would never allow an American worker to be exposed to.
The plight of Vietnamese workers doesn't even matter much to me up to the point our allowing conditions there that we wont allow here means some worker here is unemployed.
Manufacturing clothing was good work that during the time of my parents allowed them to put a kid through school and ensure that kid would have a better life than they had - ie the American Dream.
My choices are limited but Ill support those companies that make the effort to manufacture in the US and I will pay for it.
The American made good generally lasts longer and the money is well spent on better goods and a stronger country.
You have good designs and a great company ethic toward the customer. I know this because you responded. I appreciate your response.
I may be naive in my thinking but Ill stick to my standards in hopes I can keep some American working or put an unemployed American to work.
Sincerely,
Who is slinging BS here?
Filson cuts/sews their wool gear in the US. Wool bibs may not be as technical but still garments can be made here. You pay for it but you dont pay $650.
Arcteryx Berry compliant hits the $650 mark but it meets a contract requirement and isnt built in a commie shithole.
What do you think is manufacture in Vietnam a necessity or just a profit maximizer?
The mil use isnt an attraction but their designs look good. I have one product of theirs - pants - and they have served me well.
Any way the email includes a video review of their patrol parka and they focus on a tag that states "Material from USA, Made in Vietnam"
I sent an email stating gear looked great up to the point I saw the made in Vietnam tag.
Almost immediately I got a response....
Hi Phil,
We get where you are coming from and appreciate your feedback. We want to offer our customer high level quality for a reasonable price and sadly the US isn’t doing that right now. But we keep looking for ways to keep it all in the US if and when possible, like our nylon which is Made in USA.
Best,
Their parka sells north of $625 - typical gortex, hooded, arcteryx style gear.
My reply...
Thank you for the reply. I appreciate the response, it was unexpected. Pretty stand up on the part of ****.
I understand our govt makes it attractive to manufacture overseas.
Foreign manufacturers don't have to comply with OSHA, EPA, or labor regulations a US manufacturer suffers real costs for in order to bring a product to market.
I hope these conditions will be changing at some point.
Your products are at premium price that would seem to exceed the pricing one would expect from a Vietnam manufactured garment.
I see the material is made in USA but I don't get it how its cheaper to send material to Vietnam, have it cut/sewn into a product, than have it shipped back here. Obviously it is.
Im not a climate alarmist by any means but if I were I see the transportation alone as problematic.
Obviously building overseas so cheaply entails using labor, environmental and worker safety issues we would never allow an American worker to be exposed to.
The plight of Vietnamese workers doesn't even matter much to me up to the point our allowing conditions there that we wont allow here means some worker here is unemployed.
Manufacturing clothing was good work that during the time of my parents allowed them to put a kid through school and ensure that kid would have a better life than they had - ie the American Dream.
My choices are limited but Ill support those companies that make the effort to manufacture in the US and I will pay for it.
The American made good generally lasts longer and the money is well spent on better goods and a stronger country.
You have good designs and a great company ethic toward the customer. I know this because you responded. I appreciate your response.
I may be naive in my thinking but Ill stick to my standards in hopes I can keep some American working or put an unemployed American to work.
Sincerely,
Who is slinging BS here?
Filson cuts/sews their wool gear in the US. Wool bibs may not be as technical but still garments can be made here. You pay for it but you dont pay $650.
Arcteryx Berry compliant hits the $650 mark but it meets a contract requirement and isnt built in a commie shithole.
What do you think is manufacture in Vietnam a necessity or just a profit maximizer?
