“American-made products are more readily available,” says Glen Brumer, sales director with Royal Apparel, a supplier in Hauppauge, New York. “With global supply-chain issues, ‘made in USA’ allows Royal Apparel to be in a good stock position and overcome shortages of imported goods.” “I believe that American-made and USA-sourced products carry a lot of positive marketing beyond the product itself,” says Mike Brugger, president of Virginia Beach, Virginia, distributor Fully Promoted. “Particularly with what’s going on in the world and in the economy, people want to keep products, services and goods here, so the biggest benefit right now is the fact that it’s made in America.” When clients choose to incorporate American-made products into their campaigns, they are directly supporting U.S. manufacturers and more than 11 million jobs, according to Trading Economics. While sourcing product from overseas manufacturing hubs such as China and India typically affords more competitive pricing and other advantages, there is far less oversight. Thus, problems considered to be severe violations in the U.S., like child and forced labor have unknowingly occurred. “We are proud of the skilled labor force of the USA and take pride in their work,” says Brumer. “There are safe working conditions and the workers are treated fairly.” It’s the combination of federal and state regulations and “more stringent quality control procedures,” among other factors, he says, which allow for more transparent oversight over supply-chain processes. With access to the latest in manufacturing equipment, Brumer says Royal Apparel is able to produce “higherquality, longer-lasting products, which also helps the environment.” Less than 2% of the world’s clothing is manufactured in the U.S., but incorporating homegrown items into campaigns comes with convenient benefits, such as lower minimum order quantities, greater supply-chain transparency and superior customer service. Perhaps the greatest positive right now is shorter timelines for orders, and with the supply-chain issues in China still causing widespread delays, Americanmade products offer solutions with more guaranteed timetables. “Generally, American-made, sourced produced are more readily available than their imported counterparts right now,” says Brugger. “Large orders can be Bring the quality of American-made to the worksite with the AboveView hardhat. Made in Cynthiana, Kentucky, it features a wide brim for full protection from the elements and a transparent visor to spot hazards up ahead. Fully compliant with government and regulatory safety standards. Shown in red. American Custom Safety / PPAI 157367, S3 www.americancustomsafety.com The Sublimated Ladies’ Swim offers a range of options for fun-in-the-sun branding. Available as a traditional one-piece, a two-piece bikini or a one-piece with fashion cutouts, it’s made in Dallas, from premium polyester fabric and spandex, which allows the bathing suit to hold its shape. Bathing suit lining is also available in a variety of colors and bra cups can be added. In Your Face Apparel / PPAI 254968, S5 / www.inyourfaceapparel.com | JULY 2022 | 37 INNOVATE USA-Made Promo Gear
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