bokmok / Shutterstock.com Red, White and Buy American In addition to higher perceived value, goods made in the USA offer shorter lead times, smaller carbon footprints and added opportunities to sell a story. By Rachel Zoch AS THE FOURTH OF JULY fills our eyes with stars and stripes, it’s a great time to take a look at American-made promo apparel, from classic tees to custom PJ pants. The demand for products made in the USA has grown in popularity over the past few years because of the supply chain problems, embargoes with China and other issues. Although USA-made apparel is less plentiful and often comes at a higher price point than imported garments, interest is growing for reasons that range from wanting to support American manufacturing to sustainability concerns. Lauren Smith, brand merchandiser for Boundless, a distributor based in Austin, says she’s definitely seeing demand for USA-made promo goods and apparel. “Some of these buyers now are in the Gen Z demographic, and they are so into knowing where their products are coming from and how they’re made. That’s really important for them,” she says. “With a lot of people wanting to have a better economy and 14 • JULY 2023 • PPAI Essentials | In Style
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