Is it really USA Made?

That is a very good question and unfortunately ---there is no good solid answer.

U.S. Apparel Companies and Apparel Retailers are often approached by shady Salesmen who offer Label Switching, under the table. Most refuse. Some get caught up in their greed and use Label Switching to make money on an unsuspecting buying public. Made in USA Labeling can be sewn into the article, labeled with a printed card, or metal stamped onto the article itself, or printed somewhere on the box. Mostly, the fraud usually takes place within the apparel industry and entertainment industry (CD’s & DVD’s & Equipment).

This fraudulent action usually involves using foreign made product that is brought into the United States, and then sent to a shop which does the Label Switching. Then the new ‘Made in U.S.A.’ goods are then shipped to the distributor or reseller and sold as a U.S. Product.

Sometimes the ‘false Label’ is just sewn over the original. (But who bothers to take the label off to check?) Or the Original is taken out and replaced. It is hard to openly spot if the work is done right. If mistakes are made or the work is just plain shoddy, then you can maybe spot something. But, still it is much better to catch the switching in the act. They the U. S. Government can do something.

Added into the problem is the fact that many Apparel distributors keep Like Items in stock from both U.S. Manufacture, and an Import version. This is common with today nylon jackets and weather gear. They offer the U.S. version until it runs out of stock, and then restock with the Import Version. This is not only legal, but it is also confusing to customers and retailers alike.

Now, with T-shirts and Fleece, the job in catching fraudulent Labeling is becoming increasingly harder to identify. These products have mostly switched to ink printed labeling, replacing the Tag-Labeling of old. Now, these products can be brought into the country with no labeling and printed with Made in USA stamping with no one the wiser. Or they can just add a new old fashioned tag. Here, you have to catch the load as it ships or as it arrives to address the fraud.

Often times, the Price can be a dead give away for a consumer. For instance, let’s say that find most U.S. Made G1 Flight Jackets made of Leather selling for $300 to $500 depending on what kind of leather and quality of leather. Then you find something labeled a U.S. Made G1 Marine Flight Jacket, Labeled New ---selling for only $150. This price is so Off-Market and away from the normal market pricing for U.S. Leather Goods ---it screams that something is wrong. This is a Red Flag. A decent Leather G1 made in any reputable U.S. factory doesn’t even get made for less than $140. We’re in the business and we know what these quality jackets cost to make. So when you see something that says Made in U.S.A., look at the Price and judge it accordingly. Use the old Rule that something that looks like a gift horse, usually is not. If it is priced too low against the norm, it is probably not what you really think it is, or wish it to be……