graham

Cant say I havent thought of a second job recently.

Things could be looking up soon, maybe.

Caps94ZODG

hope so man good luck..its hard being where we are and owning your own business. Been there done that. and now taking a check from someone else again. Just sucks I know but hope like you said things go forward for you.

ProudPony

Sorry I have not replied sooner...
Friday was the wife's birthday and I am out of work for the rest of the year. Trying to do some hunting and shopping. Had to go out for dinner 3 times this weekend! Just not finding time to sit in front of the electron blender lately.

I'd be happy to share some of what I have learned. Do you guys want to know about clothes, tools, food, etc? We could actually start a website and log a bazillion hours if we try to cover everything.

I have to bathe the dogs and I want to spend some time with the kid tonight, so I need to start briefly with this post, and revisit in the next day or two.

CLOTHES.
My wife used to work for Sara Lee in their Bali division. It was absorbed along with Playtex and other notable brands into what became Sara Lee Intimate Apparel. They make ladies underwear and bras. As an insider (production scheduler), she got a lot of data on all of Sara Lee's brands and operations, including Champion, Hanes, Hanes Her Way, L'eggs, Bali, Wonderbra, and other "house-brands" you'd recognize in Wal-Mart, Macys, JCPenny, etc.

In a nut shell, the majority of Hanes underwear is still made here in Winston-Salem NC in a plant on Stratford Road. Since there is not much variance in briefs or boxers, they are still pretty much "cut-and-sew". Automating the sewing saved the labor that was causing most operations to go offshore. I actually buy my underwear, T-shirts, and such right there at that very plant in an Outlet Store. Often, they will actually bring the goods straight to the outlet store in the same bulk bins that they use in the plant, and simply put a sign on the goods like "3pr/$1" or some such. This is GREAT.
You can certainly find the same quality and made in the USA products on retail shelves too if you are not near any outlet stores, and I'd have no problem buying them at retail price knowing they are US-made. I have attached a link to their website listing their products and store locations.

http://syr-area.com/onehanesplace/ncsc.html

NOW - BE AWARE... not ALL of their stuff is 100% US made. Sara Lee has been outsourcing their sewing operations for almost 20 years. They are still doing most of their die-cutting for underwear, bras, and T's in Statesville NC, then shipping the cut materials to Central America to be sewn, then shipping them back to Gastonia, NC for packaging and distribution. Bras are especially done this way, because the variations in materials, styles, colors, trim, lace, etc are too difficult to automate and demand human involvement to sew properly. Some "fancy" underwear is the same, if it's a special fabric, layers, or has designs it's likely sewn offshore. Still, that's much better than 100% offshore fab and labor. The plants in Statesville and Gastonia appreciate the business!

I just spoke with my wife about this at dinner before writing this, and she says the latest from Sara Lee is that they are trying to outsource (offshore) most of their Champion brand apparel. It's probably a tough call between Asia and Central America. Champion is known for their embossed "C" logo (always stitched - never a silk-screen - that's an instant giveaway for a counterfeit!) and when you have such a wide variety of colors and patterns that need sewing - again, it has to be human. For the most part, Champion is still largely American materials and packaging, but offshore sewing.

Russell Activewear is a US-based company that still strives to make and sell in the USA. They have expanded in to European markets, but again, produce and sell locally. In their corporate code of ethics, they explicitly proclaim their committment to environment, community, humanity, and their effort to eliminate things in the textile industry like the use of child labor, slave labor, and "dumping".
http://www.russellcorp.com/html2003/...principles.htm
I support Russell every time I can.
http://www.russellcorp.com/ for an intro to their lines.

Definitely a fuzzier line, but I prefer Lee Jeans and Dress pants over Levi-Strauss because Lee is trying to keep it local despite the pressures to go "global". Don't misunderstand, Lee is already "global" in that they make and sell all over the world, but they try to practice "local supplier" business instead of making a huge plant in Bungfunk China and ship the stuff all over the globe. For example, they have a plant in Fabens, TX that is still producing, and they have a distribution facility right here in Mocksville, NC. They are trying to hold out against foreign pressures, but with the labor involved in sewing such volumes, they are fighting a tough battle. Here's a link to their site... http://www.lee.com/our_company.asp

Next up for me is a local talent that has made his name in art, and taken it commercial - Bob Timberlake. I see the man himself eating at restaurants in Lexington, NC frequently, and he is a true patriot and American.
When Lexington Brand Furniture shut down their 4 plants in Davidson County 3 years ago, Bob specifically designed and licensed furniture to be built, and before signing the contract with Lexington Furniture, he insisited -and had included in the contract- that the furniture was to be made in one of the closed plants. He claimed that the people who will be wanting his furniture would be the ones able and willing to pay a premium price for the quality and local craftsmanship he demands... no particle boards, no compreg, no cheesy laminates... REAL wood, REAL joints, REAL finishes, and QUALITY. I drive by Lexington Plant #4 every day I go to our plant, and his efforts to keep the locals employed is legendary because of this. Here's a link to the furniture site... http://www.lexington.com/brand_bobTimberlake.cfm

You can find on his website the following... "Made In America - The Bob Timberlake Gallery is committed to the use of art and production material that is made in America. With the exception of the protective cover sheets that are made in England, all material, including paper and inks are made in the United States."
That pretty-much says it all IMO.

He has done the same with his branded apparel. He insists that his shirts and pants be made as much as possible in America, and only when there is no other option does something come in from overseas. Bob's clothes tend to be highly-priced as a result, but I don't mind - the quality is EXCELLENT. I try to cath them when they have inventory reduction sales in Lexington, NC - I often get $78 golf shirts for $10-15, and $100 dress shirts for $15-20 at these sales. Bob has landed contracts with some national retailers... they typically only carry his best movers as opposed to the entire line, but their prices are better on the volume items as well. Bass Pro Shops is one such carrier - I have attached links to both Bass Pro Shops and Bob's home site...
Bass Pro Shops - Timberlake - click "Timberlake" in the left column for more, or type in "Timberlake" at the product search line at the top of the page for more.
Bob Timberlake Galleries - about Bob Timberlake

Levi was one of the first to aggressively outsource their labor intensive operations some 20 years ago, and are now really doing most everything offshore - sadly. At least they are US-based, but that is not helping those in the US who need JOBS to wear CLOTHES TO.
So I pick my jeans/dress pants/shirts in this order...
1) Bob Timberlake
2) Lee/Lee Casual
3) Levi/Dockers

Lastly, as an alternative for dress shirts and nice casual clothes, I support Phillips-VanHeusen. They have a local plant/distribution center in Jonesville, NC and employ many friends of my family. They - as Lee and Levi - have had to go global to be competitive and also to breach into foreign markets, but they maintain the highest standard of corporate ethics and they have a "clean" past. They are 100% US-based company and try to do business with US companies if possible. Their brands - like Calvin Klein, IZOD, Chaps, Bass, Arrow, and VanHeusen are widely known, and globally recognized. Again, if it's going to have to come from outside the USA, at least do business and trade with governments that practice good morals and ethics.
The PVH Code of Ethics
PVH history

I've been at it for over an hour now, so I need to go play with my kid before bedtime! You can see, it's tough to be 100% American these days, but there are a few holdouts, and at least you can support those who are TRYING.
Let's do tools or something next.

Proud.

Derek M

Adding to Proud's list. In the link there are several clothing vendors and manufacturers that are based out of the US. http://www.howtobuyamerican.com/

Derek M

A reference article to add to the discussion. http://info.detnews.com/autosblog/index.cfm?blogid=127

97z28/m6

tv's? i'm thinking of getting a 62" one. any amarican company building those?

ProudPony

Here's a bit about the recent lawsuit that was on PBS during a Wal-Mart expose where they said THIS was the last manufacturer of TV's in the USA...
http://www.ibew.org/articles/04daily..._ITCruling.htm
"Lawyers and executives from big retailers Wal-Mart and Best Buy opposed the petition on behalf of 10 Chinese TV producers."
Now THERE'S a shock.
They interviewed the plant manager during the spot, and he lam-basted Wal-Mart, saying they told him to shut the doors and send the equipment to China if he wanted to keep selling their product through Wal-Mart.

As I recall the plant was called the "Five Rivers Electronic Innovations", and they assembled TVs for Phillips. They shut down in 2004 due to foreign dumping pressures, but reopened after the lawsuit was won and the government stepped in.

http://www.hoovers.com/five-rivers-e...ctsheet.xhtml?
cm_ven=PAID&cm_cat=INK&cm_pla=CO1&cm_ite=five-rivers-electronic-innovations

I don't know if they make the exact big-screen you are after, but Phillips makes some nice ones. I'd take a few minutes and dig on the web, or even call the plant and ask the straight-up.
I do that kind of thing these days!!! Good Luck!

Robert_Nashville

It's been pretty widely reported the past week or so but the once great "American" retailer who so proudly procliamed it sold "Made in America" merchandise has now fully sold its soul to the devil.

ALong with many of its stores in China, it now has allowed a branch of the Communist Party at its headquarters in China.

That's probably not news to many of you but in case anyone missed it I thought I'd pass it along.

ProudPony

And to add joy and cheer to this Christmas season, it tickles me silly to report that Wal-Mart is failing miserably in China!!! My buddy who lives in KunShan just sent me an email a few days ago saying that the new store opened in KunShan last fall is not doing well at all, and they are already closing a store outside Shanghai because it is not meeting goals for several quarters.

Likewise, I was made aware that Wal-Mart has already failed in the UK several times, and has had to resort to operating under-cover to have any success there. They have had to partner with a company called Asda to sell their wares in the UK. Asda is a retail merchant with a long reputation for the Brits, and what has appeared as a "facelift" for them is actually the inbreeding of Wal-Mart into their stores. You could see the Wal-Mart slogans on the sign and the shelf labels - completely recognizeable by me, but something totally "the new Asda" to the common Brit. There are abandoned Wal-Mart stores all over MAnchester, Bolton, Wigan, and other cities in northeaster England.

Just goes to show that we Americans are still NOT the wisest when it comes to spending our dough.

fredmr39

prob been posted but don't feel like looking for the link: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16323302

..saying now there is apparently "no question" that Toyota will pass GM in worldwide sales in 2007.

Suaveat69

Funny, I love that fabrication, err quote!