July 2012
96 posts
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Fashioning Change →
Cool new site that features ethical alternatives to stores like Urban Outfitters and Anthropologie.
I found 16 made in USA brands on the site!
June 2012
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L.L. Bean
Yesterday I got an L.L. Bean catalog in the mail. That’s a good, upscale, American brand right? So I went through the “Late Summer 2012” catalog to see how much was made in USA.
I did not find a single women’s item made in USA.
One shoe is made in Maine. The Rubber Mocs by L.L. Bean. These are classic waterproof rubber soled shoes. The version here is an ankle high slip...
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Google Tries Something Retro: Made in the U.S.A. →
Electronics manufacturing in USA
Etched into the base of Google’s wireless Nexus Q home media player is its most intriguing feature.
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Tervis
I get so sick of seeing patriotic gear made in China. I saw a mug like this one in a local store last week.
Fortunately Tervis makes a huge selection of insulated Tumblers in Venice, Florida. Even the lids are made in USA.
I’ve already broken two made in China mugs that I received as a gift at Christmas, so I’ve ordered myself on of these Tervis tumblers with a fun pattern.
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Is Your Farmer's Market the Real Deal? →
The Plastic-Free Chef reposted this informative little slide show: Is Your Farmer’s Market the Real Deal For people interested in buying local, farmer’s markets seem ideal. Local vegetables, fruits, and products like bread and jam. However, some of these are not local and are just trying to cash in on the local food trend. At the big Piedmont Farmer’s Market I’ve seen Dole Bananas for...
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Politics
So this is an election year, and while I don’t want my blog to turn super political, paying attention to local politics is part of being in a community. And the Democratic National Convention (DNC) is coming to Charlotte, which is awesome. For now, I’m building a list of my local and state reps and their contact information. I challenge you to do the same. Remember, the squeaky wheel gets the...
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Britax Child Safety
Sorry for the lack of posting lately, I’ve been busy traveling. I finally read my Friday paper this morning, and was excited to see this article:
Britax Child Safety to Bring Jobs to York County
The online article says that it is bringing 243 jobs to York County, but of those, about 200 are current employees of the location in Charlotte, though they do plan to add 40 jobs in the next 2...
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Art Installations for the DNC →
Some neat ideas, the coolest being the Superhero Game: Designers would create a group of superheroes called the Guardian 8. Playing off the DNC theme, Kesavan says, the heroes would have “vaguely political powers” such as charisma. Their adventures would play out as an online game and in real-life theatrical performances.
Most disturbing, Sound Salon: Microphones would pick up conversations at...
World Day Against Child Labor →
Through Sarah at the Made in USA Challenge blog, found out that today is World Day Against Child Labor. Her post is excellent, so please follow the link.
All too often large importers find themselves in a scandal because a factory they contract with is caught using child labor. This is far too common. One of the links Made in USA challenge puts in this post is to a pdf from the US Department of...
Why Buy From Emerging Designers. →
A few great quotes from the article:
Hillary Taymour, the designer behind the slick handbag line Collina Strada (above), explains, “Deindustrialization is a huge problem we face, and it continues to grow out of control. Purchasing USA-manufactured goods can help reverse this.” But making that decision to manufacture locally isn’t a cheap one: in Hillary’s case, labor costs are $20 to $80 more...
Tee Shirts and Baby Gear made in SC
Here are two finds I am excited about. It’s summer, and I need more tank tops (my cat, the aptly named Loki, has chewed holes in some of mine). So here are two companies that are committed to keeping jobs in their towns. A.S. Tees in Salley, SC Bamboosa in Andrews, SC. A.S. Tees are produced in the south east, with most of their production in Salley, SC. Their shirts cost between $10-$20 and...
Nalgene - Made in USA →
So, maybe all of you already knew this, but I was surprised to find out that most Nalgene bottles are made in USA. The caps and a few odd styles are made in China but their traditional bottles are all made in USA. I wasn’t able to tell exactly where they are manufactured. I did find a manufacturer outside Chicago, Il that lists Nalgene bottles among the products they make. But if Nalgene...
Tumblr.
I started this blog on a more traditional site (the old closer to local), and I just don’t think it was serving me well. So, I’m moving to tumblr. I’m hoping that I’ll find more community here and find it easier to repost items from around the web. In addition I’ve also fired up a facebook page, so I hope you’ll follow me on facebook.
