MADE IN AMERICA HOLIDAY GIFT IDEAS AND INSPIRATION
Christmas and Hanukkah are just days away. If you have not finished your holiday shopping, we have some ideas with a little Americana spin that may inspire you.
Since the Great Recession, there has been a surge to buy items manufactured in America. In 2011 ABC News first aired the “Made in America” series to promote domestic consumerism. It was reported that the average American would spend $700 on holiday gifts and goodies that year, totaling more than $465 billion, according to the National Retail Federation. If that money was spent entirely on products made in the U.S., it would create 4.6 million jobs. (Current figures have not been released.)
The Alliance for American Manufacturing reports that if each of us spent just $64 on American made goods during our holiday shopping, the result would be 200,000 new jobs.
The “Made In USA” and “Made In America” movements mean that U.S. consumers buy products ranging from home products, tools, gear, gadgets, gifts, food, beauty, clothing and more from American manufacturers. In turn, this helps Americans keep their jobs while supporting American business owners who are struggling to keep their companies afloat.
“Made In” and “Assembled In” America Are NOT The Same Thing.
Per the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), in order for a product to be labeled “Made in USA”, or claimed to be of domestic origin without qualifications or limits on the claim, the product must be “all or virtually all” made in the U.S. which includes the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. territories and possessions.
“All or virtually all” means that all significant parts and processing that go into the product must be of U.S. origin. That is, the product should contain no — or negligible — foreign content. The FTC goes into further detail about how they determine “all or virtually all” made in the U.S. Click Here for more information.
If this is important to you, resolve to buy American-made products whenever possible. Notice the name of the manufacturer of the product, and search the Internet to find out if that company is American-owned.
Made In America Movements
There are several organizations dedicated to promoting this philosophy and educating consumers.
The Made in America Movement (MAM) is the unified voice of American companies. MAM represents 20,000 American sourced companies and has 440,000 active consumer members. They are an independent, non-partisan organization dedicated to promoting American businesses and the families that rely on them.
The Alliance for American Manufacturing (AAM) is a non-profit, non-partisan partnership formed in 2007 by some of America’s leading manufacturers and the United Steelworkers. Their mission is to strengthen American manufacturing and create new private-sector jobs through smart public policies. They also compile a helpful annual gift guide including the 2019 Holiday Gift Guide.
Products You May Not Know Are Made in America
Rosie’s Tried & True Tools
The concept to develop an eStore came from our observation in filling consumer needs. The natural topic around the holidays for us is “what to give the handyman in your life?”
As a result we would talk about new tools we discovered through research, saw on job sites or found at the National Hardware Show. Listeners of our radio broadcast would flood the phone lines wanting to know where to purchase the items. Often times the tools we covered were not locally available and had to be special ordered. So, in an effort to make these items easily available to our listeners, the Rosie on the House eStore was born. These are a few of our favorite American-made products available on our Rosie on the House eStore:
Rosie on the House 30th Anniversary Toolbox
Rosie merchandise is the one the most popular listener requests. Our essential hand tools and sturdy toolbox are items we think every Arizona homeowner should have. Each comes with Rosie on the House branding that is etched or logoed on the surface. All of these items are “Made In USA!”
Shields Magnetics, Inc.
The magnetic nail sweep and tool holder are great for the not-so-tidy craftsman. One of our staff members likes the nail sweep because her husband has a gift for spilling nails and screws on the garage floor and driveway, that eventually make their way into her SUV’s tires. She also likes the tool holder so she can easily find household tools without digging into his tool chest and risking losing a finger or needing a tetanus shot.
Danik Hook
Made in Southern California’s San Gabriel Valley the Danik Hook is an amazingly simple and easy to use to quick tie-down. The reigning winner of the prestigious Retailers’ Choice Award for outstanding and innovative design of consumer products at the National Hardware Show, Danik Hook gives a new twist to the age-old bungee cord. This adjustable bungee lets anyone easily and quickly adjust and secure a single length of the elastic cord from six to 48 inches unstretched. All Danik Hooks carry a one-year warranty.
Buy Local / Made In Arizona
If you want to support ‘Made In America” businesses closer to home, literally, your home, there are many to choose from.
Local First Arizona is a nonprofit organization that celebrates independent, locally owned businesses. They support, promote and advocate for a strong local business community and raise public awareness of the economic and cultural benefits provided by strong local economies. The Buy Local movement is more than just a simple call to action. It is a plan for widespread economic development across Arizona.
For every $100 spent at a locally owned business, $43 remains in the economy.
Compare that to every $100 spent in a non-locally owned business, only $13 remains in the economy.
Purchasing from locally owned businesses in Arizona keeps up to four times more money in our state’s economy.
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Photo Credits:
- Shutterstock
