The Beauty of American Made

We’ve all heard how buying American-made products is better than saving money on cheaper goods manufactured elsewhere in the world. There are charts aplenty showing economic advantages, lifetime benefits, and so on.

But what we don’t usually hear about is the simple beauty of buying American.

We may hear about the superior quality of the product; we rarely hear about the quality of life that product brings.

We may hear about the jobs we support with our purchase; we rarely hear about the peace of mind that comes with that support.

We may hear about how we help a local economy when we buy American; we rarely hear about how it helps a local community.

These things are all true. And there’s incredible wonder to be found in American made products.

Better living through quality

The quality is real. There’s no denying US-made products are perceived worldwide to be some of the best things you can buy. Most folks prefer the quality of US-manufactured products. Consumers in America certainly tend to prefer them. Even a majority of consumers in China prefer products made in the USA over products made in China. They know the quality is better; in fact, roughly 60% of Chinese consumers are willing to pay a premium for products with the “Made in the USA” label. (Boston Consulting Group: “’Made in the USA’ Resonates in China”)

That’s incredible if you think about it. Every American should feel great about that. Our sheer ability to make things is something we can be enormously proud of. Even if you don’t work in an American manufacturing job, you can still buy American products and share in that sense of pride.

But it’s more than just pride – well-made products improve lives. Think about how a monthly budget can get upended when something breaks down. Think of the inconvenience and frustration of having to purchase a whole new item, especially if little time has passed. Sometimes, imported goods break on the trip over here. They are broken before they even get to us, and we don’t know it until it finally arrives. Time lost, money possibly irretrievable, all we’re left with is a handful of anger and a broken product.

Surprise expenses, inconvenience, frustration, wasted time…these take away from a person’s quality of life.

Most of us usually don’t notice when things do work, and that’s better for life in general. When goods are built to last, they just work. We don’t pay much attention.

And that’s how it should be. Things should just work. That way, we can focus on the things in life that really matter.

That’s how American made goods can make our own individual lives better. But buying American has benefits for other people, too.

Specifically, American workers.

Better living and better working

When we buy American products, we support American jobs. And while we like to pat ourselves on the back about ensuring someone’s livelihood, we usually don’t think about how we’re improving their life.

American manufacturing jobs have existed on a razor’s edge for decades. Workers throughout the years have reported anxiety, nausea, and even suicide ideation at the notion that their employer may decide to move the factory overseas.

The healthier a company’s profits, the less likely their boss will eliminate their job. So when you buy something made by American workers, you help reduce those worries and fears.

There are better days ahead — many American manufacturers plan to bring back jobs that were shipped to foreign countries. According to Thomas Publishing Company, North American manufacturing is poised to reshore jobs, injecting $443 billion into the US economy. (Thomas: State of North American Manufacturing 2021 Annual Report)

Even so, few things bring down a quality of life like economic anxiety. Having some job security — and some sense that their fellow Americans care about them — brings American manufacturing workers real peace of mind.

And peace of mind brings consumer confidence. Eliminating economic worry helps people open up to making more purchases in their own communities.

Communities may be the most wonderful thing about buying American.

Better living together

American communities benefit in very real ways when you buy American products. Better local economies bring more stability, lower crime, fewer early deaths, increased property values, and overall better qualities of life.

The national economy does well when Americans buy American. And local communities are the first to see the benefits.

We are a nation of 333 million individuals who live in neighborhoods that make up cities contained within counties that fill out the states that make up our great big nation. When individuals thrive, communities thrive. When communities thrive, the nation thrives. The cycle moves upward.

The beauty of buying American products is better living for all of us. We’ll be better off. Our parents will be better off. Our children will be better off. Every small town, every big city neighborhood, and every rural community benefits from Americans buying American.

So go ahead and buy American! It’ll be better for you, and better for every American. It’s a beautiful thing.