Choose consignment as an alternative

Since we’ve made the commitment to support (buy and promote) USA Made products whenever we can, we’ve had to become a bit more creative when it comes to our shopping habits.  For our daughter, almost all of her clothes have either been gifted to us, were consignment purchases, or have the “made in the USA” label on them.

For anyone new to this site, there are many reasons why we are buying USA made whenever possible.

1. We have made a commitment to quality over quantity. We’ve realized it’s a lot simpler, it’s less expensive over the long term, and it’s better for the environment to have fewer items that are long-lasting.
2. Slave labor, dangerous working conditions, low labor standards, and low wages permeate the overseas production process.  Buying USA made includes a much higher level of regulations, eliminating these practices.
3. The environmental standards in the USA are imperfect, but far higher and better than the production methods used in countries like China, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Pakistan, Thailand, etc. After visiting many overseas factories, then seeing the waste end up in the rivers, jeopardizing our food and eco-systems, it is clear that there are limited or no standards in these countries. Whether it’s the formaldehyde (used extensively in fabric and garment production among other things) showing up in seafood, or overseas pollution now affecting the USA, it’s obvious that more regulations are necessary in overseas production.
4. Then, there’s the fact that in the USA, the unemployment rate is still extremely high, and those who are working still can’t make ends meet. Instead of creating a middle class for China or India like overseas production will do, purchases of items made in the USA will rebuild a middle class here. Learn more about creating jobs, wages, or how your spending matters using these links.

While we always appreciate the gifts we receive, we can’t control the country of origin of them.

As for our purchased clothing items, we have found some reliable resources for USA made kids clothing, including Nordstrom, American Apparel, Green 3 Apparel, Bedhead Pajamas, some great local boutiques selling USA made, locally handmade or  upcycled items to name a few. But, it’s not practical to buy all of our daughter’s clothing via this means—we don’t have the time or budget for this.

Leaving us with consignment–which I’ve become a huge fan of. While most of the items we end up with are made overseas, the profit at least goes to local families and local businesses. I also save money on my purchases by not paying full retail. Yesterday I attended the biggest local consignment sale, Moppet Toggs. It runs each spring and fall for a few days, has a huge selection of quality products, and is well-organized. I bought enough clothing and shoes to last us until the next sale (assuming my daughter doesn’t have a major growth spurt before then)!  If we stumble upon a need between now and the next sale, we have many great, locally-owned consignment stores to shop from.

While consignment might not be perfect, it provides a great alternative to shopping with big box retailers who sell mostly imported goods.  Then, there’s always rosieMADE, or shopping the rosieNETWORK for great, USA made clothing options.