It's not so easy to find out if something is made in America.
The "Buy American Act" states that in order for a company to label a product as being made in America, more than 50% of the product's parts must have been manufactured in the U.S. The Act also requires the U.S. government to prefer American-made products in their purchases. With recent reports of tainted foreign products being sold in America, many consumers are looking for the security of a "Made in U.S.A." label. But you may be surprised by how difficult it can be to actually determine if an item was made in the U.S. However, there are steps you can take to check the origins of a product.
Instructions
1. Check the product itself for a "Made in U.S.A." label. If that phrase isn't stamped or embossed on the product, check for a tag that might contain the "Made in" information. Also be sure to check the box the product came in. This is the simplest, easiest way to determine where a product was made. Be aware that if a product is labeled "Made in America," this does not necessarily mean the U.S. The term America in this case could refer to any country in North America or South America. Also be wary of labels that state "packaged in," "assembled in" or "designed in." A product may have been assembled in the U.S., but the components may have been manufactured in a foreign country.
2. Go online to check the origins of the product you want to buy. If you want to be sure that the product you're buying was made in the U.S., there are online databases and engines that allow you to peruse their listings to check that the item you're purchasing was made in the U.S. If the product you're looking to buy is a textile, wool or fur, you can check if the business manufacturing it has a Registered Identification Number (RN). The RN is a number issued to a U.S.-based business, upon request, by the Federal Trade Commission. The RN only applies to textiles, wool and fur manufacturers.
3. If you're still unsure of whether or not a product was made in the U.S., you can call the manufacturer. This can be a difficult step because the supply chain of products can become very convoluted. It's entirely possible that the person you talk to at the company may not know where the product is made. In this case, call the company or business directly instead of calling the retailer where you plan to buy the product.
