Need your FEEDBACK NOW!!
MadeByYankees staff NEEDS to hear your opinion!!
After more than a year answering search requests from consumers, MadeByYankees staff has learned that the savvy consumer wants more information. We have been asked questions like, is that product Union made? Is it organic? Some folks have asked if the products we list are made from 100% domestic raw materials. Others would like to know if the companies making these products are being conscientious with our environment.
Because we respect your interests in “Made in USA” products, we are attempting to make this information available to you. However, as with all other tasks related to gathering “Made in USA” product information, it’s not simple to gather accurate information or present it in a clear and concise manner.
We believe, you can help us understand exactly what information you want to see.
Continued…
In the next paragraph, I’ll explain the anticipated changes to our site with regard to providing more information for each product. Then, we will review each specific situation. Last, I will ask for your input on how to move forward with providing the information you want to see.
If you search a product on our search page Search Page your results will include square ‘check’ boxes to the right of each product description. Each check box represents product criteria. We have check boxes indicating 100% Raw Materials, 100% Manufactured, 100% Assembly, 100% American Owned, Union Made, Green/Recycled, and Organic.
It all seems so simple.
It all seems simple enough on the surface. However, defining each of these items is a cumbersome process. Let’s start with the easy ones.
Union Made: Either the manufacturer has a unionized factor or they don’t. Simple enough, if they do have a unionized factory, we will mark the check box. If they don’t, we won’t.
Green/Recycled: This category is a bit more complicated. However, since our main goal is not to specifically identify environmentally friendly companies, we will simply ask if the company if they normally proclaim themselves to be environmentally friendly.
Organic: Same idea with the organic criteria. If the company proclaims their product to be organic then we will mark the check box.
It’s more complex then you think!
The more complex criteria include 100% American Owned, 100% Assembly, and 100% Raw materials sourced from USA.
100% American Owned: This criteria will need to be changed to read simply “American Owned”. Determining the percentage owned by American’s would result in a time consuming effort that could never be verified. But yet, providing this detail will give you additional information to help you make an informed decision.
100% Assembly: Though most products claiming to be “Made in USA” are 100% assembled in the USA some are not. Some products are actually manufactured in the US and sent to a foreign country for assembly. The Hunter Fan brand is an example of this. Currently, the Hunter Fan brand is not listed in our database as it does not meet the strict MadeByYankees criteria. Including assembly information will allow the Hunter Fan Brand to be added to our database as the assembly criteria will be clearly marked, again assisting you in making informed decisions. As a side note, ceiling fans “Made in USA” are difficult to find. The Hunter brand is the ceiling fan that comes closest to the “Made in USA” label, but yet is not listed in our database.
100% Manufactured in the USA: Again this criterion seems to be straight forward, if the product is 100% manufactured in the USA then the check box would be marked. If some part of it is manufactured elsewhere, the check box would stay blank. An example is the Lasko box fan. The fan is manufactured and assembled in the USA with motors that were manufactured and assembled elsewhere.
100% Raw materials from the USA: This is the criteria that is the most difficult to deal with. Manufacturers that are listed in our database are indicating that though their products are mostly made of raw materials from the US, it is very difficult to have the product 100% domestic raw materials. If we use the term 100% domestic raw materials, I anticipate a large number will not be marked as such. This may give the impression that products not marked are not using a good deal of raw materials from the USA. That is simply not true. Those listed on our site are using a very high percentage of domestic raw materials; they are just unable to finish their product without that one small component which is either not made in the USA at all or is too costly to purchase from an American company.
If we change the criteria to read “Raw Materials from the USA” leaving off the 100%, then you have no idea how much of the materials are from the USA. This designation might result in more questions than answers. However, MadeByYankees would then need to use the often unclear FTC regulations. Those regulations include language such as “the product should contain no — or negligible — foreign content” as well as “the cost of the raw materials and how far removed from the finished product is must also be considered.”
Now it is your turn.
Are all seven of the criteria important to you?
Which are not important?
Are there other pieces of information you would like?
Are you satisfied with our approach to the 100% Assembly and 100% manufactured criteria?
How would you like to see the 100% Raw Material criteria handled?
Post NOW!
June 21st, 2009 at 4:57 pm
I am only interested in keeping American workers employed. If that means a small part of the assembly is not done by Americans or some of the elements are not American, it would be nice to know. But, I want to buy American products realizing in this day it might be near-impossible to find a product that somehow doesn’t have some ‘foreign’ element.
It is a difficult project for you to handle as companies are continuing to find new sources or bring back to American shores some of the work done overseas. However you are able to provide the information will be a big help to me.
Thank you
June 21st, 2009 at 5:19 pm
I am interested in buying American and supporting union made where possible. Too many of our jobs have gone overseas and too many illegals are taking jobs without the benefit to us of paying taxes. I would appreciate all American made information! Thanks for your efforts!
June 21st, 2009 at 5:27 pm
I have resisted buying products made out of the US for years, especial Chinese manufactured products. As a former teacher, I know the value of manufacturing jobs for students with different brain wiring – not everyone is destined for a college degree.
Whatever information you can provide regarding US manufactured goods is important to me ~ I go without many items because I prefer to use US manufactured goods.
I am getting ready to do many things in a home re-model, so I am particularly interested in US manufactured faucets, interior doors with hardware, sinks, shelving, etc. If you can provide information on these products it would be most helpful to our household at this time!
Thanks for your efforts.
June 21st, 2009 at 6:05 pm
i am interested in buying american made anything when i can get it.it doesnt have to be union made,just americans doing the work.the materials would be nice to have been in our country.i just cant believe that companies cant make a profit using american materials and american workers.
June 22nd, 2009 at 7:14 am
I am interested in buying American made products. I will go out of my way to look for them. I want to bring jobs back to this country.
There are too many people out of work here. We need manufacturing jobs for the unemployed here.
Thank you for all you can do.
June 22nd, 2009 at 8:06 am
I do not care if is recycled, as long as it is made in the USA from materials from the US. I will not allow any thing in my house made outside of the US.
June 22nd, 2009 at 10:33 am
Your company is taking on a tremendously time consuming task in researching this info and categorizing everything. I feel that I can speak for any true blooded American citizen when I say thank you for your monumentous effort and dedication towards bringing manufacturing and production back to our great nation.
June 22nd, 2009 at 12:05 pm
I for one alway’s check label’s etc.to find American made product’s.If you do your research you would be surprised how many thing’s one can find ! Made by yankee’s is a great service to help you in this very important way to promote us AMERICAN’S!!
June 22nd, 2009 at 12:47 pm
In these dificult times where US jobs was touch to find (and keep), I want very much to support those patriotic manufactuers and craftsmen who use our resources and our citizens (and LEGAL aliens)to produce the prodcts we use.
Drop the “100%” criteria — but do mention which of the processes are domestic. In the this world of economic reality. I’m gladly take a half (better two-thirds) a loaf than none.
While I don’t particularly care if its organiic or recycled — I realize others may for reason that are valid and legit. But definitely keep the others including Union-made.
Sure wish the Federal Government, military included, would give AMERICAN PREFERENCE to its goods and services vendors — the way it used to be.
I would buy or subscribe to any listing you publish.
June 22nd, 2009 at 8:08 pm
The important thing for me is that American workers produced it. Maybe a formula could be developed incorporating both assembly man-hours and component man-hours. What infuriates me is that retailers won’t offer two versions of the same product: Made in USA and Made in …… the way hardware stores did many years ago. We want a choice!
June 24th, 2009 at 2:29 pm
Thank you for your efforts to stop the oursourcing of our jobs. You and people like you will save this country from the greedy and the selfish.
Are all seven of the criteria important to you?
yes, but to varying degrees
Which are not (as) important?
100% Raw materials from the USA
Are there other pieces of information you would like?
no
Are you satisfied with our approach to the 100% Assembly and 100% manufactured criteria?
yes
How would you like to see the 100% Raw Material criteria handled?
change “100% Raw materials from the USA” to “Majority of raw materials from the USA” and give the percentage (if available)
P.S.
You might like this article by Eric Buell
From:
http://www.forbes.com
Made In America
I’m Placing My Bet On American Manufacturing
Erik Buell, 05.28.09, 06:00 PM EDT
Motorcycle maker Erik Buell shares his vision on surviving and thriving against fierce competition.
In 10 years, we will look back and say this was our moment in time when we turned it around. The re-trenching–or in the case of the American auto industry, re-wrenching–brings us back to our roots. It lets us scrap our production lines and stand empty-handed in the garage or backyard, and start again. From this time of crisis, American manufacturing will be reborn. Call me an optimist, but consider what’s happening in my world, in the fast-paced world of sport bikes.
In recent history, overseas competitors have dominated the industry. This is especially true in professional American motorcycle road racing, or it was until earlier this spring when a virtually unknown 22-year-old rider from Broken Arrow, Okla., raced his way to the top of the podium on the bike of a small, relatively unknown company.
Have you heard of Buell Motorcycles? We’re a 200-person motorcycle manufacturer in the U.S., founded 25 years ago. At a time when American manufacturing is taking hits, we are making history. It’s been 37 years since any American manufacturer has won even a major event in the AMA Pro road racing circuit. But not even halfway through the season, and we have not just one, but three wins under our belt, near the top in the points standings and a bright, glaring spotlight upon us.
With any spotlight comes whining, finger pointing, and what we can only interpret as self-doubt from all those that believe America can’t do it. Those that told themselves the only way to win was with carbon copy clones of what the other guys were doing. We don’t blame them for being upset. We only wanted to compete; and it was time, if you ask me, to cause such a stir.
We didn’t get here with sheer manpower. Honda ( HMC – news – people ) has nearly one-thousand times the staff we do. We didn’t get here with a race shop powered by hundreds of engineers. Ducati’s shop has resources off the charts compared to ours. And those familiar with Buell’s history know that luck certainly wasn’t a factor.
The truth is we are dreamers, who dream of a positive, exciting future. And dreamers have the willingness to risk it all in pursuit of that dream. Buell was started in a tiny garage in the early 1980s, as the U.S. staggered under a recession and the loss of manufacturing jobs overseas. It was started with the sheer revolutionary spirit that said “We are not going to become defensive and hold onto old ways, we need to be aggressive and take on new challenges.”
We built our company to be different from the start. Following industry norms never interested us. Winning takes risks. And we want to win, not just on the racetrack but in sales, which for the sport bike industry are really one in the same. As I see it, the American way to win is to be driven by ideas and heart. Not a blind race to a product that doesn’t resonate with customer or manufacturer.
We assemble our bikes by hand on a single assembly line, which is uncommon in manufacturing these days. Each person knows how to do the job in front of them and behind them and rotate regularly to prevent boredom and build collaboration. Every part on a new bike is brought to life with a small team from within the company that sees the bike through from conception to production. It gives a sense of ownership as to the success or failure of a piece.
This process is loved by our builders as much as it is by our customers. Riders appreciate the personal influence that brought forth their bike from start to finish. Of course this isn’t the only way for American manufacturers to rebuild, but freeing yourself enough to imagine new ideas is easier if you aren’t burdened by replication equations and trying to prescribe a product that you think the market will take.
We’re in the workshop bringing new ideas to life through ruthless engineering–like sculpting a chassis around an engine that many said was too big and unruly for a sport bike. We are trying out wild new technologies like putting fuel in the frame and developing a perimeter-mounted front brake that reduces wheel weight. Ideas that elevated the performance of the bike beyond what conventional wisdom dictated. Ideas that enhanced the connection between rider, bike and road.
At the end of the day, if I had to put money on a team of sterile engineers with no emotional connection to the product they are producing, or a team that is creative, fearless, driven by the passion and soul of a thing, there is really no choice.
Here’s to building the best.
Erik Buell is the founder, chairman and chief technical officer of Buell Motorcycles, an independent subsidiary of Harley-Davidson.
July 1st, 2009 at 6:59 pm
Each of the criteria you have identified are important to me as they add to the information I need to make the best purchasing decision.
Thank you very much for your web site and all of the work that you do to make it available to the public. You provide a valuable service.
August 31st, 2011 at 5:43 pm
I’d like to see a campaign like Australian Made http://www.australianmade.com.au here in the States. This is America! Why can’t our Chamber of Commerce emulate what the Aussies have done? It’s a joke.