Ever since becoming a mother, I find myself checking labels on everything! Being a self proclaimed foodie I've been checking food labels for most of my adult life, but have only recently started noticing where other things are made. While i was a nanny there were quite a few recalls on kids toys made in China due to poor quality and hazardous materials, so I vowed that when I had my own kids I would try my best to not buy anything made in China. Now, there are a few things, in our modern world that are made overseas that most of us couldn't live without (or would rather not)! Basically if you want any kind of electronic devices you'll have to compromise a bit on this particular moral dilemma!
My first step in trying to eliminate our foreign dependence on stuff was to eliminate one of the main sources of cheap, poorly made, crap.... Walmart! I'm proud to say I haven't set foot in a Walmart in almost 3 years. It actually hasn't been that hard! Between Target, online shopping and nice local stores, I've been able to not purchase many new things made in China. I also don't feel like it ended up costing us any more in the long run. Yes the USA made pair of shoes might (but not always!!!) be twice as much as you would normally pay for a pair of shoes but chances are they will last you twice as long, if not longer. Not to mention the peace of mind knowing that the toys/clothes/shoes you're buying for your children are probably not going to give them lead poisoning anytime soon.
Once you start looking into where things are made it's actually quite shocking to see things that are quintessentially American that are made in China. Things like Nike, playskool, and even American Girl dolls, are all made in China! I find it extremely disheartening that American companies outsource jobs just so they can increase profits! I'm happy to say that most of Little Tikes toys, some New Balance sneakers, and plenty of other products are made in the USA.... you just have to know where to look!
For the record, I don't work for or have any investment in any of the name brands I listed above! I'm just 1 mommy trying to make our home a bit safer and the economy a little better! Stop buying foreign made products, don't be afraid to let companies know that as long as they outsource we won't support them with our hard earned money, and jobs will start to return to the USA!
Here are a few great websites to get you started:
https://bank.bigbellybanks.com//home.php
http://www.toysofusa.com
http://www.squidoo.com/babytoysnotmadeinchina
http://www.greentoys.com/
https://www.madeinamericastore.com/?gclid=CNn1scaf6rECFUTAKgodrEUAwQ
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