Made in the USA

As a proud American, I think it's important to support the American people.

No matter what is going on politically or militarily, I see America a just that: the America that the pilgrims came to. Sure, things have changed and times are different. I get it. But that doesn't mean that it's wrong to support my neighbors. We're all on this journey of life and we all posses goals and dreams- I feel it's my duty as an American to support the dreams of others.

Karma? No. Just a fundamental responsibility of being human.

This does't mean that I don't buy outside of the USA or have a strong hate towards outsourced jobs- I run in Nikes, love my Apple products, and absolutely love European designers. But, when I can, I buy American. To make it easier for you, I've made a list of some of my personal favorite American made brands:

1. Cotton Snaps

2. KJP

3. L.L. Bean

4. J Brand

5. Southern Proper

6. PKP

7. True Religion

8. Vineyard Vines

This list ranges from American made- in the sense that they sell products produced in America by Americans- to small businesses that have experienced great growth in the last year or so. I find that both supporting American and small business is important for the economy. 

Small-er businesses are so much more fun, in my opinion. Whether it's an Etsy shop or just a small online boutique, the customer service is generally fantastic. I love being able to form that merchant/buyer relationship and feel good about my purchase. It is true that American Made or small businesses are often more expensive, making it more challenging at times to justify buying something twice as expensive because it "supports small business". And you know what? I think that's okay. Business is all about supply and demand, and if the supply is greater than the demand, the merchant will take the hint.  

Alright, I'll hop off my soap box now.

But before I go...

Buy Small Business!