umm... where was the fabric made? Looks like Toray works out of china often. http://www.toray.com/globalnetwork/businesses/fiber/fib_002.html
I could be wrong as I can't find it for sure but I am pretty confident that your old KUIU gear has seen A LOT of time in China.
... and KUIU is out of America, that only means head office is in that country. My link shows that Toray manufactures a lot of its materials in china as well as Japan. I guess my link didn't work but here it is again.
I never remember reading that all the KUIU fabric is made in Japan but only that Toray is a Japanese company big difference.
I just find this interesting that "made" in China is a big deal when its SEWN there but if its manufactured in China and assembled somewhere else its ok?
Did Jason specifically say all fabric was made in Japan? If not then why weren't all these anti-china guys demanding the answer of where the fabric was made?
My understanding with talking with Jason is the fabric they used by Toray was made in Japan. If you remember the tsunami, earthquake and nuclear meltdown put there orders numerous months behind as the Toray factory wasn't that far from the affected areas and their materials production and exporting of it slowed down substantially.
I am all for Made in USA, but to think everything I own or use is made here would be impractical. As much as possible, surely, but everything not even close.
In today's business, how to American companies compete with labor rates overseas, they don't and can't. If an American made company is the one of the Top Dogs in their market area they can do it, if not, profits drive where they go for labor and that is usually overseas to some 13 year old working in a factory. Not what we would choose, but reality.