Made in China

[jspradley]

This goes against the typical much pushed corporate model of purchase, use, break, discard and rebuy. Make Americans into non stop consumers, the Walmart way.

Yep, and the only way to break the cycle is to educate ourselves and others. #staywoke lol

 

[Poser]

I’ve seen an interesting debate on this topic concerning snowboards. The vast majority of boards are made in 3 factories: Austria, China and Dubai. There are, however, a number of boutique American manufacturers who make the case for snowboards manufacturered by snowboarders. Personally, I own 2 American made boards and at least one made in each of the three factories abroad.

The broader argument goes like this:

You pay $400-$600 for a higher end board made overseas in a factory that does nothing but make snowboards for dozens of different brands. The process, whether in a factory in China or in a garage is basically the same and little of it can be automated, however, the factories have presses and laminate machines that boutique shop can never afford, though you pay more like $600-$1200 for a US made board.

The guy who works in a factory in China does nothing but manufacture boards every day, all day, year around with the best equipment money can buy. The guy making boards in a US shop likely lasts less than 3 years while going through his post college ski bum phase, making less than $15 an hour, making a few dozen boards for just a few months out of the year on largely homemade equipment.

Which factory produces a higher quality and more consistent product? Which factory has the more experienced/expert fabricators?

It is an interesting question.

 

[ODB]

China is raping Africa in ways that boggle the mind. You think English/French/Portuguese colonialism was bad for rural Africans...you ain’t seen nothing yet...

 

[Wildstreak]

Wildstreak I appologize.My bad on the politics in your thread.
If you want,I'll edit mine out.

No worries. No need to edit it. Typically I’m as political as they come.

 

[Wildstreak]

I’ve seen an interesting debate on this topic concerning snowboards. The vast majority of boards are made in 3 factories: Austria, China and Dubai. There are, however, a number of boutique American manufacturers who make the case for snowboards manufacturered by snowboarders. Personally, I own 2 American made boards and at least one made in each of the three factories abroad.

The broader argument goes like this:

You pay $400-$600 for a higher end board made overseas in a factory that does nothing but make snowboards for dozens of different brands. The process, whether in a factory in China or in a garage is basically the same and little of it can be automated, however, the factories have presses and laminate machines that boutique shop can never afford, though you pay more like $600-$1200 for a US made board.

The guy who works in a factory in China does nothing but manufacture boards every day, all day, year around with the best equipment money can buy. The guy making boards in a US shop likely lasts less than 3 years while going through his post college ski bum phase, making less than $15 an hour, making a few dozen boards for just a few months out of the year on largely homemade equipment.

Which factory produces a higher quality and more consistent product? Which factory has the more experienced/expert fabricators?

It is an interesting question.

My original post was spurred by a similar situation. I was looking at a pair of Vortex Razor binoculars. To my surprise they are made in China. I thought they were made in Japan. However, Leupold makes binos that are just as good, arguably better and have been in business much, much longer and have a higher chance of staying in business for just a couple hundred more dollars. Is it worth it to me? You bet.

 

[NDGuy]

just a couple hundred more dollars.

Part you are all missing is to most people a few hundred dollars is their month's groceries. People want the best they can get for the price they can afford. For most I know that rarely has a US sticker on it anymore.

Bottom line whoever makes the best product for the money, get's my money. We are a global world and economy, quit bitching and make a better product or shrink your costs. That's how capitalism works.

 

[SoDaky]

China and ‘capitalism’?

Hilarious.

 

[CorbLand]

Part you are all missing is to most people a few hundred dollars is their month's groceries. People want the best they can get for the price they can afford. For most I know that rarely has a US sticker on it anymore.

Bottom line whoever makes the best product for the money, get's my money. We are a global world and economy, quit bitching and make a better product or shrink your costs. That's how capitalism works.

This is my sentiments. For me its a cost/benefit analysis and that is what dictates what I buy.

 

[NDGuy]

The principles behind it, improve yourself or get beat by someone doing it better/cheaper than you. US should work less on trying to drag dying industries back on their feet (coal/manufacturing etc) and start focusing on others. Robots and cleaner energy are here to stay and those industries need for labor will be gone soon. Change with the times or get swept away with the wind.

 

[NDGuy]

This is my sentiments. For me its a cost/benefit analysis and that is what dictates what I buy.

Yes and if someone makes an awesome product or similar product that is made in the US, I will gladly buy it. I am just not going to shell out way more money for something that is worse just because it says USA on it.

 

[Crippledsledge64]

I prefer to buy American when I can but when you’re in college on one income that’s tough to justify all the time. In other cases American made isn’t as good anymore. That said if I can afford a few more dollars for a superior product made by another American you bet but I’m not going to be upset at the guy wearing Chinese products either. Everyone’s situation is different.

 

[Kootenay Hunter]

It all started when greedy na corporations started to look for ways to make things cheaper and pocket the difference. The first thing you hear on dragon's den is 'I can make you rich by moving production overseas'

Yes, there are some super cheap manufacturing going on overseas, but not all is terrible. China has some of the latest and greatest technology when it comes to manufacturing.

Remember that a lot of components from US made things are sourced from all over the world and assembled, a lot of which are from China.

Personally, you have to hold it in your hands and see it to determine if it's good quality, not just look at the label. I've bought product from NA and Europe that turned out to be utter crap too.

 

[Newtosavage]

Part you are all missing is to most people a few hundred dollars is their month's groceries. People want the best they can get for the price they can afford. For most I know that rarely has a US sticker on it anymore.

Bottom line whoever makes the best product for the money, get's my money. We are a global world and economy, quit bitching and make a better product or shrink your costs. That's how capitalism works.

Figured it wouldn't take long for someone to come along and tell the OP to quit their bitchin'

In this case, I have to agree.

It's not the Chinese fault that they were approached by Americans to manufacture products for Americans. Just like it's not their fault that the majority of Americans have no problem buying products made in China. If you want to bitch, at least lay the blame where it belongs. Might as well blame coca farmers for the cocaine problem while you're at it.

 

[NDGuy]

Figured it wouldn't take long for someone to come along and tell the OP to quit their bitchin'

To be clear I wasn’t talking about OP, I’m talking to companies that complain about these issues.

 

[Rich M]

I too would rather buy from US companies and agree that Trump is bringing jobs back.

It will take some time to turn the tide - if folks care about it. Same folks probably don't care about the whole illegal immigration thing. Folks want to be part of the "world system" instead of being in charge of it. Head in the sand kind of stuff.

Think of OAC and Amazon - NYC could have had a giant business buying land, paying taxes, and employing lots of folks who would in tern pay income taxes, buy land, pay taxes, and support other local businesses. She said it was bad to give them a tax break. LOL! Threw away billions or trillions in easy revenue thinking that the tax break was actual cash in the bank. That's the kind of things we fight to bring industries back to the US.

Someone talked about tariffs - that's just a negotiation tactic. He's yapping about that to get them to lower the barriers they have against our products. It is just good business. Some might get in a huff over that statement - do you want your kid working for $10/hr or $50/hr? If we keep buying 10 cent junk from China, less US jobs, lower salaries. Simple supply and demand being converted to businesses. Gotta keep the eye on the prize - better US business, selling more to other folks so we can make more to sell and make more money.

So - why does stuff cost less when made overseas? Cheap labor cause people live in squallor, Child labor, Slave labor, Longer hours (no worker's rights), No environmental controls - stuff gets dumped into rivers and spewed into the air, No worker safety rules/OSHA, Etc. If they cut corners, these are the ones they cut.

I keep thinking of the toys made in China that had hazardous levels of lead and chemicals for our kids to put in their mouths. Kept the price down and that's all that matters - right?

Was also thinking about quality of goods but that doesn't seem like a real issue these days.

Just more useless opinions. Keeps the world interesting. Can't wait to see if I pulled my tag! Need to wait til June...

 

[Wildstreak]

Figured it wouldn't take long for someone to come along and tell the OP to quit their bitchin'

In this case, I have to agree.

It's not the Chinese fault that they were approached by Americans to manufacture products for Americans. Just like it's not their fault that the majority of Americans have no problem buying products made in China. If you want to bitch, at least lay the blame where it belongs. Might as well blame coca farmers for the cocaine problem while you're at it.

Please enlighten me, how exactly was I bitching?

 

[Newtosavage]

Please enlighten me, how exactly was I bitching?

Oh, I dunno...

Do those 3 words irk the shit out of anyone other than me?

but it just chaps my rear end

 

[Newtosavage]

Was also thinking about quality of goods but that doesn't seem like a real issue these days

Unfortunately for most people, that IS the issue (that quality is not an issue anymore).

Personally, I'd love to see more U.S. companies produce the things we use. Why? Because they would have to pay a decent wage, and in turn support our U.S. economy, AND most importantly, the cost of needless sh*t would go up. And that would take us back to when small things actually MATTERED to kids, if and when they got them.

Part of the problem today is the sense of entitlement that comes with the instant gratification kids get anymore. If they had to actually wait on gifts or even sometimes essentials, because they cost more, that would do them some good.

So I'm in favor of bringing those jobs back to the U.S., for a lot of reasons.

 

[Wildstreak]

Oh, I dunno...

If someone stating they don’t like something is bitching then you must be wound especially tight.

 

[Newtosavage]

If someone stating they don’t like something is bitching then you must be wound especially tight.

Just going by the standard I've been measured by here.

Everyone needs a good venting session from time to time. I was actually joking with you (based on some of the responses I've gotten when I said I didn't like something). No worries bud.