For many of us, when we hear the words “Made in America” we think of high quality items, fair wages, and safe working conditions. Compared to other top manufacturing countries, American standards soar above the rest. About 80% of consumers prefer “made in America” products and 60% of Americans say they are willing to pay 10% more for products originating from the US. Despite this, nearly 40% of our textiles and clothing still comes from China and our importation bill is six times higher than our exporting profits.
In 2016 alone, manufacturing contributed $2.25 trillion into the US economy, almost doubling its output. For every one dollar invested into manufacturing, $1.89 is added back into the economy. Taken at face value, US manufacturing would be the world’s 9th largest economy. Though giving the United States a much needed competitive edge in world trade, US manufacturing also bolsters local communities as well. Responsible for generating millions of jobs every year, many of which provide reliable and fair income sources for individuals without a college degree, US manufacturing drives more innovation than any other industry and makes up 8.5% of the US workforce.
In the past 25 years, US manufactured goods have quadrupled adding trillions of dollars back into the economy. What do you think when you hear “Made in the USA?” Take a look at this infographic brought to you by Standard Textile for more on the state of manufacturing in America, what its growth means for local, national, and global economies.
Infographic Courtesy of Standard Textile http://www.standardtextile.com/us-manufacturing/