I worked a show this weekend where I met the most fascinating person. He makes leather handbags. You can buy, from this guy a made in america leather handbag that he sewed in his upstate NY studio. The leather is purchased from a tannery right there in his town. For me, the story gets even better. This man’s father owned a leather coat factory in the same town. And my leather handbag making friend ran the factory with his Dad until China came into the picture and his customers could get cheaper coats from overseas. He got out of the factory business and moved his operations home, where he has been making leather handbags for thirty years. He has a loyal following. One woman came up and “complained” he made his bags too well and hers wouldnt wear out so she could get a new one! But meeting and getting to know this person over 2 days of a very slow show got me to thinking. What happened to the mantra “Buy American”? I lived in Bethlehem PA; home of Bethlehem Steel. Buying a foreign car was akin to treason in that town. When I did buy a new car; a Subaru I was asked repeatedly why I didnt buy American. I had done my research and no American car manufacutors were making 4wd cars with the same features for the same price. American car makers caught on and now there is much more choice. But take the leather handbag market for example. You could have gone to the Shaker Craft fair (an unfortunate name, by the way, there were plenty of artists there and hopefully the name will be changed to artisan and craft fair but i digress) this weekend and purchases a stylish, well made leather handbag made in america for under $35.00 or you could go to a big name leather retailer who’s bags are apparently not made in American anymore and spend at least 2 1/2 times that much. Granted you will get a bag that has a name most everyone recognizes and many covet or you could get a bag that keeps not one but two local businesses in business and be guaranteed you won’t need another bag for well basically until you want another bag. If you do purchase a leather handbag from that leather retailer not one single person will ask why you didnt buy American. And yet you would be keeping not one but two local businesses in business.
I live in New York state which has a long and rich agricultural history. If everyone who wanted to farm were given the opportunity I think we could feed and clothe ourselves not only from American made good but from NY state made products. I know I know. I am such an idealist! The next time you drive by a new house going up on what used to be farmland ask yourself. “What did I do to keep that farmland active?” Did you shop at your local farm market before you did your grocery shopping at the big chain? Did you buy your last presents from a local artisan or at the mall or big box store? When you fix your family a meal is the food grown in this country or is it grown in countries with different safety standards than ours?
We, the american consumer has an enormous amount of power and control of our economy and our community. Do you wield your power or acquiesce to the usual?
