Millennials Can Change the World-One American-Made Product at a Time

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American-Made, Millennial Approved: Why “Made in the USA” is the Obvious Choice for Millennials Who Care

If there’s one thing that I, a Gen Xer, can say about millennials, it’s that you care deeply about your causes. You’re an empathetic generation that has integrated your values into every aspect of your lives and will keep making the world around you a better place for all people to be. You’re reformers, activists, altruists, and world changers.

You’ve improved work environments, created a better work-life balance, stood up for your friends and neighbors, and are environmentally responsible. Your Gen-X and Boomer parents couldn’t get you to clean your bedroom growing up, but look at you now, separating your trash for recycling!

And that’s why I’m scratching my head.

Millennials, It’s Time to Buy American: Here’s Why it Matters

A recent consumer report confirms that millennials are less concerned about where the products they buy are made than previous generations. I wasn’t surprised by the result. Your adulting is done in a world where everything comes fast and cheap. (I know it doesn’t feel cheap, and we’ll get to that). With just one click, you can buy anything and have it arrive on your doorstep in two days.

Your social media feeds are flooded with influencers convincing you today’s must-haves should replace yesterday’s must-haves, and everywhere you look, you’re bombarded with ads intended to make you feel like you’re missing out if you don’t get the latest gadget.

On the other hand, it is a little perplexing. You are a world-changing generation that cares about people and the planet. Because of that, you should care where what you buy is made. You should care a lot.

Here’s why…

What You Buy and Where It’s Made Has a Lasting Impact

The buying choices you make, and you are the generation with the largest buying power right now, have a lasting impact on your wallet, your family’s health, your community, the economy, and the earth.

1. A Quick Look at American Quality

According to the same report, most Americans experience greater satisfaction with products made in the USA and believe American-made products are better overall.

In my 20s and early 30s, I went through a few lesser-quality mixers before my Grandma got me a American-made KitchenAid for Christmas. I’ve had that mixer for 20 years, and it’s still kneading dough like the first day I got it. At the rate motors were burning out on the cheaper alternatives, I’d have spent a lot more over the past two decades replacing mixers than Grandma spent on one KitchenAid.

Durability: Products made in the USA are generally made with higher-quality materials and better manufacturing processes, and American-made brands like KitchenAid have earned a reputation for being the best.
A Better Investment: Instead of repeatedly replacing the same thing, you can spend a little more upfront and have something that will last for years, sometimes even for generations. Cheaper alternatives might seem like a good deal at first, but if they don’t last, it’s like throwing money away.

2. Transparency and Accountability: Can You Trust Imported Products?

In 2007, U.S. regulatory agencies recalled children’s toys, baby bibs, and other products made in China. Fisher-Price alone recalled 967,000 toys, and Mattel recalled another 436,000 because of lead paint.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPC) met with China’s General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ). AQSIQ agreed to take immediate action to eliminate the use of lead paint on Chinese-manufactured toys exported to the United States. However, the problem persists. For example, in 2021, customs and border officials seized a shipment of toys from China due to unsafe lead and cadmium levels.

And it’s not just toys. Lead has been found in zippers on children’s clothes, toothpaste, dog food, and more. Those are just the products that “got caught.”

80% of toys sold in the United States are made in China.
More than 24% of children (0-6) in China have lead poisoning.

Brands made in the USA are more likely to value transparency and accountability. Many American-made brands can even trace the entire journey of their products and the materials used to make them. That’s impossible with products made abroad.

3. Fair & Ethical Production, A Millennial Core Value

Brands that manufacture products in the U.S.A. adhere to United States labor laws that require fair pay and safe working conditions for employees. These laws include:

The Fair Labor Standards Act established minimum wage requirements, overtime pay, and child labor standards.
The Occupational Safety and Health Act requires employers to provide safe workplaces and allows employees to report unsafe conditions without retaliation.
The National Labor Relations Act protects the rights of employees to organize, form unions, and collectively bargain. It prohibits unfair labor practices.
The Civil Rights Act prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. It covers hiring, promotion, termination, compensation, and workplace harassment. It also protects against retaliation for reporting discrimination.
The Equal Pay Act prohibits gender-based wage discrimination and requires equal pay for performing the same job with equal skill, effort, and responsibility.
The Family and Medical Leave Act provides eligible employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for certain family and medical reasons. It ensures employees won’t lose health coverage during FMLA leave while protecting the employees job position.
The Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities. In addition, it requires employers to provide reasonable accomodations for employees with disabilities.
The Trafficking Victims Protection Act prohibits employers from coercing workers into labor via threats, violence, and fraud and provides protections for trafficking victims.

In addition to adherence to labor laws, brands that manufacture products made in the USA often set their own standards offering employees quality health coverage, paid time off, and a living wage.

Unfortunately, these laws and standards don’t apply to manufacturing facilities overseas, and in many places, it’s pretty bad. For instance, in the Xinjiang region of China, the government uses threats, violence, torture, and other means to force labor in factories where clothing, shoes, linens, personal care items, housewares and other goods are manufactured and exported around the world, including the United States.

4. American-Made: The Sustainable Choice for Millennials

Environmental concerns are a big deal for Millennials and buying American-made products is an impactful way to reduce your carbon footprint.

Fewer Emissions: Importing products from overseas adds a lot emissions to the atmosphere. When you buy products made in the USA you help to cut down on carbon emissions by significantly reducing the miles your purchases have to travel to reach your home.
Environmental Laws: The United States has several environmental laws regulating manufacturing practices to protect public health and the environment including the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, and Toxic Substances Control Act. Many countries that make products overseas don’t have environmental laws and those that do have difficulty enforcing them.
Sustainable Practices: In addition to following federal environmental laws, many brands that manufacture products made in the USA are leaders in sustainable production practices. From ethical sourcing of materials to wind powered factories, buying American-made products often means you’re supporting brands that care about the planet.
Less Stuff in Landfills: When you buy high-quality products that last, you help to cut down on waste in landfills. Buying once and buying well is better for the environment.

5. “Made in USA” is Timeless and Trendy

They say less is more, and I 100% agree based on my experience as a consumer committed to buying goods made in the USA. Buying and consuming less doesn’t mean you have to jump head-first into minimalism and live in beige, blank space. But there was a time when your grandparents saved up for the items they brought into their homes. They made intentional choices and weren’t influenced to buy the latest thing to the degree generations today are.

It’s easy to fall into the trap of impulsive purchases with trends that change daily, constant sales, sponsored ads, Shein hauls, restocking videos, and overconsumption everywhere you turn. How many times have you bought something only to have it take up space in a closet, in a drawer, or on a shelf because it didn’t fulfill its subtle promise to make your life better?

Being intentional and spending a little more upfront on American-made products will save you money in the long run and shield you from buyer’s remorse. Imagine owning quality goods that never go out of style and enjoying those purchases long after the dopamine hit of checking out or seeing the blue van pull up. That would be a trend worth jumping in on.

(Don’t get me wrong. You can still get those deliveries. But have a trick up your sleeve.)

American-made products may cost more, but their durability means you’ll spend less replacing cheap alternatives. A quality set of cookware made in the USA will last a lifetime, and an American-made set of bed sheets will resist pilling wash after wash.

6. U.S. Job Creation and Economic Growth

According to the Pew Research Center, Millennials are classified as the generation born between 1981 and 1996 and a recent CNN study shows they are on track to be the first generation that won’t exceed their parent’s job status or income. The U.S. economy isn’t supporting increased occupational status, and Millennials have lower homeownership rates than previous generations.

When you buy products made in the USA, you support large and small businesses, manufacturing jobs, and service jobs in the United States along the entire supply chain. And it adds up. When Americans have good jobs, they buy homes. When they buy homes, they hire plumbers. Plumbers buy tools and parts for repair. The domino effect is infinite.

Buying American means:

Supporting U.S. Workers: You help to sustain jobs in communities across the United States.
Job Creation: When you buy goods made in the USA, you talk with your pocketbook. You’re telling brands that you prioritize American jobs, fair and ethical production, and accountability.
A Stronger Economy: Your purchases help American businesses grow and create a ripple effect in the U.S. economy.

Invest in What Matters

When you buy American, you’re contributing to a movement that values ethics, transparency, accountability, sustainability, and a stronger economy for yourself, your family, your community, and your country. Every purchase makes a difference and aligns with Millennial values. It’s a choice that drives positive change, and that’s something you can feel good about!

If I still haven’t convinced you, here are 50 more reasons to buy American.