I often ponder how “Made in the USA” goods can become more marketable. Products made here are often of better quality, but more expensive to buy. To some extent, US-manufactured goods can save our economy.
But what could possibly propel tight-fisted consumers to buy pricier nationally-made goods?
When I saw the Delta crib recall today, it hit me: Danger. “Made in China” has always had its risks, like lead-tainted toys. Now, parents have even more evidence that avoiding Chinese-made goods will keep their tots safe. From Reuters:
China, embroiled in a tainted milk scandal that has made thousand of infants sick, said it took product safety very seriously, especially where children were concerned, after a new report about faulty Chinese-made cribs.
New York-based Delta Enterprises recalled on Monday almost 1.6 million cribs made in China, Indonesia and Taiwan after it said two babies died. It did not give details.
The crib recall is one of the largest in U.S. history and follows another recall of 2,000 cribs, also made in China, which was issued by the Consumer Product Safety Commission on Thursday.
It comes about a year after a massive recall of Chinese toys tainted with lead and sold by Mattel Inc.
Tragic as the situation is, endangered children may provide the perfect impetus for parents–one set of consumers among many–to go American-made. For a list of Made in USA baby products and cribs, check out this website.
Check it out: A funny comic explaining the 2007-2008 Mortgage crisis.
If killing babies doesn’t lessen the need to offshore manufacturing I don’t know what will. Like I have said, Fisher-Price toys get checked at the door in my house.
This is a shame…I wonder how many infants have been hurt by the recalled models?
I can’t afford to buy all American made products and, even if I could, I would still buy a product based on its actual quality. Actual quality can’t simply be pegged on the product’s country of origin as it seems the author is implying.
Bassett brand brags of being American made, but has had several recalls over the years for injuries and deaths caused by its products, including one recall just a year ago. Simplicity brand is another American made crib that has recently faced recalls for problems that could cause strangulation. Land of Nod recalled cribs in 2006 for having lead paint. This is not the end of the list.
A purchase of a crib should be about the safety of the baby, not the parents’ pride over being an American. Do research into the quality of the product and don’t rely on over-generalized arguments like the one presented in this article.
the problem i have is “made in USA” doesnt always really meant its made there, in some cases it is simply assembled in USA but the parts still come from all over the place.