What does "Made in USA" actually mean in menswear today? About 97% of the clothes we buy are made overseas, and I wanted to explore how and when that happened, and what it takes for brands to keep manufacturing in the US today. So I interviewed five small brands that choose to keep as much of their operation as possible here:

* Mountain & Sackett: neckties cut and sewn in New York City since 1957 [https://go.shopmy.us/p-88567446](https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUZZTVljRjJzcmpoUV9TdnVmeWQ1ZzRTZnk3ZnxBTl9pYzRlTnI0WE1La3JicDR0ZnllVXRsQUJwWklkNWRqaXY5UlczVlE3OUduZTJocm5oVnZGcVM1Vzl2QVBFdUJaT21wRWczX1MzN2Y1Z0V0M1ZSRWtmcF9JeFZ1Q292ZDYt&q=https%3A%2F%2Fgo.shopmy.us%2Fp-88567446&v=uSHhOFF0Tik)
* American Trench: a Philadelphia brand that sources yarn from a family-owned mill in North Carolina, wool from Connecticut, and is making a new overcoat in the Garment District in New York City [https://ktku.co/1Or](https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUZZTVljRVBiUlIyNVNhZllmaHU1ejZhTXFlM3xBTl9pYzRmMWZ5NmNTRVBLVmFCRGFaVkZodG9ESWJudFFBZ3ZBUC05c196NkdlekxGZ2x5MTA0YlhhQjRYT3cxU2dPYVplN3VPNFVzNGFVVGZDMGwtNUx6bmY3NFZkYXI4SUZV&q=https%3A%2F%2Fktku.co%2F1Or&v=uSHhOFF0Tik)
* Richter Goods: Western-influenced clothing made in San Antonio, Texas [https://go.shopmy.us/p-88568320](https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUZZTVljRUU1QmpUQUNDcEdwSGRRTHdsc0trS3xBTl9pYzRlZDkxdDhncm0xc2pGM3pwUjJZUUZBX19uRml5NnZUemFZSlRqVVRrd1QyajFCVG1pYXVZWFpQM1I1eTRVUE8xb0tYV09hMW8xVnRCRXVmeHdHYkRaOTltZGZfcXFv&q=https%3A%2F%2Fgo.shopmy.us%2Fp-88568320&v=uSHhOFF0Tik)
* Aurora Shoe Co.: shoes made in upstate New York from almost entirely domestic materials [https://go.shopmy.us/p-88568525](https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUZZTVljRUw1Mzl0bUgta2ItRXdsU081S294OHxBTl9pYzRmUkw1aWtIcWRwUk9CWi1LRlJzNDhqSjBoT09mdy1Wc0ZfaW1CaC1NMGd5aDlSRkk5TTdXOXg0MW8tbTIzV1ZtTFkzUG9oSUJhbG42YnRady0wN2NRcF94OXdkZDYy&q=https%3A%2F%2Fgo.shopmy.us%2Fp-88568525&v=uSHhOFF0Tik)
* Detroit Soft Goods: easy-to-wear cotton staples nine years in the making before striking out with its own brand [https://go.shopmy.us/p-88568704](https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUZZTVljR0taX2VxVGFpTW10aThTYXZzcjFPVHxBTl9pYzRjS0RvM0s3YV94U3BLeXRsVk01LTRua1FDa3NZMzBqTHJkM3RoYnZ6alNMOEQ3VFROOXdKajFoWE03S0F0a3dOSXc4ZjJvc0JheGxSSWNSY09MTlU2bGlJU2JQd1Rm&q=https%3A%2F%2Fgo.shopmy.us%2Fp-88568704&v=uSHhOFF0Tik) 

Each founder explains what "Made in US" means to them, along with the challenges they face. I also discuss the gap between what brands legally disclose and what their marketing suggests, including labels like "Designed in USA." Manufacturing overseas is the norm, and this isn't a criticism of brands that do it. My only intention is to bring up the subject in order to help you read a label more clearly and decide what really matters to you. BOOK MENTIONED: Crafted With Pride: A Directory of Made in USA Gear (3rd edition): [https://ktku.co/1Os](https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUZZTVljR0FSWUpGc0JRdVY3RWEwNGlfMFNSMHxBTl9pYzRmeS1XMGc2U1ZfM3ljWGxGb1NYcHVtZGQxVDBmZzM5UXNJSzg1ZHRiSW84WGhrTTlDUmZncVJMY1dDQW9xUEJFLVZXQXJPRmt4djBSYU95MWRCc1dNeXA2d0pxb1lr&q=https%3A%2F%2Fktku.co%2F1Os&v=uSHhOFF0Tik) A directory of more than 2,400 American-made brands. Look for the latest edition, since listings change. CHAPTERS 

* [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSHhOFF0Tik) Introduction 
* [01:22](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSHhOFF0Tik&t=82s) How manufacturing left the US 
* [02:54](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSHhOFF0Tik&t=174s) Mountain & Sackett 
* [09:27](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSHhOFF0Tik&t=567s) American Trench 
* [17:31](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSHhOFF0Tik&t=1051s) Richter Goods 
* [29:22](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSHhOFF0Tik&t=1762s&pp=0gcJCWMAwfN6Pr3D) Aurora Shoe Co. 
* [33:58](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSHhOFF0Tik&t=2038s) Detroit Soft Goods 
* [38:33](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSHhOFF0Tik&t=2313s&pp=0gcJCWMAwfN6Pr3D) "Designed in USA" and the transparency gap 
* [40:25](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSHhOFF0Tik&t=2425s) A Directory of Made in USA Gear 
* [41:29](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSHhOFF0Tik&t=2489s) Closing Thoughts 

What does "Made in USA" mean to you? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Peter's Prism: What "Made in USA" Means Today