Why U.S. Apparel Manufacturing Will Never Come Back
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Written by a third-generation garmento with over 30 years of experience in the apparel industry.
I’m not writing this as a trend chaser or some GQ-featured menswear startup founder who just discovered "Made in USA" as a brand gimmick.
I’ve worked this industry from the bottom up — from NYC pattern house, making suits to living in Mexico City for 9 years inside real working factories then back to the USA. I’ve worked retail, design, manufacturing, and global production. And I’m telling you straight: U.S. apparel manufacturing is never coming back the way people think it will.
The Exodus Started in the 1980s — And We Let It Happen
In the early ’80s, the U.S. introduced Tariff Item 807/801, allowing companies to send raw materials abroad, assemble finished garments overseas, then re-import them at reduced duties. That gutted domestic cut-and-sew almost overnight. [CBP Reference]
By the ’90s, NAFTA accelerated the dismantling of U.S. factories. Equipment worth millions was disassembled and shipped overseas. We didn’t just lose jobs. We lost the physical tools and skilled trades that made large-scale production possible.
2000s: The Rise of Global Production
After China joined the WTO in 2001, American consumerism exploded. Overseas factories upgraded rapidly, mastering automation, digital pattern-making, and advanced finishing techniques. While they evolved, we got nostalgic.
Today, overseas manufacturers produce better quality, faster and cheaper — using tech and know-how we simply no longer possess. It’s not about pride. It’s about tools. We’re using hammers; they’re using CNC machines and AI-driven cutters.
Cost Kills Domestic Revival
You can’t tariff your way out of this. Overseas manufacturing is still 30–70% cheaper per unit even after shipping and duties. [Sourcing Journal] To truly bring it back, we’d need to ban imports — and that’s not happening.
Fabric dyeing, finishing, and leather tanning require vast water and environmental controls. Most U.S. dye houses and tanneries shut down decades ago because the EPA made it financially impossible to operate. [EPA on Textile Waste] [NYT: Tanneries Closing]
Cotton? The U.S. used to be one of the largest producers. Now, most cotton comes from India, China, and Pakistan — and U.S. output has dropped dramatically. [USDA Cotton Data]
The Truth About "Made in USA"
Most menswear brands that market "Made in USA" aren’t telling you the full story. Trims, thread, cotton, and hardware? Almost always imported. A label sewn in here doesn’t make it American-made.
Under FTC guidelines, "Made in USA" means all or virtually all components must be sourced and made domestically. Most brands are skirting that rule — or outright ignoring it.
I can spot a fake claim instantly. Stitching methods, thread weight, seam construction — it’s obvious to anyone who’s actually sewn a garment.
Why We Still Make in the USA (When We Can)
At Crank & Stroker, we do produce some of our apparel in the U.S. — not because it sells better, but because it’s part of our legacy. It’s what we were taught. We keep those patterns alive when it’s still possible — but never as a marketing gimmick. It’s a nod to our roots, not a sales tactic.
Social Media Brands Are Built on Emotion, Not Infrastructure
New brands popping up on social media love to play the "Made in USA" sympathy card — but they almost always fade. They’re built on emotion, not systems. No supply chain. No experience. No staying power.
Meanwhile, import brands are scaling fast with real structure, proven factories, and 20+ years of momentum from global demand. That can’t be undone with clever branding.
So How Do You Support U.S. Apparel?
The answer isn’t simple. But it’s honest:
- Support American-owned menswear brands.
- Buy from people who pay U.S. taxes and build real businesses here.
- Understand the difference between heritage and hype.
I’ve watched entire families overseas support their cousins in the U.S. — only to send every dollar back home. It’s not just imports — it’s extraction. And 70% of my so-called competition? They’re not riders, not even Americans. Just opportunists in disguise.
And when that’s not enough, they sabotage us with toxic backlink campaigns, fake brands, and dirty SEO tricks to knock real American businesses off the map. That’s not competition. That’s cowardice.
And I’m still here. Still building. Still cutting patterns the right way.