"Made in the USA" is one of the most over-promised, under-delivered phrases in modern retail. We try to be specific about what we mean when we use it.
The FTC standard
The Federal Trade Commission requires that any product labeled "Made in the USA" must be "all or virtually all" made in the United States. That means final assembly, primary processing, and the substantial majority of components.
Our standard
For every product in our catalog, we list one of three labels:
- Made in the USA — final manufacture, primary materials, and design all originate in the United States. Most of our heritage and heirloom pieces fall here.
- Hand-finished in the USA — the product is finished, assembled, or hand-detailed in the United States, but some materials or components are imported. We use this label honestly — for example, on items that use imported hardware or trim.
- American design, imported manufacture — the design is ours, the maker is overseas. We use this rarely, and only when no equivalent American supplier exists.
Why we care
American manufacturing is one of the few industries where you can still buy directly from the people doing the work. The mill in North Carolina that weaves our wool. The leather workshop in California that stitches our saddle bags. The bladesmith in Tennessee who forges our knives. We know these people. They know us. And the supply chain is short enough that quality problems get fixed before products ship.
The trade-off
American heritage goods cost more. There's no way around it. Wages are higher, regulations are stricter, and the small-shop margins that keep these businesses alive don't allow for the kind of price competition you see on Amazon. We try to keep our prices fair, but we won't compete on price at the expense of the makers we work with.
If the math doesn't work for you, that's okay. We'd rather sell you one piece you'll keep for thirty years than three you'll replace.