The $5 Made in USA T-Shirt

They said it couldn’t be done! “American companies can’t compete on price.” “It’s just cheaper to ship manufacturing to China.” “We are just going to have to accept that those jobs aren’t coming back.” This hyperbolic Huffington Post story even concluded: “the new truth about American-made products: The only people who can afford to buy them are the richest ones.”

Well, the executives, retailers, and critics are wrong. I present: Walmart’s $5 Made in USA t-shirt.

The $5 Made in USA T-Shirt (at Walmart)

I spotted this American-made shirt at my local Walmart for $4.97. It was surrounded by other made in USA shirts at similar prices. Furthermore, the display was right in front of the line of cash registers. Walmart obviously wants everyone checking out to know that they now carry American-made shirts.

This is further evidence that even big retailers are getting the message: we want products that are made right here in America. More importantly, it shows that all the excuses used for outsourcing American manufacturing are just that . . . excuses. American companies can compete and win on price, even on inexpensive clothing items. But only if we, the American consumer, refuse to accept outsourced substitutes and support American manufacturers by putting our dollars behind them.

Another $5 Made in USA T-Shirt (at Walmart)

By buying American, we are making a difference. We make a difference every day when we read labels and ask our local retailers to carry more “Made in USA” labeled goods. If we speak up with our voices, and buy with our dollars, even the big box stores will listen.

Find More Made in USA Shirts

For more tips on how to buy American, read my How to Buy American page.

To find American made products, check out my Made in USA List of over 300 (and growing!) companies.