It's made where???

Do you read the label on the items you want to purchase? Do you check to and see where, before you buy? Does the “Made in…” weigh in on your choice to make the transaction?


I feel like I’ve been shopping for a pair of jeans for years. It seems to be one of the harder things to find. Let me clarify. A good fitting, flattering, pair of jeans, within a reasonable price range, seems to be a hard thing to find.


Every now and then, when I’m feeling up to the challenge or the mood strikes me just right, I muster up the courage to try on several pairs of jeans, in the hopes that I might come close to something that fits me…flatters my shape and is somewhat affordable.


Several months ago, I wandered into a store that sells only jeans. “This should make my task easier” I thought. I selected 4 or 5 pairs and went off to the fitting room. The first two were a “no go” with out a second thought. The third pair, shockingly, fit great! Unfortunately, I waited until this moment to check the price tag. What was I thinking!!!???!!!


Once I managed to leave (running, screaming from) the store, empty handed, I decided to put jeans shopping on a shelf for awhile. So about two weeks ago I was kid-free for a few short, fleeting hours and thought it would be a good time to try on some jeans.


So I went to the women’s section of a well known superstore (not the one where scary people in their pajamas are found… the other one).

I pulled 3 pair of jeans from the shelf and sauntered off to the dressing room. Low and behold… One of them fit!!! And not just fit, but it hid what I needed it to hide, flattered in just the right way and I was sure that it would suit my budget.


Then I noticed a tag that suggested reading the washing instructions because of the dark nature of the dye. That is when I noticed     “Made in …”


Now, I know we are building relationships with other countries and when relationships are new a certain amount of trust is needed up front. I also feel like some trust needs to be earned. This particular country gives me uneasy feelings. I do not trust.


So should I not buy things made from there in a stand to not support a country that I do not trust? I feel they are not forthcoming with their knowledge of some evil people that may have been sheltered within their boarders. Will it matter at all that I don’t buy these jeans? What of all the other women who will, in all the other towns across this country.


About eight years ago I had a really bad experience at a large department store. Despite repeated efforts to get a resolve with their customer service I was left feeling very dissatisfied. I stopped shopping there for at least 6 years. Yep, six years. Even now I rarely go there or buy anything from that store. They never called to beg me to come back and I’m pretty sure they didn’t really miss my business. So does it matter?


Back to these jeans. Does it matter that I’m not going to give my money for a product that came from another country. I’m sure in whatever trade agreement we have with them that they have been paid for these goods. And the worker has most likely been given their $0.12 cents pay. The store is not going to notice that I have not purchased these jeans. I like the store. I shop there regularly and will continue to shop there.


So, does it matter where something was made? Do you care, who down the line, might benefit from your hard-earned dollar? Do you check to see where something is made and what bearing does that have on you choice to purchase?