A few years ago, most of us rarely cared about where products were made.
We walked into big box stores, compared price tags, skimmed a few Amazon reviews, and handed over a debit card. If we pulled a product out of its box and it did its job, life moved on. If it didn’t, we would send it back and not think twice about it.
Then the world hit pause.
Overnight, supply chain disruptions emptied those same store shelves. Hordes of people raced to the grocery store to buy necessities. Many home builders shut down operations temporarily due to material shortages. Regular household items got stuck in ports halfway around the world. For the first time in decades, the average Joe felt entirely blindsided by an uncertain economic shutdown. Suddenly, in an era defined by information, even simple questions became difficult to answer.
That experience appears to have left a lasting impression on consumer behavior and American-made products.
According to Gallup, 39% of Americans say they regularly notice where products are made before making a purchase. An additional 37% say they notice at least some of the time. In other words, more than three-quarters of us pay attention to those tiny country-of-origin tags when making purchasing decisions. That may seem surprising. Yet as we dive in, those unobtrusive labels tell a much larger story.
A Label Designed for Transparency
In the late 1800s, American manufacturing companies weren’t necessarily trying to convince Americans to buy American. Some foreign business owners simply tried to increase the value of their goods by claiming whatever country-of-origin carried the greatest prestige. However, consumers deserved to know where products came from. The original purpose for labels wasn’t patriotism. It was transparency.
In the wake of World War II, manufacturing intertwined with national identity. Americans watched our nation’s manufacturers help win a war. “Made in America” signaled quality, craftsmanship, accountability, and trust. In the decades that followed, manufacturing expanded to a more globalized audience. With countless imports, “Made in USA” was no longer the default. It became a choice.
As we approach the 250th anniversary of the United States of America, conversations about American manufacturing have returned to the spotlight. Why? Not because of deceptive foreign business tactics. Not because of a clever patriotic marketing campaign to join Uncle Sam. Because we realized that our economy is not invincible.
Americans Are Paying Attention to American-Made Products
We can see that, post-2020, traces of uncertainty still linger.
In fact, we all knew someone impacted by the shutdown. The events on the news played out in our personal circles. We watched them happen in real time. A sibling lost her new build because the contractors couldn’t secure the materials in time. We stood in line next to our favorite food truck, only to see a moisture-rippled piece of paper that said they would never reopen. Our in-laws sold a home in the aftermath seller’s market, only to realize they’re priced out of the neighborhood.
In a recent Gallup poll, 71% of Americans say it is important to buy U.S.-made products to support American jobs and workers et 57% do so to strengthen the U.S. economy. Why would we say that? The results suggest we care about American-made products because our purchasing decisions are more connected than they once were. A product is no longer just a “thing.” It extends far beyond the interaction at the checkout counter. It represents real jobs, businesses, supply chains, and our own communities.
What Does “Made in USA” Actually Mean?
Most of us assume that we understand what a “Made in USA” label means.
Surprisingly, many of us do not.
The Federal Trade Commission regulates the claim by factoring the following information into their strict decision-making process:
- Where did the major components originate?
- Where did manufacturing take place?
- How much of the product’s value comes from domestic sources?
The factory’s address is only one piece of the puzzle. To advertise a product as “Made in USA,” we must generally demonstrate that the product is “all or virtually all” made in the United States.
We live in an era where it is easier than ever to buy something and harder than ever to know where it came from. Most of the products we purchase arrive wrapped in cardboard boxes with little connection to the people who designed them, manufactured them, or shipped them. Country-of-origin labels like “Made in the USA” restore a small piece of that missing context. Sometimes a little clarity goes a long way.
That is why a small label can carry so much weight.
That label provides us with a rare opportunity to connect a purchasing decision with a broader outcome that aligns with our values.
Saviez-vous?
It’s easy to identify which MityLite products are manufactured in the United States. Just look for the “Made in the USA” label on the product page.
Trust Has Become a Competitive Advantage
For much of the twentieth century, many of our purchasing decisions revolved around three questions:
- Does it work?
- Can I afford it?
- Can I get it?
Today, we ask a fourth question:
- Can I trust it?
That question extends far beyond product quality.
We have access to more information than any generation that came before us. Most of us can pull a phone out of our back pocket, compare products, read reviews, research companies, and investigate claims within minutes. Yet despite an abundance of information, we might feel less certain than ever.
Modern life is becoming increasingly complex. The items in our homes travel through global supply chains. The companies behind them operate across multiple countries. We probably interact with brands we may never visit, meet, or fully understand, simply because we click on a random item online.
As uncertainty increases, transparency becomes more valuable. Transparency gives people a sense of control by pulling back the curtain. The more information, the less ambiguity. It closes the distance between consumers and businesses and replaces assumptions with understanding.
Companies earn our trust by showing their work. Country-of-origin labels fit naturally into that conversation. The organizations that willingly answer our questions, explain their processes, share their stories, and stand behind their products often build stronger relationships with us than those that remain hidden behind logos and advertising campaigns.
What “Made in USA” Means at MityLite
At MityLite, “Made in USA” has always meant more than a label.
Yes, it reflects our commitment to American-made furniture. It reflects the pride we take in manufacturing here in Utah. It reflects the skilled craftspeople, machine operators, welders, assemblers, finishers, and quality-control specialists who show up each day to build products that will serve our schools, churches, conference centers, event venues, and public spaces across the country.
But it also reflects something else. Trust. Transparency.
When our customers ask about our products, we can answer every question. When facility managers want to know how they are made, we can show them. We can even introduce the people who build them. Beyond the uniform steel-toed boots and safety glasses, they are regular people who pull out a lawn chair and enjoy a picnic lunch on our lawn during the lunch hour. Some have worked here for decades; others joined our MityLite family this last year. Regardless of their back story, their talents will serve others at pivotal, life-changing moments: a banquet, a graduation, a church service, or a community gathering for years.
That connection to our community matters to us.
We want our customers to feel like they know us. We live here and work here. We stand behind what we do. That is why we continue to view “Made in USA” as a badge of honor.
We don’t view the label as proof that we’ve done everything right.
We view it as an invitation to show our work.
Behind every table, chair, and cart is a team of people who take pride in what they build. They deserve to be part of the story.
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Références
- “2025 Bentley-Gallup Survey – Only 39% of Americans Consistently Consider Where Products Are Made When Buying Them.” 2025. Bentley.edu. 2025. https://www.bentley.edu/gallup/buyamerican.
- Brenan, Megan. 2025. “39% of Americans Regularly Notice Where Products Are Made.” Gallup.com. Gallup. October 8, 2025. https://news.gallup.com/poll/695939/americans-regularly-notice-products-made.aspx.
- Morning Consult. 2025. “Made in America.” https://www.americanmanufacturing.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/AAM_Made-in-America_6Nov2025-Report-1.pdf.
