The Pillbag's theme song: Born in the USA

Before I started manufacturing Pillbags, I had never really given the phrase "Made in the USA" the attention it deserved. It would have been nice if the clothes, shoes, bags, toys, etc. I like to buy were domestically manufactured. But most of the things I love aren't, so I allowed myself to dismiss the issue. But when the time  came to design, produce, and sell my own product, I actually had a choice to make. And given that opportunity, I decided to manufacture my product in the United States.

I'm not going to lie to you. I've had to work pretty darn hard to keep my production based here in America. It's cheaper (like, A LOT cheaper) to manufacture abroad, and sourcing my material abroad (instead of using American-made fabric as I currently do) would most likely open up a whole new world of options. My margins would be fabulous and the rate at which I could grow would increase dramatically.

So why do I do it? For a ton of reasons - to create jobs here in America, stimulate our economy, avoid overseas counterfeiting, discourage unacceptable working conditions abroad, and ensure that the Pillbags are of the highest and safest quality possible - just to name a few. I feel that at this stage in the Pillbag business, if I can make domestic-manufacturing work, I should.

And I feel that my efforts have paid off, as most of my customers and retailers appreciate and prefer Made in the USA products. I feel good about the bags I’m putting on the shelves, and there's no question they look and feel fabulous.

Plus, I get to talk directly with my manufacturers, rather than going through a middle-man, my bags can feasibly be shipped to me overnight, and the time frame within which my bags are produced from the moment I place my order is "weeks", rather than "months."

So I'm happy here in USA-made territory. And the Pillbags are, too. Let's hope my American manufacturers can keep it that way!