Okay, so there's this book out in the kids section and B&N titled The Toothpaste Millionaire. It's written by a Banks Street School reading and math educator. It was published in the middle 60s.
A kid makes inexpensive toothpaste from baking soda and vanilla flavoring. His fifth grade class pitches in on an "Employee Stock Option Plan" basis. He manages to find industrial machinery, industrial leftovers, and things like that. He's also black, and his best friend is white. The questions to the author focus on race.
To me, the biggest part of the fairy story is the machinery and leftovers, the detritus of an active manufacturing city. The social engineering- integration and ESOPs, we've got. The machines, the machinists, the extras.......where did those go?
As a game, I've been looking online to see how it's possible to make something in the USA. It's freaky. We are going to have to reinvent some really expensive wheels.
For one item- FIVE PAGES of Google showed me how easy it would be to source from China, India, and the rest of the Asian Pacific rim. I know it's easy to kick China as the low- cost provider, but what about praising it as the EASY, OBVIOUS provider. I had to go five pages in to find, basically, a yellow pages that was spec dense- not easy, not fast, not interfaceable, for American manufacturers.
It was heartbreaking. I had to be an expert to even know what to look for, rather than an end use consumer who could describe what I wanted, and have someone else spec it for me....China had easy spec factors. They had short run capabilities- iow, they could make a few, not ten billion- so less risk. I mean, who's a more graceful dancer, an elephant, or a gazelle? China is doing a great job at this. Why aren't American manufacturers?
Does this affect you? I know all of my grandfather's generation had careers in manufacturing, while the successful kids did "knowledge work" and the unsuccessful ones floundered- but none ended up in manufacturing.
I know I'm reading Robert Reich's Work of Nations, and he keeps talking about "symbolic analysts" but, seriously, you can't wear a "symbol." You wear glasses. Dang it. You eat on a plate. Did you know Lodge Cast Iron just about went bankrupt? I think if you have the manufacturing capability, you get to make up the terms. Like, we eat off "China," and sometimes "Wedgwood," but not "American" or "Smith." I don't know that the rest of the world would be interested in a movie star from a failing country- has anyone seen a Kosovan Angelina Jolie?
Even our swingset- the company is still listed here, but to get replacement parts- you have to go on Ebay, and buy sold off inventory. They just design plastic balls, and get them made elsewhere. They shut down a factory that had been going since World War II.
It feels like living in a Third World country, just from having to rely so much on second or third hand shoddy goods, imported unsafe food, and too many services. I lived in New Orleans- they had beauty schools all over the place, but no real value adding activity. The joke was that New Orleans was America's own continental banana republic.
I know all kinds of Amitymama's have businesses. Was it hard to source your supplies? I know I've seen some really amazing things here, and only here.
ari
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Boo- yeah!
... a part of devotion and love is the self- discipline to grow a talent into a skill...
My DH works in industrial sales. I haven't asked him how many of the parts he sells come from other countries.
DH and others I have spoken to have theories that industry will have to come back to the US over time, as China and other countries become more industrialized. We will reach a point when it will cost too much to import things to this country. How long this will take is the question. And, obviously, our world is going to change when we cannot buy cheaply made items from third-world countries.
Anyway, if you were looking for industrial parts, DH would know where to get them. There may be smaller companies that could produce what one needed, even if it isn't a typical product for them.
__________________ Jody
Mama to two boys (5-10-98 and 6-01-01), and two girls (11-18-03 and 1-11-07)
I know all kinds of Amitymama's have businesses. Was it hard to source your supplies? I know I've seen some really amazing things here, and only here.
You write truth mama.
I import my tights from Ukraine. For the reasons you stated - they are willing to work with smaller quantities and their wholesale price is WAY cheaper.
I constantly get offers from wholesalers from China, India and such. When I look at wholesale prices in USA, they were more expensive than my retail price
Truth be told, I looked some 4 years ago and do not know if or which way things have shifted. But during my initial research - you are right, USA manufacturers were not feasable for me.
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Irina,
Mom to Matt 08/87 Valerie 07/00
It feels like living in a Third World country, just from having to rely so much on second or third hand shoddy goods, imported unsafe food, and too many services. I lived in New Orleans- they had beauty schools all over the place, but no real value adding activity. The joke was that New Orleans was America's own continental banana republic.
ari
And, I totally agree with this. It is truly frightening. There is nearly nothing to back up workmanship anymore. "Oh, it broke? We can give you your money back or give you another one." Never mind if the next one or the next one breaks, nothing needs to last lifetimes anymore. I don't think there will be may heirlooms to share with my children manufactured in my adult life. Clothing that lasts?
As my DH is in industrial sales, we have a bit of faith that manufacturing will continue in the US. And, as I mentioned before, as third-world countries become industrialized and buy their own products, we won't be able to afford to transport them and pay the price they will cost. That may take a long time. More companies are likely to go under. Many companies left don't make actual products, but parts and pieces, some that are actually then shipped to other countries to be assembled (or, the opposite, they assemble parts shipped from other countries).
First off, OMG how much did I LOVE The Toothpaste Millionaire when I was growing up?? I must have checked it out of the library a trillion times!!!
I don't know all that much about the manufacturing industry in general...I know that when I was looking into starting up a business based around a product, China was definitely the way to go, in terms of cost and volume. And the company of a friend, who I had a job sewing manufacturing samples for (the items made to spec that got shipped to the factory to copy), had everything made in China, and shipped back over in containers, because even with shipping, import fees, import broker fees, etc, it still worked out cheaper per item than getting it made in the US.
All that said, as long as there are people like me around, or like other friends I know, the manufacturing industry won't die. It will just have to morph, and change the model, to work and survive.
A few months back National Geographic ran a story saying just about what you did. Efficiency. PBS channel had something too, attributing much of the Chinese industry on WalMart. Some huge amount of imports trace back to when WalMart began outsourcing televisions.
FIL works at one of the few remaining automobile parts plants in the U.S. Mostly Toyota parts. The irony. I don't know where the parts are sent to make a whole.
I notice everything around me that says made in the USA. I was in boxing class tonight and noticed that the wavemaster I was practicing on said boldy: Made in USA. Nearly as big as the logo. Say it proud!
Shipping is tax deductible. So it may seem like an item would cost more due to shipping from China but it comes back for taxpayers to pick up on in terms of lost IRS revenue.
DH and I had/have a biz. Our non-US items were exotic woods logged through US environmental watchdog communities. We searched all over for rubberbands for playclips and didn't find what we wanted for about a year and then it was from Canada. We found local sources for many things, from beeswax to wood to local printers to make flyers.
Alternatives? Look for used items. Make things yourself. Find people to make things you can't. It's kind of frugality with a higher purpose.
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They say that time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself.
Andy Warhol
OOhhh- those are cute tights. I never get to go to the Market board. I'm glad you posted here. ( Ten year old computer, dial up, and browser/computer incompatibility)
See? Make one- offs, do without, find others to make- all of these are rather expensive, well, except the "do without." They really are the hallmarks of a shrunken, second rate economy, at least when measured as an industrial revolution economy being first- rate.
Like, cars- cars were obscenely expensive originally. Each and every one was made by a craftsman. They had interesting styles. Colette has some strange descriptions of French cars built for the wealthy, and their clients and mistresses. Like, even (?)Jaguar(?) still starts its technicians by having them make a square rod into a round rod, and keep it straight. Well, in America, you use a machine tool, and get it done in about five minutes.
I don't have a business. I'd like one someday.
Right now I look for things as a game. It's to test the reported assumptions- I mean, is it really true? Like " The world is going to H&*&* in a handbasket." "Schools are doing a horrible job"" Okay, well, everyone old and grouchy is pretty certain about the first statement- but I doubt it's true. And two, I volunteer at my kids school, and, at least there, it is absolutely not true. I think if you wake up every morning aching with arthritis and so on, it takes a great deal of practice to choose to look on the bright side, and look for blessings. And, I guess, it takes practice being effective so you can see that it can get better, and that the people you work with can learn and do better. But really looking at it- that's where one can learn. Nobody ever says " Practice optimism and effectiveness- eventually you'll really need them."
Anyway, I just read in the paper about a man who developed a razor for back hair. He worked with a factory in China, faxing things back and forth, and prototyping, and so on. I can't imagine how he would do this in the US. Really, I can't. Not unless he was committed to a million units. Even then, would it be made in the US, or China, since it's not particularly a luxury item.
Really, I mean there is stuff you can't get made in the US. I knit, and I've read interviews with designers. They say " I can't sell this pattern here- Americans are too impatient, too poorly skilled- I am used to China where they can change color fifteen times in a row, the yarns are finer/ more varied/ they have patience. I can get it manufactured at a sellable price" Say- Christmas sweaters- you know the ridiculously elaborate ones? Not hecho estado unidos. I know to knit one sweater I'd have to find an English manufacturer, since fine gauge yarn is not on the shelves at the yarn stores in town. I didn't find it, I didn't make it--
Or, say, folding scissors. You can't buy them at Joanns. You can buy bluntnose ones at Walmart. The nice ones with a sharp tip? That's one individual, featured in Threads, selling them at specialty prices, at quilt shows. I called her. She was almost reluctant to sell a pair to me. My grandmother had them-she bought them at the store- why am I having to work to buy a pair? And, it was a high enough price I didn't buy one at the time-
I'm not kicking China, at all. I am wondering about US manufacturers. I know it's difficult to make a product, and then imagine an end user, and then get it to them. Like, Lodge. I know about Lodge almost going bankrupt b/c I called and asked about a quesadilla press. The receptionist put me through to the market manager. It took about an hour for her to think of what I could use. She could not imagine a market for quesadilla presses, tortilla presses, and such. She sent me the press, to test. ( It worked beautifully, btw) and some of their marketing material. They have some gorgeous, gorgeous pieces. I've never even seen them on the shelves at a store. They have really beautiful enamelled cast iron pieces- like Le Creuset- but with nicer handles- I've never seen them, anywhere. I think the prices are better, too- $168, $190, for the four hundred dollar LeC pieces, says my Dad. I've never even picked up LeC- I already know I can't afford it.
Or, again, glasses. Reading glasses- range from $300 for Italian ones, to $25- and now I've found them at $2.50 at Target, in their dollar section. The Work of Nations says that there are six US manufacturers, but he isn't certain which part they have outsourced. That was what I was looking for- I mean, seriously?
I don't have answers. I'm really curious. DH is a devout USA buyer. For this reason we own a TV that is approaching 20 years old. He's planning on repairing his mothers, eventually, when she dies. It's a giant floor model, in a wooden case. Ancient. American.
I am not so devout.
Like, I talked to an engineer who worked on the moon shot. He says we could not even rebuild that- the blueprints were in private hands, for one, and over half the companies don't exist anymore. Can you imagine?
How did you decide on tights? and how on earth do you source something like that in an exotic location? I mean, when I poke around, I'm just poking around on Google, or I'm asking here. I can't see a former Russian satellite being the obvious first choice. What kind of decision making did you go through?
What kind of samples? That is so coolbeing able to make something tht really works, from thin air. Do you like making prototypes?
How do you jump into business? My dad was a personal injury attorney, so he sees nothing but danger, danger, danger, and not enough licenses and fees, for any business. It looks like an exotic swamp to him, I think. His wife is a highly paid professional marketer. She has to swat him on the nose all the time, metaphorically speaking. But she's only been around for the past two years.
I know this is the first place I've ever been where women owned any businesses, at all. It's both inspiring, and unnerving. I try to imagine being successful at business, and I can't picture it at all. I can picture screaming attention monkeys causing chaos at the post office, or being highly clueless about a simple business matter, or just running aground in aggressive, tentacled poverty. I am sort of dazzled by business plans. It seems like every example I've read in a book starts with some high five figure amount stashed in savings, and then, let's see, ten years worth of professional development and connections.
Jody
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