Whether It's High Fashion or Military Uniforms, Ferrara Manufacturing Makes It in the USA
When husband and wife Carolyn and Joseph Ferrara launched Ferrara Manufacturing in 1987, they set out to make the best womenswear in the business, all from their New York City's Garment District factory. They had no idea that NAFTA was about to rock the U.S. garment industry to its core, but they fought through the tumult and found success in working with brands like Ralph Lauren. Their daughter, Gabrielle Ferrara, Ferrara Manufacturing's chief operating officer, shares how the family-owned, women-owned, union-represented company's knack for innovation has helped it navigate the headwinds of offshoring and find new opportunities through the latest manufacturing technology. Photo courtesy of Gabrielle Ferrara
3 Nov 202433min
American Giant CEO Bayard Winthrop and USTR Katherine Tai Talk Building an American Supply Chain
American Giant CEO Bayard Winthrop and U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Katherine Tai discuss rebuilding a fully American-made apparel supply chain, from cotton fields to finished garments. They highlight the importance of worker-centered trade policy, economic security, and the potential to make affordable, high-quality products in America. Note: This episode was recorded at AAM’s "Making it in America: Supply Chain Successes in Textiles and Apparel" panel on Oct. 17, 2024. Watch the full event here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuJM0a5yXxU
19 Okt 202439min
The Great Outdoors Are Calling. This Made in USA Truck Camper Will Take You There to Answer It.
When one Portland dad couldn't find a high-quality truck camper for family adventures, he decided to build his own. Peter Williams, co-founder and president of Super Pacific, shares what his company's "built like an airplane" mantra means for their production process and discusses the challenges of building the business during the pandemic and how domestic manufacturing creates innovative, high-quality goods that stand up to global competition. Photo courtesy Super Pacific
3 Okt 202444min
How a Failed Cocktail Shaker Inspired Two Diplomats to Launch an American-Made Barware Business
In 2020, U.S. diplomats Kris Forrest and Rebecca Beardsley hosted a cocktail party, but their shaker just wasn’t up to snuff. So they decided to make their own. Forty cold calls to American steel fabricators and many YouTube CAD tutorial videos later, they launched C&D Tools, a veteran- and minority-owned company. Within six months, they had landed a feature in The New York Times and sold out their entire stock. Here's why Made in America was foundational to their business plan from the start. Photo courtesy of C&D Tools
20 Sep 202441min
Why This Yale Law School Grad Went to Trade School and Wants Others to Do the Same
While studying at Yale Law School, Darnell Epps heard that U.S. manufacturers were grappling with a labor shortage, and he was baffled that tens of thousands of valuable community-supporting jobs weren't finding applicants. So, he enrolled at a trade school to become a certified machinist and find out what the heck was going wrong. What he learned was that the skilled trades are an invaluable pathway to the middle class, and that workers needed better tools to connect with potential employers, prompting him to build Thurgood Industries, a career-networking app tailored to skilled trade workers. Photo courtesy Thurgood Industries
9 Sep 202434min
Dignity Apparel’s Union-Driven Approach to Revitalizing American Garment Production
For decades, Image Pointe's unionized workers have screen-printed clothing in Iowa. So, when the company contemplated starting its own American-made apparel factory that held true to the same ethical labor practices, Image Pointe CEO Josh Ruyle knew it had to be union-represented. In 2024, Image Pointe opened Dignity Apparel in Tennessee with 100% of its workforce represented by Workers United, making it the only union-knit fabric manufacturer in the U.S. Dignity Apparel's Ruyle and Matt Davis discuss why unionizing their workforce has been a critical part of their company's American-made success. Photo courtesy of Dignity Apparel
26 Aug 202428min
Firing Up American Manufacturing to Keep Grills Made in the USA
Grilling is an iconic American pastime, but unfairly subsidized Chinese imports threaten to dissolve the U.S. factories making our grills right here. Meco President Whitney Winter discusses the impact of unfair Chinese competition on the Tennessee-based family-owned grill manufacturing company and highlights the critical role Meco plays in supporting the economy of Greenville, where the company has continuously manufactured its grills since 1968. Photo courtesy of Meco
12 Aug 202422min
How This Made in USA Shoe Company Became the Sole of a Nation at the Olympics
Family-run shoe manufacturer Rancourt & Co. has maintained its commitment to Made in America quality and tradition for more than 50 years. This year, you can catch their shoes on full display at the Opening and Closing Ceremonies at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Co-owner and President Mike Rancourt shares the process of creating these iconic, American-made shoes, how they came to work with Ralph Lauren for the designer's Team USA Olympic uniform, and the pride Rancourt & Co. shoes bring to the Lewiston, Maine community. Photo courtesy Rancourt & Co.
29 Juli 202432min
