Made in China

For many years I've been lamenting the fact that almost anything you buy at the store these days is Made in China. Not because I hate China, but because I feel strongly that we ought to make our own products as much as possible: for good jobs, for pride in our own work, for keeping the money in our own communities, for controlling the process and quality of our products.

I grew up with TV ads encouraging us to buy things made in Finland. It made us proud to see the Finnish flag on a toy or a tool we bought. And we knew it was good quality. We were willing to pay a little extra for it. Mom always said that a poor person cannot afford to buy cheap.

Even now I love shopping in Finland because I can actually find locally made products of high quality, still. The Made in China label is creeping in, for sure, but not nearly as much as in the United States - the once proud manufacturer of goods.

When buying toys I have always looked for products made anywhere in the West. It's difficult and expensive, as 80% or American toys are manufactured in China. There are small, independent toy stores here in Seattle that sell European - or locally made - toys. That's where we shop. In fact, I hate Toys R us! Everything about those stores cry out: cheap! Over-advertised! Poor quality! Breaks in a day! But they are always crowded with people looking for the latest fads and cheap stuff they can give to their children. It makes me sick.

Now the hunger for cheap has started to take its toll: millions of Chinese-made toys, dog food, tires and toothpaste (I always buy Finnish toothpaste!) have been recalled because of health hazards. No surprise there.
--- T