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The Tip is 'Manufacturer's sites' I recently ran out of my favorite pancake syrup. I loved the brand we had been using but when I went to the grocery store, I couldn't find it. The syrup was made in Indiana and I was living in Florida at the time. I tried unsuccessfully to find it on an internet. The manufacturer is small and their products are not readily available so I thought I would try their website. They did, in fact, have their own internet store so I ordered it directly from them. Now, I always buy their made in USA maple syrup from their website and never run out. Made in America Secrets has thousands of made in USA products offered by hundreds of small manufacturers. These small Made in America companies are a large contributor to our economy. In fact, according to the 2008 US Census Bureau small businesses, those employing 1 to 99 employees comprise 98% of all the USA businesses. This is equivalent to 5.8 million businesses that employee over 40 million people. Most American's are unaware of how significant small business is when compared to the total size of the US economy. This website is aware of it and that is why 99% of the businesses that advertise on Made in America Secrets are small businesses. Use this web site to for a list of products made in the US- especially since it is likely that a small US manufacturer employs someone you know- your husband, wife, children, or grandchildren. When using Google to search for Made in America products often times these small made in the United States businesses never show up on page one- and most folks don't look past page one. What does this mean? The consumer has a difficult time locating that US made product. Made in America Secrets was conceived to provide a solution to that problem. As an example search for motorcycles Made in America using Google and you will likely miss many of the companies that make this country great. Use Made in America Secrets for the search and you will likely find a hidden jewel. Buying Tip Continued - Read more on Made in America Products by Emil Erwin Emil Erwin is a leather and canvas carrygoods company in Nashville, Tennessee, owned and operated by Emil and Leslie Congdon. The business is named for its chief designer and craftsman and in honor of the small Appalachian town where he learned to love the art of his trade. It was while growing up in Erwin, a mountain town in upper east Tennessee, that Emil Congdon developed his admiration for quality leatherwork during visits to Baker Shoe & Saddle Repair. Emil was intrigued by the skill that went into the handwork and inspired by the care that was necessary to tame the massive hides into usable products. When he was in college, he taught himself to sew, mending holes in his pants and eventually figuring out construction. Later, Emil honed his work during apprenticeships with high-end auto upholstery businesses and critical trial and error in his home studio in Nashville. Making and selling leather bags at craft show was a hobby for Emil until 2009, when Leslie, a native of Nashville, convinced him that together they could make his pastime into a family business. Emil locked himself in the 267-square-foot detached garage in the couple's backyard and got to work. His efforts quickly paid off. Later that year, Imogene Willie caught wind of the talented young Southern leatherworker who was turning out exquisitely detailed, long-wearing bags. The two teams worked together on a collaboration for J.Crew that quickly sold out. In 2010, Garden & Gun magazine awarded Emil Erwin the top prize in the style division of its esteemed Made in the South awards. Other press came calling, and orders started flooding in. In early 2012, Emil Erwin headquarters moved from the Congdon's backyard to its current home, a 1,300-square-foot workshop in Marathon Village. There, Emil supervises the design studio, acting as chief designer and craftsman, while Leslie works on product development and provides design direction, in particular injecting a feminine point of view into the collection. The result is a balanced stable of elegant, expertly constructed bags, belts, wallets and other small accessories that have earned Emil Erwin a robust international fan club. All Emil Erwin products are made from leather sourced at Chicago's Horween Leather Company and waxed canvas from New Jersey's Fairfield Textiles. The entire Emil Erwin collection is patterned, cut, sewn and assembled in the company's Nashville design studio, where a devotion to quality, function and impeccable attention to detail defines the company's product. As a company, Emil Erwin believes in quality without compromise, using the best materials, tools, and techniques to make a superior product. This devotion to craft results in a product rare in today's market, one that is not only beautiful, but will also stand the test of time. As such, each Emil Erwin product is guaranteed for life. Emil Erwin products are available on the company website and in the design studio in Nashville. |
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