"Gone are the days when around 95 per cent of the clothes sold in the US were also manufactured in the country. Now, finding apparels made in the US is almost like finding a needle in a haystack as around 97 per cent of all clothing and 98 per cent of all footwear is imported."

Gone are the days when around 95 per cent of the clothes sold in the US were also manufactured in the country. Now, finding apparels made in the US is almost like finding a needle in a haystack as around 97 per cent of all clothing and 98 per cent of all footwear is imported.

However, even today, more than half of all consumers prefer clothes ‘Made in the USA’. As noted by a recent survey by Cotton Incorporated Lifestyle Monitor™, nearly 74 per cent consumers check the country of origin of their clothes before buying them. It is also surprising that more men than women do this. Those over 35 years of age are more prone to check than their younger counterparts.

A fillip to the domestic economy

These consumers believe, it is important for them to buy clothes “Made in the USA” as it helps them to support the US economy. Around 53 per cent also believe clothes made in the US are of better in quality, while 37 per cent believe they are more environmentally friendly.

Over 53 per cent consumers also emphasise on the brand’s transparency in their manufacturing process. Additionally, 51 per cent stated that they are more likely to buy from a clothing brand that honestly communicates about its environmental and societal impacts, compared to one that doesn’t.

Sustainability and quality Moreover as per the Monitor™ research, 90 per cent consumers emphasised on the feel good factor that cotton grown in the US offered. About 74 per cent believe cotton grown in the US is more sustainable than cotton grown in other countries and 62 per cent were also willing to pay more for clothes made with cotton grown in the US.

A lot of appreciation for US-grown cotton stems from consumer’s expectations about the quality of cotton. As the survey noted, around 79 per cent consumers expect the cotton produced in the US to be of extremely good and high quality. This was significantly higher than their expectations for cotton produced in other countries, such as Egypt, Australia, Turkey, Brazil, India and Africa.