I Took the Made in USA Challenge, Will You?

Happy “Made in the USA Day” everyone! According to my Facebook feed (where all the hard-hitting news is, donchaknow) it’s Made in the USA Day, celebrating products and brands made in America. In our home, we’ve been striving to be more mindful of our consumption and waste. For my New Year Resolution, I decided to take the Made in USA Challenge. Care to hear the “rules“?

Look for items made in the United States first. If what you’re looking for can’t be found, then research companies who have ethical and sustainable business practices. Another great option is to buy used. The goal of the entire project is to be more mindful of ALL of your purchases.

Don’t get me wrong here, I’m not saying everything made overseas is bad or should be avoided. But we as a family have been inundated with so much “stuff” on a daily basis that we needed a good way to step back and readjust. By choosing companies and products that manufacture in our home country, we can support healthy working conditions, environmentally responsible practices, and a lower carbon footprint with less shipping. I try to source as many local items as possible.

Yes, it can be more expensive at times. But this helps us not fall victim to the shopaholic addiction. Do we need 20 different sippy cups? No. We only need 4. It means more washing, but that’s okay. I don’t need to constantly update my wardrobe with all the latest fashions. If I would like a fresh look, I try to find a great graphic tee from a local artist.

This has been such a freeing experience! There are more selections than I originally thought there would be, like Lodge cast iron and Fiestaware dishes. I do have to take more time to research a company, but it helps prevent me from making impulse purchases. Overall, our spending hasn’t increased, I just buy fewer quality items.

I encourage you to take a look at the Master List, and check out the companies who manufacture the products you buy. It’s such a great feeling to know I’m supporting companies I believe in.