GREENSBORO, N.C. — Made in America. What does it actually mean? The Federal Trade Commission has specific requirements for a product to be called Made in America:
All significant parts that go into the product must be of US origin-- that includes processing and labor.
Made in American doesn't mean you can import the wood or the pieces and parts from another country and assemble them here in the U.S., that is not part of the government's definition.
The website USALoveList.com has more than 5,000 Made in America items. What do you think is the most sought-after item?
"So a toaster is a big one, but everybody drives them crazy. They really want an American-made toaster,” said Sarah Wagner, the creator of USALoveList.com.
In tracking visits to her website, Sarah Wagner saw a 500% spike in April and May when much of the country shut down; since October, it's up 25%.
The toasters are just hard to come by, as are most small electronics.
Here's what she wants you to know about Made in America.
“I would encourage shoppers to remember the businesses that we're there for them during these last couple of difficult years,” said Wagner. "Every single one product that I buy makes a difference to a business and makes a difference to a worker whose job is part of that business.”
The USALoveList website is cool in that there's a map and you can search by state for those American-made products. Please note, when you click on an article, it will list all of the Made In America products and the state you're looking for will probably be one of many listed in the article.