My hats are all designed and made by me, in my studio in Lexington, Kentucky. I am approached weekly by companies in China, offering to copy my hats for me and ship them to me for a fraction of the cost it costs me to make them here. Yes, I could do that, but my conscience would not allow it. I feel my customers deserve fine workmanship and quality.
Many companies have outsourced clothing and hats. I was taught at F.I.T. that there is no substitute for quality. What I have noticed with hats made in China is that the sizing will be off. The hats are “hard” and do not give. Customers get frustrated with these types of hats and will often swear off hats after buying a less expensive, foreign made hat. I usually try to sew in all my headbands by hand, which gives the hats a softer look and makes them fit better. My clients put their faith in me to deliver a well made hat and I can not let them down.
The hat boxes that my hats are shipped in are made in Massachusetts. I’ve been very happy with their quality. A hat box has to last for a very long time and a flimsy hat box that falls apart is not what my clients deserve.
By patronizing independent designers and companies who have their goods made in the USA, you help support local artisans. There is nothing wrong with goods made in Asia, but if you truly want to help our economy, purchase items Made In The USA.
By Polly Singer
Thanks for your kind comments. Yes, I do feel strongly about this. I do think the tide is turning though. I’ve noticed that women’s clothing sales are down and wonder if this is due to the fact that women are tired of paying top dollar for clothing made for next-to-nothing overseas. Many of my friends have been visiting re-sale shops and purchasing USA made clothing there. They are tired of being charged high prices for poorly made goods.
My mother has always sought out products not made in China. I guess she influenced me without me knowing it. For my mom’s birthday, I had to shop for 2 hours, searching for a garment made in the USA, but I was victorious in the end!