Made in America: Not Just a Menswear Thing
"Alabama Chanin designer Natalie Chanin, who has been producing goods—and sourcing materials—in the US for more than a decade, reiterates McMillan's sentiment. 'There is an iconic image of the American male and that man looks a certain way, drives a certain truck, and has a specific set of values. I think that, for that reason, men began to embrace the idea of Made in America first,' Chanin says. 'It was easier to market to men than women because there was a built-in cultural acceptance of these values.' But again, she sees that changing. 'I think that with the new awareness of fast fashion and ethical manufacturing, more people are looking at labels, asking questions, and generally becoming aware of how products are made,' she says. 'Women are not as shallow as stereotypes will have you believe. Companies may not be marketing to women using the Made-in-America tag, but I believe that women are looking for and they are buying American-made items.'"