Last week the ‘American Made’ event organized by Martha Stewart Living was taking over Grand Central’s Vanderbilt Hall in Manhattan. Luckily I was able to take a quick peek at the “our finds” section during lunch. It showcased handmade goods curated by the editors of Martha Stewart Living. What all of them had in common was that the products are made in America by crafters, artists, and creative entrepreneurs. I was happy to discover so many local designers based in the New York area like Brooklyn-based Winter Water Factory. The cute snapsuits and rompers were hard to miss with their colorful designs made of organic cotton. Buying local supports nearby communities by creating jobs and reduces the carbon footprint of a product. Basically these cute children’s clothes don’t have to be shipped from overseas to end up in your home and therefore use fewer natural resources.
Winter Water Factory is a design and manufacturing company that’s specialized in screen printed fabrics and children’s clothing made of 100% certified organic cotton. The organic children’s line includes dresses, rompers, snapsuits and even hoodies in contemporary designs. Some of their patterns are artfully composed with birds and flowers, leaves and berries or night owls sitting in trees. There’s even a limited edition baby collection created in collaboration with the founder and editor of Oh Joy. The entire cut-and-sew operation is happening at a factory just a few blocks from the founder’s home in Brooklyn.
The benefits of American-made goods are numerous. They boost the national economy by keeping jobs domestic and conserving craftsmanship skills. In return this increases the spending power of American businesses and consumers. Hopefully they will put it to good use by making sustainable purchase decisions. In addition buying American-made products supports ethical manufacturing practices since many outsourced factories overseas have less strict regulations when it comes to safe working conditions and fair wages. I have to say kudos to the editors at Martha Stewart Living for creating such great exposure for American crafters. My hope is that the event will return next year with many more eco-minded companies to come.