New uniforms not "Made In USA"

[jmenand]

Not to start an argument about whether this is right or not, but I've noticed that new uniforms are no longer being made in USA, but it either Dom. Republic or Honduras I believe.

 

Hopefully prices fall (or at least do not rise) as a result of this.

 

Only time will tell, but comparing the stitching on the "Boy Scouts of America" on the front of the shirt to the USA shirts, the quality actually appears to be improved!

[Newbie Den Leader]

I would expect at lease a 25% decline in price. If that does not happen, then National Supply is basically doing a "fund raiser".

 

 

[SR540Beaver]

Hopefully it improves. My first shirt had the seam come unsewn on one shoulder within a month of buying it. Another shirt had the seam come unsewn down the side in about the same amount of time. I won't mention the buttons that have fallen off.

[GopherJudy]

I noticed that too when I was looking at new pants for my son as he's outgrown the ones he's wearing! I talked to the manager & he told me that they're being made outside the US to bring down costs. Now I'd like to know why the pants were still $37.00 & made in the Dominican Republic!!! I didn't buy them because I don't have the money yet!

[FScouter]

"I would expect at lease a 25% decline in price. If that does not happen, then National Supply is basically doing a 'fund raiser'."

 

Then every single item in the Scout Shop and in the catalog could be considered a "fund raiser". Nothing is sold at vendor cost.

 

Maybe a $100 per year registration fee would be a better way to fund our organization.

 

[John-in-KC]

I was at Council Saturday. We have a BSA Supply Corporation Scout Shop.

 

Yes, BSA has gone offshore. Why?

 

US Firms wanted large price increases at the manufacturer to wholesale level.

 

Quality (reject rate and return rate) had hit target to renegotiate vendor contracts.

 

According to her, price is more important, particularly to non-Scouter parents, than quality.

 

 

[Newbie Den Leader]

Then every single item in the Scout Shop and in the catalog could be considered a "fund raiser". Nothing is sold at vendor cost.

 

Yes, I understand that. Scout shops provide fund raising revenue for the BSA. Thats fine and I have no problem with that. My point is if National Supply is paying less to the suppliers, then they can pass that savings on to customer and still raise funds for the BSA.

 

Still, I have a feeling that people would still complain about the cost of the uniform even if it was sold for 1/4 or 1/3 of the prices they have now.

 

 

[jmenand]

Maybe some people would complain even if the uniforms were free, but most people I know would be very grateful for even a 10% reduction in price. A scout is thrifty, after all.

 

And in response to the "people seem to care about price over quality" remark: As I said the scout shop had both USA made uniform shirts and Dom. Republic shirts. I compared them side by side and the stitching and construction seems better on the DR shirt. Who knows how they will hold up over time, but since the USA shirts hold up pretty poorly IMHO, there's no where to go but up.

[Midwest Monty]

I believe the BSA has no other choice than to move offshore with the fall of the American mill factory disappearing.

 

I have seen the new overseas version and the stitching is crisper and the edges are sharper. I doubt they will fall apart as some think they might. Bravo to Supply for doing what is necessary to keep the retail price from moving any higher than they currently are.

[troop23]

The Girl Scouts of America passed a requirement that their uniforms must be made in the USA. I am all for that! I will pay a little more to keep the money inside our country. What are we teaching our scouts when they see that their merit badges have a "Made in China" sticker on the back? "A scout is Loyal!"

[ned_rothstein]

1. Welcome to the Forums!

 

2. Thanks for reviving a 5 year old thread.

 

3. This horse has been beaten to death over and over in other threads.

 

4. There isn't much of a garment industry left in the USA, not that it can't or won't come back here ever.

[BadenP]

To all you new posters, we here have pulverized this topic into the ground on several prior threads you might find interesting.

 

Yes the BSA has gone to foreign manufacturers(aka Asian sweatshops) for all uniform parts a few years back when Mazzuca became the CSE of the BSA. The idea was that there were no longer ANY clothing firms in the USA that could make uniforms at a reasonable rate, which was a blatant falsehood started by National. I sent a personal letter to Mr.Mazzucca, and supplied him with a list of some domestic suppliers who could do the job at a competitive rate, to which he wrote back thanking me and that he would have someone look into it. Over six months later and NO action has been undertaken by National. Go figure.

 

So here is what I think the motivation is:

National is now buying all uniforms at a lower price from these sweatshops, but has not lowered but raised the prices to all scouts and scouters resulting in more PROFIT for the National Supply Division of the BSA.

 

Another interesting tidbit of information recently passed on to me is that the CSE and other key leaders at National have their uniforms custom made by an American tailor/manufacturer because the standard uniform at supply division, just doesn't fit right and is very uncomfortable.

[SeattlePioneer]

My theory is that national wants to support the WORLD scouting movement with it's purchasing decisions....

[BS-87]

Newbie Den Leader-

 

How about instead of a 25% price decrease, they just avoid a 33% price increase?

[desertrat77]

BadenP--thanks for the info, that made my day!

 

The uniform could be made in the US, if National got behind the effort......