Unbelievable!
http://www.made-in-china.com/
This is disturbing! So disturbing that I'm not giving you the link... go below instead....
I'm glad there's http://www.stillmadeinusa.com/ to balance things out!
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Wow!
It has been so hard to find things not made in China, I haven't had much to write about! I head about a new shoe store inside Terra Toys that will be selling US-made (and even made in Texas) shoes that I will check out soon!
Monday, October 5, 2009
Sunday, March 29, 2009
This is easy compared to...
I thought buying items not Made in China would be difficult. There are a few items I have given up on (edamame, for example, and apple juice... but we're switching to made in the USA white grape), but for the most part, it's been nice to say "sorry we can't buy it... it's made in China" and that often ends the begging for worthless junk that no one needs anyway (makes Wall-E and Idiocracy look like they could really happen).
BUT, compared to giving up High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) for Lent, giving up things Made in China for a lifetime is a walk in the park.
Do you know how many birthday parties I have been to since Lent began? Do you know how many times I have had to turn down a really good-smelling hot dog because the bun AND the ketchup have HFCS? ARG!
I had considered giving up TV for Lent, but decided against it for a few reasons... one is that I work from home for Matt & Jenny (my sister & her hubby) while I watch tv. It's boring work that's best done while watching CSI or Law & Order reruns. The second reason is that I honestly thought that giving up tv would be harder than giving up HFCS. I"ve done both before and recall that tv was harder, or so I thought. I have my Mexican Coke... I don't need no stinkin' Sonic happy hour cherry Coke with extra cherries, right?!?!?! I didn't consider the birthday parties. I should have brought my own ketchup (and buns).
At least the ketchup isn't Made in China, right? ;-)
BUT, compared to giving up High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) for Lent, giving up things Made in China for a lifetime is a walk in the park.
Do you know how many birthday parties I have been to since Lent began? Do you know how many times I have had to turn down a really good-smelling hot dog because the bun AND the ketchup have HFCS? ARG!
I had considered giving up TV for Lent, but decided against it for a few reasons... one is that I work from home for Matt & Jenny (my sister & her hubby) while I watch tv. It's boring work that's best done while watching CSI or Law & Order reruns. The second reason is that I honestly thought that giving up tv would be harder than giving up HFCS. I"ve done both before and recall that tv was harder, or so I thought. I have my Mexican Coke... I don't need no stinkin' Sonic happy hour cherry Coke with extra cherries, right?!?!?! I didn't consider the birthday parties. I should have brought my own ketchup (and buns).
At least the ketchup isn't Made in China, right? ;-)
Sunday, February 15, 2009
I caved
I didn't mean to, but I didn't have a choice!
I have been meaning to replace a toy that Brendan broke at a friends' house MONTHS ago. Had I gotten on the ball and done this when I was supposed to have done it, I wouldn't have even checked the label! As it turns out, this particular widget in all it's forms, sizes, and colors, is apparently only available from China anyway. My guilt (or is it embarrassment?) over my son breaking a toy (by using it in a manner in which it was NOT intended to be used) that didn't belong to him won out over my guilt about buying things from China...
Aside from that, I DO have a rule that if something is simply not available from a different country of origin, I will accept that there are some things that we must have. Normally this is not a must-have item, but the afore-mentioned guilt (and embarrassment) are an exception to the rule...
Food is also an exception. We cannot find edamame made anywhere but China. My dear husband even looked at the Asian market (MT Supermarket on Lamar) where there are multiple varieties of edamame. I have looked at multiple grocery stores (OK... CostCo and several HEBs) and can't find these delicious AND healthy/nutritious soy beans anywhere BUT China. If it weren't for the fact that it's an outrageously healthy vegetable that my kids love, I'd walk away, but a green vegetable that both the 3-yr-old AND the 6-yr-old love??? Exceptions to the rule must be made.
In the meantime, in an effort to get Sarah to potty-train (we're a desperate hour here), I searched and found Minnie Mouse, Hello Kitty AND Cars underwear (yes, she likes boy underwear if it has Lightning McQueen on it) all made in the Phillippines. Surely that's not as bad as China?
I'm starting to wonder where all the fair trade stores are here in Austin so I can just shop there guilt free? Is Whole Foods it? Sure AUSTIN has more than that! I will have to research! For now, that's all I have... :o)
I have been meaning to replace a toy that Brendan broke at a friends' house MONTHS ago. Had I gotten on the ball and done this when I was supposed to have done it, I wouldn't have even checked the label! As it turns out, this particular widget in all it's forms, sizes, and colors, is apparently only available from China anyway. My guilt (or is it embarrassment?) over my son breaking a toy (by using it in a manner in which it was NOT intended to be used) that didn't belong to him won out over my guilt about buying things from China...
Aside from that, I DO have a rule that if something is simply not available from a different country of origin, I will accept that there are some things that we must have. Normally this is not a must-have item, but the afore-mentioned guilt (and embarrassment) are an exception to the rule...
Food is also an exception. We cannot find edamame made anywhere but China. My dear husband even looked at the Asian market (MT Supermarket on Lamar) where there are multiple varieties of edamame. I have looked at multiple grocery stores (OK... CostCo and several HEBs) and can't find these delicious AND healthy/nutritious soy beans anywhere BUT China. If it weren't for the fact that it's an outrageously healthy vegetable that my kids love, I'd walk away, but a green vegetable that both the 3-yr-old AND the 6-yr-old love??? Exceptions to the rule must be made.
In the meantime, in an effort to get Sarah to potty-train (we're a desperate hour here), I searched and found Minnie Mouse, Hello Kitty AND Cars underwear (yes, she likes boy underwear if it has Lightning McQueen on it) all made in the Phillippines. Surely that's not as bad as China?
I'm starting to wonder where all the fair trade stores are here in Austin so I can just shop there guilt free? Is Whole Foods it? Sure AUSTIN has more than that! I will have to research! For now, that's all I have... :o)
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Gray Area
I have a gray area....
I am in charge of the Sock Hop at the school's Spring Fling. Spring Fling is a carnival/fundraiser day for the PTO. Part of my duties as Sock Hop coordinator is to make sure there are adequate glow-rings and glow-necklaces for sale to help generate $ for the PTO that day. Apparently these items will be available for purchase during the sock hop (we are new to the school, so I'm not 100% sure).
I am 99.99% sure that all glow-rings and glow-in-the-dark necklaces and other glowing paraphernalia is all Made in China.
These are not items I am purchasing for myself and I am not using my own money to buy them. Am I compromising my values by purchasing these things (through the PTO) to sell at the Spring Fling?
I know... I know... I am taking this WAAAAAAY too seriously! But do the kids who MAKE the glow rings get to even GO to school? Much less have a Spring Fling or a Sock Hop to raise money for their school!!! NO! They work 7 days a week, 12+ hours a day just so we can have this crap for pennies each.
I will probably do it, but perhaps delegate the purchasing... after all, I am not in charge of any finances. My responsibility is only to "make sure we have the glow-in-the-dark stuff" for the Sock Hop... it isn't to BUY the stuff. It still feels like a dirty little secret, though... It's gonna get out and they'll never let me in charge of the Sock Hop again (maybe this isn't a bad thing?!?!?).
;-)
I am in charge of the Sock Hop at the school's Spring Fling. Spring Fling is a carnival/fundraiser day for the PTO. Part of my duties as Sock Hop coordinator is to make sure there are adequate glow-rings and glow-necklaces for sale to help generate $ for the PTO that day. Apparently these items will be available for purchase during the sock hop (we are new to the school, so I'm not 100% sure).
I am 99.99% sure that all glow-rings and glow-in-the-dark necklaces and other glowing paraphernalia is all Made in China.
These are not items I am purchasing for myself and I am not using my own money to buy them. Am I compromising my values by purchasing these things (through the PTO) to sell at the Spring Fling?
I know... I know... I am taking this WAAAAAAY too seriously! But do the kids who MAKE the glow rings get to even GO to school? Much less have a Spring Fling or a Sock Hop to raise money for their school!!! NO! They work 7 days a week, 12+ hours a day just so we can have this crap for pennies each.
I will probably do it, but perhaps delegate the purchasing... after all, I am not in charge of any finances. My responsibility is only to "make sure we have the glow-in-the-dark stuff" for the Sock Hop... it isn't to BUY the stuff. It still feels like a dirty little secret, though... It's gonna get out and they'll never let me in charge of the Sock Hop again (maybe this isn't a bad thing?!?!?).
;-)
Monday, January 19, 2009
I am most of the way through "A Year Without 'Made in China'" and it's not what I expected. The author is boycotting Chinese-made goods just for one year, and just to prove that it can be done.
Some of the hang-ups they've encountered so far include a broken blender, printer ink cartridges, sunglasses, beach toys for their 2 kids, and flip-flops. Sounds minor, but now that I go and look at all the shoes, sunglasses and summer toys in our house (and, I'm ashamed to say, the goodie-bag stuff for Sarah's party on Saturday, which I bought BEFORE the New Year), it's ALL made in China!
I did have a little luck with one additional craft item for Sarah's party... little suncatchers. I already had a few (but had thought I had more) for the kids to paint at the party... palm trees, flip-flops, etc. I found more at Joann's yesterday... Made in the USA. I also found 100% cotton thread made in Greece, since the only toys that I will be able to sell after CPSIA goes into effect on Feb 10 will be 100% cotton or 100% wood. All else HAS to be tested for lead and anything with plastic also has to be tested for phthalates, too.
I wonder if the Chinese will stip making cheap plastic toys for our country to gobble up and focus on wood toys (with no paint or varnish) and cotton toys??? I somehow doubt it!
Some of the hang-ups they've encountered so far include a broken blender, printer ink cartridges, sunglasses, beach toys for their 2 kids, and flip-flops. Sounds minor, but now that I go and look at all the shoes, sunglasses and summer toys in our house (and, I'm ashamed to say, the goodie-bag stuff for Sarah's party on Saturday, which I bought BEFORE the New Year), it's ALL made in China!
I did have a little luck with one additional craft item for Sarah's party... little suncatchers. I already had a few (but had thought I had more) for the kids to paint at the party... palm trees, flip-flops, etc. I found more at Joann's yesterday... Made in the USA. I also found 100% cotton thread made in Greece, since the only toys that I will be able to sell after CPSIA goes into effect on Feb 10 will be 100% cotton or 100% wood. All else HAS to be tested for lead and anything with plastic also has to be tested for phthalates, too.
I wonder if the Chinese will stip making cheap plastic toys for our country to gobble up and focus on wood toys (with no paint or varnish) and cotton toys??? I somehow doubt it!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
