We went to Orscheln's in
DC yesterday to pick up a few supplies and, while there, I bought 4 new pair of Wrangler 13MWZ Cowboy Cut jeans. Because one of the pair's size label was taped-on rather than secured by staples, I double checked the size on the permenant label sewn on the inside of the jeans. To my surprise, I found "Made in Costa Rica" on the label. When we got home, I checked other pairs of the same kind of jeans I've had for about a year, only to find the same Costa Rican origin. I checked an older, faded-out pair that I use for lawn work and found a "Made in the USA" label.
This disturbed me, so I checked the labels on two other kinds of jeans I have. I wear Rustler brand too (made by Wrangler) only to find another Costa Rican label, then I checked a pair of Levi 501's (made in Haiti) that I received for Christmas. I was amazed! These were formally all made right here in the good 'ol USA garments!
Maybe I should have been more attentive, but this is the first time I realized that most of the blue jeans I have are imported products, even though they're American brands. Is this some sort of NAFTA/Global Economy conspiracy? Maybe not, but what could be more "American" than a pair of cowboy-cut jeans... and even they're not made here anymore.
Imagine that.