Viable Options to American-Made Clothing

Yesterday I talked about the priority I place on looking for American made products when I shop for you. The flip side of this coin is finding items that are responsibly made abroad.

I trust the owners of Nomadic Traders, one of the staple lines you see at Renee's, to conscientiously make those choices for me. Len and Anna Schemin started Nomadic over 30 years ago in Berkeley, California. They still own and operate the business. This longevity is practically unheard of in today's apparel business.





Len and Anna "are very wonderful human beings in this planet. They are fair, family oriented, and supportive," said Giselle Perez, marketing director for Nomadic Traders. Giselle has worked for the company for 24 years and counting.

Giselle and I discussed the some challenges to American-produced apparel. "We are between a rock and a hard place," Giselle explains. Apparently most of the cotton grown in the US gets exported to China. On top of that there are not many companies left in the states who manufacture sweaters and textiles. Most of the skills and factories have moved overseas, and some "production almost has to be abroad."





The owners appreciate my American-made quest, and many of the knits are produced stateside. However when US production is not practical, they get the job done overseas to create a well-rounded collection.

From my perspective, Nomadic Traders is a company whose integrity I want to support. The employees who answer the phones are friendly and compassionate; the shipping is reliable, accurate and speedy; the merchandise is reasonably priced, and the owners uphold and promote the art and culture they've experienced in their many journeys.

They also give back to others. "We have always believed in giving back, and have donated to various charities for many years," they write. You can see a list of the charities they support on their website.

Best of all, you, the customers, have embraced Nomadic!

While I prefer to purchase items made in America for you, there are some other viable options. Buying from Nomadic Traders is one of them. Do you know of others?

Warm Regards,
renee