I’m not any kind of a genius, but as an American female ‘shopper’, I most certainly qualify as an expert. Us American girls have this shopping thing down pat, especially when it comes to saving money on our favorite brands. There are certain brands that are must haves for most of us, and for me, blue jeans and leather are two things that I do have favorite brands for. Don’t most of us? Some will say they will only wear Wrangler jeans, others prefer Levis. This has been an age old debate, kind of like Coke and Pepsi.

As it turns out, my two favorite brands for leather and jeans, have always been Coach Leather Ware and Levis jeans. I have been buying these products my entire life. When it comes to leather, there are many choices. Some will only buy Wilson’s leathers, others insist on Harley Davidson Leather, and the list goes on. All of these name brands I have mentioned, originated in the United States and were manufactured in the USA for decades..

As the years went by I began to notice serious changes in my favorite brands, and it didn’t take me long to understand, that it was because these products were now being outsourced to other countries, mostly, China. I began noticing the material was thinner and just not the same on our Levis. Coach Glove Tanned Leather, was also a favorite of mine, and I began to notice the leather was thinner,and just not as good, and instead of using genuine brass or nickel hardware, they starting using cheap painted metal alloys and plastics. What happened to our favorite brands?

Not only were they not being produced here in the USA anymore, they started making fake counterfeits of these brands! So it got where, just because it had the brand name Levis or Coach on it, didn’t necessarily mean it was one of their products! Shopping for these brands turned into a nightmare! Literally, a nightmare! I had to start studying every detail, just to be sure I was getting the genuine product or not! All of a sudden shopping became very complicated.

All of this started when we made the mistake of producing our famous products in other countries. They stole our precious secret recipes for success, and found ways to make them cheaper and faster, which ended up in the counterfeit market. Literally stealing our brands! For shoppers like me, this was heartbreaking. How much more American can one get than LEVIS jeans? Our cowboys were wearing them for heaven’s sakes! And now countries like China were duplicating and ruining them? How sad is that? And why did we let this happen?

Well, folks, it all goes back to our government again. They over regulated and taxed our American businesses so bad, they had to start producing in other countries and now we are all suffering from the results. I shouldn’t have to study a pair of jeans for two hours, just to make sure they are the brand I want! I shouldn’t have to become a handbag expert, just to make sure the Coach bag I am ordering, is genuine or not. I should be able to shop for sales, without having to worry about getting ripped off! But sadly, this is the world we live in now, and we can thank our government for this!

I am sure most of you know that almost everything is outsourced to China now, and no matter what your favorite brand is, you have most likely noticed the difference in the quality, compared to how it once was. Unless you were not around before it happened, then you really can’t miss, what you never had. I almost feel sorry for younger folks that never got to experience the same quality that I did, back when our products were still made in the USA, even something as simple as a pair of Levis jeans. I wonder how many of you knew that Levis are actually counterfeited now? YES, they are making fakes of Levis jeans! Hard to believe, but true, nonetheless.

This actually makes me quite angry! Where do the Chinese get off stealing our companies names, logos and ideas, without their permission? Wasn’t it enough we gave them all of our jobs? Did they really have to steal all of our ideas and business names? I don’t normally like to get political, but it seems to me, we finally have leaders in this country that want to change this, and for some reason, unbeknownst to me, there are ‘some’ that don’t want our businesses back? They think this should continue? I should have them try to find me a real Coach bag some time! Or a pair of Levis! Maybe they don’t have to shop for sales and can go pay full price directly from the designers themselves? Lucky them! But what about the rest of us?

Isn’t it something how the actions of these politicians can affect us consumers? Wouldn’t it be great if their actions could affect us in a positive manner instead of so negatively? Makes you wonder whose side they are on, because it sure doesn’t seem like they’ve ever been on our side. Is depressing to know our own government cares more about making other countries happy, than their own people. All of this from an American female shopper! I feel as if I am being targeted, and you know what? I am! I am being targeted by criminal counterfeiters and find myself avoiding them at almost every corner I turn, especially on the internet. It’s not only sad, but creepy! How could our country let this happen to us girls? Used to be so much fun shopping for sales of my favorite brands. Now it is nothing but a nightmare! I truly hope our leaders do something and get this back to normal again.

Wouldn’t it be great to see MADE in the USA, back on all of our labels again? I haven’t seen that in so long, I almost forgot what it looks like! This has totally gotten out of hand. We better get control of it, if it isn’t already too late?

So you see? Outsourcing to countries like China was a bad idea from the get go! Why didn’t we just keep our businesses and products here, and make other countries pay double if they want them! Instead of them charging us double for less quality of our own brands? What is wrong with this picture, besides everything? I want my Levis back! Do you know that I actually look for used ‘Made in the USA’ Levis now? Yes, even used, the old Made in USA Levis were so much better, more comfortable and not to mention the fit! Now a 32 X 34, is actually a 28 X 30! Is ridiculous! And you know what’s even worse? The counterfeiters have figured out there is a market for USA Levis now, and they are even making fakes of them! Putting USA labels on them! It’s just a vicious endless battle! Why on earth should it be so complicated to get a simple pair of Levis jeans? I guess I already answered that, because we were dumb enough to give away old secret family recipes! We gave them all to other countries and now look what has happened! A gal can’t even get a pair of jeans!

Hopefully, we can keep making progress and get our businesses and products, all back in the USA again. Until then? it is what it is, pitiful! Talk about regrets! We should have took notes from our parents playbook and not gave away our old secret family recipes!. How come our parents were always right? What’s up with that?