The “Boots Theory of Socioeconomic Unfairness”: What is it? And why should you be buying domestically?

Made in USAOpinionHeritageValue
Written By Jake South

Where do your clothes come from? Do you know the economical impact of your clothes?

Generally, when you talk about things being ‘Made in America’ people think - “it’s too expensive”. Usually, this is the case, bottomline. There are nice exceptions like Okabashi, a sandal company out of Buford, GA offering sandals under $30 (~$24.99), and Dearborn Denim out of Chicago. A company who offers denim in a variety of fits with your choice of inseam for under $100.

Or Gustin - a company that began by crowdsourcing jeans. Securing only enough fabric per what their customers have ordered. “True Wholesale”. Now they are a trusted source of unique fabrics, denim, and small batch clothing all for a wholesale price. If you don’t mind a wait, the value that Gustin offers is remarkable. They even have an “stock” section for those that need their gear immediately.

However, this sentiment (that American-made is more costly) generally rings true and I have died on many hills trying to justify the extra costs.

It didn’t always used to be this way. Up until around the 1980’s, clothing in America was predominantly manufactured domestically. After the approval of the NAFTA agreement in 1994, it’s now estimated that just 2-3% of clothing (ONLY 1% of footwear & eyewear) is manufactured here in the United States.

Goodwear has some great write-ups by Peter Liquori, son of the founder and now Goodwear Brand Manager. His article about the percentages American families used to spend on their wardrobe compared to now and another article about clothing waste is particularly interesting.

On my path of research, in hopes to better justify buying domestically, I came across an excerpt from a book written by Terry Pratchett in 1993 - “Men at Arms”.

“Take boots, for example. He earned $38 a month plus allowances. A really good pair of leather boots cost $50. But an affordable pair of boots, which were sort of OK for a season or two and then leaked like hell when the cardboard gave out, cost about $10.”

“But the thing was that good boots lasted for years and years. A man who could afford $50 had a pair of boots that'd still be keeping his feet dry in 10 years' time, while the poor man who could only afford cheap boots would have spent a hundred dollars on boots in the same time and would still have wet feet.”

This is the “boots” theory of socioeconomic unfairness. While it comes from a fictional book, it accurately portrays the very real life dilemma of how being poor can be more expensive and how spending more up front ensures less is spent over time.

“Effectively, using our money to impact a more intentional market or voting with our money.”

This was eye-opening for me and has been a useful talking point ever since. After all, the reason for my ‘made in USA’ journey was partially due to me finding so much clothing from my late-father. Not only was it sentimental to wear his clothes and feel closer to him, it also connected me to a time when things were done differently. That made me truly realize the importance and value of ‘heritage’ clothing. It’s not just a vintage fad or an up-cycling trend. Although those things may have their merit, it meant more than that to me.

This is not a patriotic standpoint either. This thought process is not specific to the USA and can be applied to anyone in any country. We all can do our part to minimize the environmental effects of fast fashion by researching about the products we are considering. The manufacturing process, the materials used, proper safety, pay and equipment maintenance should be considered when making a purchase. In a world where it has been made appealing to purchase a cheap garment, it feels more like duty. Duty to our community, and duty to our planet. Effectively, using money to impact a more intentional market by voting with the dollar.

“When a product is made in the USA, it’s traveling distance from the manufacturer to the store for purchase is significantly less than a product made in China, which could easily be three times the distance. This means less fuel use, and by extension, fewer emissions released into the air to get to its final destination.” - COMMUNITYmade

This is where we are seeing companies with great ethos thrive among the 2-3% who are still manufacturing here in the United States.

“Buy less, Buy better. Wear more, Wash less.”

These are statements you will see and hear in the slow fashion community.

“Make Things Better, Make Better Things” - American Giant

“Slow is Fast” - Studebaker Metals

Ultimately, after all this.. it probably doesn’t change the amount of money you have. I completely understand and relate with that. I have had to take advantage of many resources, outlets, and SALES to obtain many of the products/garments I own. So many sales!

I also will be following up this article with another post specifically about sales and acquiring heirloom quality products through deals, discounts etc.

(You can read that follow up: HERE)

Jake South https://southland-heritage.com
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