American Panama?

When I talked about my new hat the other day, I neglected to mention that it was made in the USA. I thought that was a little odd for a panama hat, especially since it has a small patch sewn into the inside hat band that says "genuine panama." I think what it means is that the straw was probably woven in Ecuador, where authentic panama hats come from, and then the hats are sent to the US for blocking and finishing.

I understand this. The hat maker, Bailey, has been around since 1922 and has a long heritage of manufacturing in Los Angeles. Among the tags attached to the hat was one for the web site Save An American Job, which encourages consumers to consider buying from companies that America and provides links and information.

I have said before that I believe this is something that people should think about when they are making purchasing decisions. Not that I would presume to tell anyone what to do; I simply feel strongly about buying American-made products when it makes sense to do so. Our purchases have ramifications beyond their immediate benefits to ourselves, and the more aware of this we are, the more astute our purchasing decisions will be.