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  • Writer's pictureTri City Furniture, Auburn

How do I know if I am Buying American Made Furniture?

Updated: Aug 31, 2022

American made furniture still exists! It is very reasonably priced and has great components and warranties that stand behind it's construction. The news and the internet may try to lead you to believe that everything comes on a boat over the sea as an import and that is why there are such long delays, but that is not true! There are skilled craftsman and women who work very hard so you can enjoy comfort, as well as beauty in your home. Let's talk more with Kathy Kilbourn of Tri City Furniture to learn all the benefits there is to buying American Made Goods!

I've often heard the saying..."Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is." Meaning Support your stated opinion by acting on it, investing on it, or betting on it. Origin of Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is This expression first appeared in America in the 1930s or 1940s. If want American to be great and thrive- then we need to support American companies and the workforce here. It is possible. I guarantee that you will be even happier with your purchase. You may pay a little more, but we all know you will get more as well.


Many brands that have been around for a long time- can you trust them? Are they American made?

Many manufactures have changed over the past few years due to Covid. But if you go back the last 50 years they have changed even more. Within this timeframe, imports have come into the picture. Many American companies have had trouble competing with the import companies. The products that they produced where completely different and the prices showed that, but the demand for lower prices made American companies pressured to produce what they do for lower money.

This process made many companies change how they built things to lower their costs. Many of the companies tried, but could not do it, therefore they went out of business or SOLD THEIR AMERICAN NAME AND BECAME AN IMPORT.

I have heard people tell me that they purchased a recliner 25 years ago and it is worn out now, but it lasted a long time. A really, really long time.

Unfortunately, the products have continued to be changed to stay in business. The big box stores have demanded lower prices and that has continued to push the quality down. If you want a cheap recliner, we will get you a cheap recliner, but remember, you get what you pay for.....

Labor costs here in the US are much higher than import production fees. Plus the components within an American recliner all make the cost to continue to rise. One way to cut cost is to remove parts. Who needs springs? Support foam? Quality fabric? Do you need wood arms or could you get away with cardboard arms? Why use nails and corner supports? Let's just put a staple in it! There are lots of ways to cut corners! An example would be a starter price recliner again. It seems like I have sold $599 recliners for 40 years, but what you get today for $599 and what you got 40 years ago for $599 are not at all the same. Costs have gone up, but that selling price has stayed similar. So what has changed is the quality.


There are American made products. There are still good products made available. Manufactures do not spend dollars to advertise their names like they did 50 years ago. Many of them don't want to, because they don't want you to know all their details. The older names that you are familiar with have mostly gone the way of imports. Either completely moving production overseas or making all of the parts overseas and then assembling it here. Quality standards and parts made somewhere else are not put to American Standard and quality. American assembled and American made is not the same! Just because the word AMERICAN or USA is in the name of the brand, does not mean that it is made here. Be aware!

Ask questions. Ask for the warranty. Ask for the 800 number. Ask who you are going to call if you have an issue. Ask about the type of foam that is inside the product. Ask where the fabric is made and what is it made of. Ask about the coil system. Ask for the count of coils. Ask about the wood frame. Is there wood even in the frame? Ask if it has cardboard arms or fiberboard. Ask if the store has returns or complaints on the product. Ask if the sale's person would buy it themselves. Ask if it is leather. Ask as many questions as you can to know if the product you are getting is the product that you are expecting.

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