Outsourcing

Going into this assignment, I would have guessed almost all products that I used would be made in China or another Asian country. In some respects, I was right with this assumption. Products such as my laptop, iPhone, iron, laptop case, backpack, sneakers, Uggs, and television were all made in China. Surprise, surprise. Almost all of the technology I used over the course of this weekend was made in China. To add another shocking twist, all of my clothes were made overseas in an Asian country—such as China or Malaysia. Chinese made products make up the majority of the things I use on a daily basis.

Despite all of these Asian made products, there were also a great many products that were made in the United States. This was unexpected. All of my lotions, shampoos, toothpastes, contacts, and plates and silverware were made right here in America. In my opinion, there is a clear reason for this. Americans don’t want products that they use on their body to be manufactured in a foreign country. In our culture, it is “acceptable” for our electronics to be made overseas, but our toiletries and utility objects must be made in America. Americans do not want these “foreign substances” touching their skin. Even though this pattern emerged regarding American made products, it still amazes me how many of my daily products were made in China. Although many electronic products are outsourced to Asian countries, many utility and body products are still made in the U.S.A. in order to keep American consumers satisfied.