[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Filson....Made In China!!? (Page 1 of 2)
Posted: 1/7/2014 4:46:50 PM EDT
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My wife bought me a "Guide Sweater" a couple years ago. Super thick, super quality, made in the USA. I where it constantly bow hunting in cold weather.
I got an ad-email the other day, and these sweaters were marked down tremendously. So I bought another one, in a different color. It came today. Tag inside? MADE IN CHINA. Dammit. 
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Guess where Sitka hunting gear is made? A lot of quality textiles are produced in China. Doesn't make me happy, but that's reality. You rarely hear people complain about their iPhones being made in China. Suicide nets be damned. I accept many things are made in China. Filson products made in China, I DO NOT ACCEPT |
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Sitka is retarded expensive too. Fuck that noise. Quoted:
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Guess where Sitka hunting gear is made? Sitka is retarded expensive too. Fuck that noise. While I can hardly justify paying thier prices for the types of hunting I do, Sitka's products primarily incorporate technologies from the Gore company. GoreTex, their camo patterns, etc. are all licensed from Gore and manufactured in China. Other than Primaloft IIRC. Rather than ship textiles around the world it does make sense to manufacture the clothing at the source to take advantage of the lower labor cost. It's the same reason most of our computing components are manufactured there. |
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Most of their lighter weight stuff is made overseas. The heavier stuff like wool, tin cloth, luggage, etc are still made here. They just started making the boots here again.
Most companies named in this thread so far (Danner, Carhart, even Henckels) has a shit "global" line and a better US made line (or first world line). The good shit aint cheap, but there is a difference. |
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Sad isn't it.
Remember the original 10x clothing line. They was good american made products. I still have a parka and pants I bought from Bobs Gun Store in Norfolk Virginia back in 1992. It was in the upper class clothing line but Bob's was selling out of the expensive outfits and I got it for 1/2 price. Kept me warm and dry for the next 18 years, until I got a set of insulated coveralls. It's now 10x china. |
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Filson sweaters made in ChiCom child slave labor camps are far warmer than those made in the U.S. The weave is tighter and what those thin nimble fingers can do with that wool simply can't be duplicated with machinery here. Two or three children died making your sweater so I would show a little more appreciation if I were you! Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
| I got 3 pairs of Danners a few years ago and had to double check that I was getting the USA stuff (not too difficult - anything 50% price is Chinese). Can't say I blame them since most Americans are to blame for not seeking out and paying for quality. I feel old because I tell some younger friends about how 15 years ago I used to go to WalMart and be able to always check I was getting the USA brand. I think about 10 years ago we didn't see that choice any more. FU Clinton! |
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I have Carhartt coats made in the USA before they moved. Quality is superior. Orvis shooting jacket made in Scotland before they moved. Incredible quality. Fuck China. Stuff that falls apart, corners cut, toxic materials used. Have you seen an Obermeyer coat made in the 70's? These things are the reason we are biased about cheap crap from China. |
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You aren't the only one noticing the decline in goods. Here's a interesting take on exactly how Filson is cutting costs...by cutting the construction.
" Filson "De-contenting" Signature Items So, my wife presented me with a new Filson Mackinaw Wool Vest this Christmas. This of course, if one of their signature pieces, and together with such items as the Mackinaw Cruiser and canvas luggage, established their reputation over a period of more than a century. One would imagine they would be loath to damage their brand equity and highly protective of their “might as well have the best” reputation. Apparently this is far from the case. As I sat digesting my superb Christmas dinner I absent-mindedly began to examine my new vest. Hmmm, I thought, the inner seams binding front to rear panels, along the sides and inner shoulders, feel strange, as if I can feel raw fabric edges. I don’t recall feeling that with my other Mackinaw vest, one approximately two years old. So, I removed my present and began to compare the two, old to new. Again, my older vest is only two years old – not decades. I found the differences between the two shocking to say the least. My two year old vest features true flat felled seams binding the front to rear fabric pieces. The new vest still has two rows of stitching, but the seams are not true flat felled. Instead the seam is rolled once, with a totally raw fabric edge exposed. I then began to look more closely at my “new” vest. Where were all the bar-tacks, which I recalled dotted the extended patches of fabric which serve as hand-warmer and chest pockets? My “old” vest features an abundance of bar-tacks, five on the right side and seven on the left, which includes the divided top pocket. And my new vest? A total of one bar-tack is sewn on each side, at the lower pocket opening. There is zero reinforcement elsewhere on the panels. Now I expect such de-contenting from cheap over-seas sourcing, but both of these vests are made in USA. And again, these are signature pieces, at the very foundation of their quality heritage, founded on their motto of “might as well have the best”. Well, the new Filson is clearly no longer delivering on that pledge. Instead they seem to be following the common lead of removing value, while steadily increasing price. I know their recent product introductions appear to value fashion more than form, but this development is very distressing. Filson has lost me as a customer, and I would imagine I am not alone -- disappointing to say the least. " Quote taken from http://www.askandyaboutclothes.com/forum/showthread.php?164267-Filson-quot-De-contenting-quot-Signature-Items |
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I got one last year for x-mas. As to the stitching changes I can't comment, because I don't know. I know mine doesn't have a liner and it can be kind of annoying. The collar on mine stands up when I button the top button, it reaches to the bottoms of my ears when it's standing up. A little taller would be nice to protect my ears, but really that's only in the bitter cold. It is true that if you put something big in the front cargo pockets there isn't much room for your hands in the hand pockets. You can pretty much tell that just from looking at the design though.
I think the fabric is top notch and tough, as far as I'm concerned it's still breaking in and this is it's second winter. I don't have any strings hanging off of it, it's not wearing out anywhere. I don't see any weaknesses in the coat itself. I got a 2X Tall because I have long arms and the fit is really good. I also really like the look of it. Mine is the charcoal grey color and it looks clean, but not too dressy. I wear it all winter long for everything. I love mine. I know stuff made years ago might be better quality, but I doubt there is much of anything better made right now. I own one though so I'm probably biased. |
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This is a result of something called "prole shift" which is what academia has titled the marketing of luxury goods to the middle class. 30yrs ago your Orvis, Filson, Coach, Armani, Henckels, etc were luxury brands only affordable to the wealthy. I remember seeing a $29 box of 7 1/2 dove loads at Orvis back in the 80s when a box of AAs was about $4. By cutting corners and moving production to the far east those companies have decided they would prefer selling mind boggling amounts of mediocre products than small amounts of excellent products. Its all about the balance sheet.
I got news for you, there is no such thing as a "outlet" either. Companies run special low quality product lines for their outlet stores. There isn't possibly enough overstocks and returns to operate outlet stores coast to coast. Seasonally they mix in real overstock items with the low end crap they normally sel. |
| Unfortunantly Bill Klinton opened the flood gates with China. My old man used to have a textile mill as wells as a dying and finishing plant here in los angeles for almost 40 years. But Klintons policies put an end to that and all those $100,000 pieces of equipment (jumberca, monarch, mayer and terrot circular knitting machines) that ended up being sold for a mear fraction of the original cost and going over to china once he could not compete with the forign imports. Funny thing is, he thought Bush was the Devil. Boy do i miss him since he passed away a few years ago. Gettting dusty over here. |
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I wonder how many human labor hours are in each of these products. I'd love any industrial engineer here to tell me. At their price point it sure seems like they'd be able to cover domestic labor cost. But I guess not. The red tape, and additional regulatory costs have to be added to each labor hour. Once a company has complied with all of those, it probably does become too expensive to manufacture in the U.S. |
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From the standpoint of quality, it doesn't matter where anything is made..... what matters is what the company demands from their manufactures or suppliers. China and others are fully capable of producing high quality products.
I do understand the desire to " buy American" though ..... but I don't think that guarantees any degree of quality either. Company management, quality control, specs, etc. set the quality no matter the country of origin. |
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Add to the list woolrich and Pendleton. 
And Woolrich has the audacity to still say, Americans oldest woolen mill. Not when you're making the shit in china you're not! I recently got a wool Stormy Kromer vest, not cheap, but very nice, still made in the USA.  I actually sent an email to Kromer last night, telling them I was returning a Filson sweater because of the Made In China tag, and thanking them for making their products here in the US. Stormy Kromer is a pretty great Made in The UP story....I have a ridiculous amount of Kromer. Their new Outfittter vest is awesome. |
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From the standpoint of quality, it doesn't matter where anything is made..... what matters is what the company demands from their manufactures or suppliers. China and others are fully capable of producing high quality products. I do understand the desire to " buy American" though ..... but I don't think that guarantees any degree of quality either. Company management, quality control, specs, etc. set the quality no matter the country of origin. It's about supporting you're country. Not some commie pinko fags. 
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Quoted: One would think with the millions of unemployed we have, we can bring back some of that 'more modest' manufacturing to the US. But when Uncle Sugar makes unemployment more attractive... Going to be hard to bring those jobs back in quantity when employers today have a hard time finding someone who can pass a drug test and doesn't have a record.
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One of my New Year's resolutions was to buy more American products.
I've been wearing the same Filson Waterfowler cap for 20 years and it is still in GREAT shape! I recently ordered the big game version of the same hat. I got the hat in yesterday (3 week delivery time). I immediately plopped it on my melon. Something wasn't right. Even my daughter asked me if something was wrong with it because I kept fiddling with it. After closer inspection, I saw that the bill was sewn on off center! NO GO for a $70 cap! I'm waiting on them to open today to see how they're going to fix this. I may just return it and get a Stormy Kromer or two for the same price! I'm also digging Pointer Brand right now! |
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Quoted: Unfortunantly Bill Klinton opened the flood gates with China. My old man used to have a textile mill as wells as a dying and finishing plant here in los angeles for almost 40 years. But Klintons policies put an end to that and all those $100,000 pieces of equipment (jumberca, monarch, mayer and terrot circular knitting machines) that ended up being sold for a mear fraction of the original cost and going over to china once he could not compete with the forign imports. Funny thing is, he thought Bush was the Devil. Boy do i miss him since he passed away a few years ago. Gettting dusty over here. The difference is that Clinton gave them missile and satellite tech. Courting China is nothing new, and not limited to just Democrats...the idea of a billion consumers is huge to business...and we've always been trying to export to them.
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Filson is heavy plain and simple
I actually dont know how you Yankees stand layering and wearing all the clothes you wear . The undressing just to shit and piss and when you go into the house must wear you down. No wonder Yankees are short and curt most of the time. While it is heavy I do have a Mac cruiser coat, a storm jacket, a vest, and my favorite a set of wool bibs. I am sad to hear it has gone to shit. I got my first coat in Seattle. I left mine sitting on my bed leaving for my honeymoon in San Antonio, Seattle, Windtrop WA, back to Fredericksburg Texas. I had a reason to buy one and it has served me well. I dont get the use out of it like you all do because of global warming I dont wear it offten 
Just like the tank level guages and relay boxes made by Murphy manafacturing used in the oilfield. Never had a problem with their product till they started building them in china. Price went up up up for us. |
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I traveled to China for 6 years, setting up equipment and training them how to use it. I would go to factories set up by US companies like Goodyear, Duracell, and GM. If you want to sell US products to china, they have to be made there.
The lying thieving bastards who we set up to sell our technology stole it and began making their line. 3 different times. They have no business morals and will lie to your face. It is not only US companies that have outsourced to China. Leica, a German company has a lot of their medical line made there, and has for over a decade. |