The local apparel manufacturer, which built its entire supply chain from scratch, plans to sell its line of shirts in 1,700 Walmart stores for $12.98.
American Giant partnered with Walmart (yes, that Walmart) on Monday to Made in the USA T-ShirtsAhead of the Fourth of July, the item will be priced at $12.98 and features the words “AMERICAN MADE.”
The red, white, blue and grey shirts are already Available online,and The product will be sold at 1,700 Walmart stores. The shirts are made from 100% American cotton sourced from farms across the Southeast and manufactured in factories in California, the Carolinas and elsewhere.
American Giant founder Bayard Winthrop wrote in an email to customers Monday that the new partnership is a “major milestone.”
“While they are not made to the same specifications or unparalleled standards as the clothes we sell on our site and in our stores, we believe the T-shirts we sell at Walmart are a testament to what can be accomplished when you combine the skill and dedication of American workers, the determination of the entrepreneurs who employ them, and the foresight and vision of an American giant like Walmart,” Winthrop wrote. “Our mission remains the same: to make the world’s best clothes, in America, at a price affordable to all Americans, and today marks an important milestone on that journey.”
The partnership between the two companies is noteworthy.
American Giant was founded in 2011 at a time when the US textile industry was in ruins, and Winthrop and his team spent the next decade or so trying to rebuild it. Building an entire supply chain from scratchBut startups were forced to do so largely because of the actions of big companies like Walmart in the late 20th century. Encourage U.S. manufacturing to move overseas To reduce costs.
As American Giant began its 21st century expansion, Walmart began to source more of its inventory from the U.S. We have always Criticism of the campaignThis is not surprising, given that retailers still sell an overwhelming amount of imported goods.
But to its credit, Walmart has taken some steps to increase its line of American-made products. I took a quick look around my local Walmart and saw a lot of products with the “Made in USA” label, especially in sections like cookware. The chain also carries a wide selection of American-made flags, which is always fun to look at.
The American Giant partnership could be a stepping stone for Walmart to start offering more American-made clothing — nothing but imported goods was ever found in the store — or it could end up being a one-time partnership, with the retailer sticking to its tried-and-true business model of selling imported goods at the cheapest possible prices.
The final outcome will depend on the customer’s response.
in poll rear pollAmericans tell us they want more American-made options. We hear from people all the time looking for American-made products. That’s why we’re growing our inventory every year. American-made Holiday Gift Guide Maintain American Made Directory.
But American-made products are still expensive, especially when it comes to apparel, because of unscrupulous companies like Shein selling t-shirts. At a very low priceAmerican Giant T-shirts are priced considerably cheaper than usual, but $12.98 T-shirts sold at Walmart.
American Giant, on the other hand, has been successful in finding a customer base willing to pay for American-made quality. The company sells T-shirts with a similar design to the Walmart one on its website for $60.And remember, it was an American Giant hoodie that was called “the best hoodie ever made” slatethe people who first put the company on the map, Parkers are now priced The lightweight version starts at $80, while the version made from thicker material starts at $148.
The T-shirt, available at Walmart for $12.98, is a bargain for American Giant, even if it’s not exactly the same quality as the main brand. It seems similar to other partnerships between luxury designers and retailers, such as capsule collections. Target and the legendary Diane von Furstenberg The collection debuted this summer, and these types of collections are a way to make more premium brands accessible to more people.
However, the Walmart/American Giant partnership isn’t intended to be a one-off collaboration: The press release announcing the partnership specified that the T-shirts were “the first American Giant product created for Walmart,” suggesting there’s more to come.
I will admit to being a bit skeptical about this collaboration. Leading the way Walmart has been offshoring U.S. factory jobs and production, and its brands remain heavily reliant on imports. And, of course, there is now growing political momentum to encourage domestic manufacturing, but if the pendulum starts to swing the other way, will Walmart still see this partnership as worthwhile?
But that’s not the case right now: Walmart selling American Giant apparel would undoubtedly be a huge step forward for American-made products. If this works, and American Giant eventually expands its presence in Walmart stores, it could be a real game-changer for American apparel manufacturing.
As Winthrop Said Financial Times: “Purchase orders remove the skepticism many have about whether supply chains can be built at scale in the U.S..”
