"American Made" Tee Shirt Is Made in Mexico, J. C. Penney's Says It's Meant to Show Pride in America

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.unionlabel.org/?zone=/unionactive/view_blog_post.cfm&blogID=633&postID=1517

by Rich Kline
Most of us would assume that a tee shirt lettered "AMERICAN MADE" across its chest would be made in America. But that's not the case with J. C. Penney's tee shirt so decorated. It's made in Mexico.

When a 78-year-old retired clothing manufacturer discovered this canard he was incensed. It seems that Joe Allen's company was driven out of business by unfair foreign competition.

Allen brought the matter to the attention of the Alliance for American Manufacturing which contacted J.C. Penney.

Penney's spokesperson replied to the AAM that "American Made" refers to the wearer of the garment, not the shirt. J. C.. Penney told Business Week the shirt will remain on store shelves throughout the summer. Penney's says the tee is "intended to evoke our American lifestyle and pride in being American." Huh?!

If you want to share your views on this with J. C. Penney, please call Kelly Sanchez at 972-431-3961 or email her at [e-mail]. If you prefer, contact for Myron Ullman, J.C. Penney CEO, at 972-431-8200.

[virgogal]

1. Anything manufactued on either American continent is American

made IMHO.

[Drunken Irishman]

3. No...not at all.

[imdjh]

4. You have a future in marketing.

E coli is organic so if my hamburger says "organic" then I shouldn't be surprised. Right?

[virgogal]

7. LOL. Since I'm 76 years old I just hope I have a future.

[FarCenter]

8. Right -- if it is Made in USA, it should say that

[virgogal]

11. That was my point but a few didn't seem to get it.

[imdjh]

13. I have a friend whose mother insists on calling him Lawrence.

The whole world calls him Larry, but she calls him Lawrence, and if you call her and ask her how Larry is doing, she will say "Who?".

[Cybergata]

17. It the Egocentric U.S.Americans . . .

who believe that the only place in North or South America is the U.S.A. If it was made in North or South America it is American. Now if they put an American flag or another symbol of the United States on the shirt, then it is implying made in the United States of America.

[Xipe Totec]

2. I was born in Mexico, but my dad was American

I guess I was American made too...



:yoiks:

[Beartracks]

5. Shirt Design is no substitute for tag info

I saw someone today wearing a shirt that said "Oklahoma Made." I did *not* presume that the words referred to the shirt itself. The design was probably printed onto the shirt locally, but the shirt could have been manufactured anywhere. (Come to think of it, it might have said "Oklahoma Bred" but my point still stands: that doesn't mean the shirt was born here.)

[Rosa Luxemburg]

6. McCain's flagpin was made in China!

This patriotism has to get it right. What happend to made in the USA.

[Poiuyt]

9. Mexico is American

It is not, however, part of the United States.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_America

[KamaAina]

10. EPIC FAIL.

:eyes:

[glitch]

16. Along with all the truly pathetic rationalizations. :( nt

[XemaSab]

12. Remind me again why American protectionism is frowned upon

:banghead:

[Wednesdays]

14. K&R

:kick:

[Dont_Bogart_the_Pretzel]

15. I don't beleive it... it's not made in China!

Like all the little USA Flags back in '01 that were made in China

[donheld]

18. Email sent

I'd boycott them, but I haven't been in there any of their stores for years.

[upi402]

19. Like my "GOD BLESS AMERICA" flag hat made in communist China

Where do we stick the fork?

[Hannah Bell]

20. Most DU-ers apparently don't give a shit.

"thank god it passed!" though.

[eppur_se_muova]

21. I'd say it's the thought that counts, but how much thought went into it, really?

"We should LOOK like we care."
"Done!"
End of strategy session.

[onethatcares]

22. screw j.c. penneys and everyone of their stores

they took a perfectly good drug store chain and ran it into the ground while handing out bonuses and jobs to their many interconnected buddies. Then my wife lost her job of 17 years.

I haven't set foot in on of their stores since.