The NFL has been around since 1920 and for the entire history of the league, the uniforms have been made overseas. It’s amazing how much has changed in that time but one thing remains the same, that the NFL uniforms are not made in the USA. When I heard this, I was shocked because I thought all NFL team uniforms were made in the US. Turns out, they’re not.
So why aren’t the team uniforms made in the US? Well, it turns out that there are quite a few reasons. The first is that overseas production is cheaper than in the US. So, when teams are trying to save money and cut costs, they opt to have their uniforms made overseas. Another reason why the uniforms are made overseas is that it’s faster. Overseas factories are able to finish orders faster than American companies, which helps teams get their uniforms faster.
One interesting thing I found out is that the NFL does have a rule that stipulates that all NFL game-worn apparel has to be made in the US. However, the majority of the NFL apparel is still made overseas. This includes items like hats, shirts, and jackets that people buy from team stores. So it looks like the majority of NFL gear isn’t made in the US.
This is a bit disappointing, especially for those of us who think the US worker could benefit from having the jobs of producing NFL uniforms. But, I do understand why teams opt to go overseas, as it’s cheaper and faster. Plus, most fans wouldn’t be that picky if their team apparel was made in the US or not.
That being said, I can’t help but wonder if the NFL could do more to help the US economy by encouraging more fans to buy US-made apparel. Maybe if the NFL put their money where their mouth is and used US shops to produce their team apparel, it would give a boost to the US economy.
So, what do you think? Should the NFL do something to encourage fans to buy US-made apparel or is it ok that they mostly go overseas?
I tend to think that the NFL should put more of their efforts into having more US production of their apparel. It would be an opportunity to support US workers and help the US economy at the same time. It could also pave the way for other companies to follow suit, and help the US have more of a global presence.
Another idea might be to partner with US factories and set up a system with local production facilities so teams are able to get their goods faster. This would allow teams to get their uniforms in a timely fashion and still ensure that the majority of production is done by US workers. It would be great if the NFL could come up with something like this so teams know they can get their gear quickly and still know that they’re doing their part to help the US economy and support US workers at the same time.
Also, the NFL should consider setting up some kind of fund to help US factories make sure they can keep their workers employed and safe. This would, in turn, help the US economy keep growing and help US factories stay competitive with other factories overseas.
So, what do you think? Does the NFL need to do more to support US workers and encourage fans to buy US-made apparel? Are there any other policies or initiatives the NFL should consider to help the US economy? I’d love to hear your thoughts!