Some apparel manufacturing 'reshoring' to USA

A small but growing number of clothing designers and retailers are bringing some production back to the U.S. The firms cite rising labor costs, poor quality and long lead times in China.

U.S. consumers have shown a willingness to pay more for Made-in-America products.

Brooks Bros. bought a plant in Haverhill, Mass., five years ago and has moved 70% of its suit production there, mostly from offshore locations, says John Martynec, who heads domestic manufacturing for the venerable designer and retailer. Employment at the plant has increased to 475 from 300 the past few years.

The company also has been bringing back to the U.S., or reshoring, production of some dress shirts, overcoats and pants. Chinese wages that used to be a sixth of U.S. pay are now a third to a fifth, Martynec says.

"We feel this is going to be the wave of the future — manufacturing in the United States," he says.

Read the entire article in USA today here.