Made in USA Front and Center This Week in Washington DC

In an official proclamation issued by the White House on Saturday, October 3, President Donald Trump declared Monday, October 5, 2020 “Made in America Day” and October 4 though 10 as “Made in America Week” (source (opens in a new tab)).

A worker uses a drill during the manufacture of an Imagine Design product. The company uses it’s Minnesota-based manufacturing operation to provide jobs and teach job skills for people with barriers to employment.

The president’s timing was perfect for this newsletter, since we have been featuring Made in USA vendors in our October issue since 2007. This year we again focus on manufacturing in the USA.

Originally founded in 1986 as a giftware business, Imagine Design (opens in a new tab) was acquired in 2008 by AccessAbility, Inc., a Minneapolis, Minnesota, nonprofit to serve as a social enterprise providing transitional work and training for people who have barriers to employment. The individuals from the community who work on the Imagine Design business line gain transferable skills in production, inventory, merchandising, customer service and more. Imagine Design home décor and gift items are made using the finest quality materials combined with its own unique designs of media, depth and embellishments. The result is a fun and inspirational gift line that also has a great mission!

Still in the state of Minnesota, where author Cheryl Karpen of Gently Spoken (opens in a new tab) created her gift book series “Eat Your Peas.” “Growing up on a farm taught me a lot about planting strong roots in your own community,” Cheryl says. “After I received bids from three Twin City printers to print my first gift book, I chose the printer that made a unique promise, ‘I promise to ALWAYS treat you like family.’ With more than 1 million Eat Your Peas Gift Books sold, we’ve never looked back. Why? Because our St. Paul based printer, Ideal Printers, has our back. Come and see the beauty and heart we have created together.”

One of Cheryl Karpen’s “Eat Your Peas” (Gently Spoken) books is on the press at left and a finished cover is at right.

In Plymouth, Minnesota, a suburb of Minneapolis, Gina B. Designs (opens in a new tab) is a designer and publisher of Greeting Cards and Stationery/Gift products since 1984. All of the company’s products are produced in the U.S.A. Every item in the line is printed locally, assembled and packaged at the company’s facility.

Kathy, a buyer for a hardware store in Michigan, is really excited about the sell-through of her Tangico product display.

Tangico (opens in a new tab), a manufacturer of gifts, souvenirs and promotional products located in Pontiac, Michigan, now has 6,000+ stock images for more than 20 Made-in-the-USA products. Tangico’s “All-In” pricing now allows retail buyers to order name dropped or fully customized products with reasonable minimums and no surprise art or set-up fees.

The Greeting Place specializes in laughter and creating jobs in Nashville, TN

Since 1999, The Greeting Place (opens in a new tab) has been proud to create jobs in Nashville, Tennessee. From design, to printing, to supplies, and assembly, “Go Girl!” Greeting cards are Tennessee made! The Greeting Places uses its own family photos and humor to spread laughter. The company’s retailers always know when customers are at their display racks because they hear them actually laughing out loud!

Pure Factory Naturals takes pride in their Made-in-USA ingredients. At right are some finished, packaged products.

Going south to the Atlanta area, everything from Pure Factory Naturals (opens in a new tab) is made in the company’s GMP certified plant in Smyrna, Georgia, and is 100% Gluten-, Paraben- and GMO-free. Pure Factory uses natural, beneficial ingredients in all its bath and body products, such as coconut oil, shea butter & essential oils. New products in unique and eye-catching packaging are continually being created in assortments & open stock.

Three Freeheart Tumblers

Continuing on the way south, Freeheart (opens in a new tab) is based in Sarasota-Bradenton, Florida. Founded in 2011, Freeheart is committed to delivering a full line of double walled insulated drinkware and deliver the absolute best quality and innovation on the market. Freeheart acquired Signature Tumbler in September, 2018. Freeheart thermal insulated drinkware is Made in the USA and keeps drinks cold & hot, has reduced condensation, and is top-rack dishwasher safe. Freeheart specializes in catering to specialty gift shops, sports & memorabilia stores, buying groups, regional retailers, advertising specialty resellers, and also does contract manufacturing for private label programs. Freeheart^™ brand of double wall insulated drinkware is launching 20+ new designs from the Avery Jackson collection. “In consulting with Avery, we wanted to focus on designs for the specialty gift, tourist destination, coastal retail, zoo and aquarium, and also kitchenware markets,” said Rainer Kuhn, President of Freeheart Drinkware. “Consumers can’t help but stop and smile at the whimsical and emotionally appealing designs.”

Finally, below is a list of OmegaNet Inc./CAMEO EZ^© vendors besides those above who are all or partially Made in USA. You will find more information at GiftsWholesale.Com (opens in a new tab) or CAMEOEZ.com (opens in a new tab). Some vendors may use components that are not Made in USA but designed and assembled in this country. Further in “Featured Vendors” you will find Made In USA vendors, indicated by the red, white and blue backgrounds.