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Made In The USA: An Export Boom
by NPR STAFF
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
April 21, 2012
In his State of the Union address two years ago, President Obama argued there were a few things the U.S. needed to do in order to recover from the economic recession: One of them was to export more of goods around the world.
“The more products we make and sell to other countries, the more jobs we support right here in America,” Obama said.
That night, the president unveiled a new goal: to double U.S. exports over the next five years. It would be an increase the president said would “support 2 million jobs in America.”
Most economists dismissed the pledge at the time as somewhat quixotic, but two years later, the U.S. is on pace to meet that goal. American exports are up 34 percent since the president gave that speech, and the number continues to rise.
Competitive In A Global Market
Marlin Steel, a metal working business in Baltimore, employs about 30 people and makes parts that ship all across the world.
“We export to 36 countries,” owner Drew Greenblatt tells weekends on All Things Considered host Guy Raz. “We’re working around the clock, and we’re growing.”
Greenblatt says his business has almost doubled. It made $5 million in revenue last year, and much of that business was in exports, he says. This year, he’s hoping for $8 million.
“Exports are critical to our future, critical to our hiring and our investment, and our optimism in the future,” Greenblatt says.
It’s not just advanced manufacturing exports on the rise, but pork, cattle and all kinds of agricultural exportsl. Even American craft beer has found an export market.
Flying Dog CEO Jim Caruso says that increasingly, people all over the world are trying the beer from the Maryland-based brewery.
“We ship to Amsterdam; from there it goes to 19 countries,” Caruso says. “The top countries for us are England, Sweden, Italy and the Netherlands.”
Even in those top beer-producing countries, a competitive American product is finding a market.
Services Are Exports, Too
Another place exports are coming from is New York City — in particular, the 30th floor of a Manhattan skyscraper on 5th Avenue and 52nd Street.
That’s where the consulting firm Kurt Solomon employs about 75 to 100 people. The firm doesn’t actually produce a product for export; it provides management advice and strategy — and its overseas clientele is growing.
“In the past five years, we’ve seen significant increases,” Managing Director Madison Riley says. The company is very active in China, Singapore and Japan, but also does business in Canada, Mexico, the U.K., Germany and France.”
Of course, when you think exports, you probably don’t think of consulting. As doing business globally becomes easier, the future of U.S. exports is just as invested in services as in the things Americans make, says the nation’s top trade official, Ron Kirk.
“Four out of every five Americans is now employed in the service sector,” Kirk tells Raz. “Services are a critical component of our exports, and make up about a quarter of our exported goods.”
These services can include everything from legal consulting, finance, architecture, information technology and even engineering. Compared to hard goods and agriculture, it’s harder to track service exports, so Kirk says the numbers might even be higher than what’s reported.
And There Are Other Factors
So why, across the entire economy, has there been an increase of more than 30 percent for exports in everything from management consulting to craft beer?
Part of the increase, at least for the manufacturing side, is due to better technology, says Tyler Cowen, an economist at George Mason University who has written about the American export boom.
“A lot of it is being driven by smart machines,” he tells Raz, “The U.S. has high wage rates, which is a disadvantage, but if machines are doing a lot of the work, that doesn’t matter.”
China factors a lot in America’s export economy, too.
“As China continues to grow, America will become a bigger winner,” Cowen wrote in a recent article in The American Interest.
Wages in China have been going up as the country becomes more productive, Cowen says. More production may be good, but it’s diminishing the cheap labor advantage China has held for some time.
“Those days are somewhat in the past,” Cowen says,” so the United States and Mexico will become, in relative terms, more competitive. This will mean that we export more.”
Will Jobs Grow, Too?
Now remember, the president’s secondary goal with the increase in exports was to also add 2 million jobs. Cowen says growth there has been a bit more sluggish.
“Companies have become more productive by shedding workers and lowering costs,” he says. “So I don’t, at the moment, view exporting as a way of creating a very large number of jobs, but it will create a lot of output and profits.”
So not every business or worker is necessarily benefiting from the export boom in the U.S., and Cowen says that could ultimately lead to a polarization of economic outcomes.
“If you’re an owner of capital, a business … or someone with technical skills that works with smart machines, I’m extremely optimistic,” he says. “[But] if you’re someone that is not that skilled and faced with dysfunctional education and healthcare systems, then I’d say I’m fairly pessimistic.”
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Source: NPR. April 21, 2012. http://www.npr.org/2012/04/21/151117449/the-export-boom-whos-buying-american
Reinventing American Fashion
On a quest for American made fashion, Partisan seeks to revive American luxury and economy
By Chloe Karaskiewicz
Fashion has often been described as frivolous, a luxury in itself. But how often do you hear that fashion can revive the economy? Partisan, a new online store based here in Madison, believes that shipping production overseas compromises the quality of the clothes and of the economy of the country.
Partisan in the press!
Spring Style!
Spring styles are slowly creeping in at Partisan. Check out these new adds!
Carrie Parry Polka Dot Dress Shirt
Kardashians Love LNA
We love their show, we love the sisters, and we love their style. The Kardashian sisters — Kim, Kourtney, and Khloe — are known all around the world for their amazing fashion sense. The reality stars who also own their own boutique, DASH, are just as famous for wearing designer clothing as they are for selling it.
Khloe Kardashian in L.A. Made LNA tank top
Each sister undoubtedly has her own unique style. Kourtney is the fashionista, Khloe the down-to-earth one, and Kim is famous for her amazing style that shows of her even more amazing bod. But even though the sisters are all different in fashion taste and size, the three sister’s all share a common love for the brand LNA. Maybe it’s the softness of the fabric, the comfort of their leggings, or the simplicity of the tees, but we constantly find all three Kardashians rocking a range of LNA styles. The fact that all three Kardashian sisters, so unique in style, can wear LNA clothing, speaks tribute to the versatality of the clothing.
Kim Kardashian wearing LNA zipper pocket tee in black.
The Kardashian’s look phenomenal in the t-shirts and tanks designed by their friend April, for her brand LNA. We don’t think that there are any celebrities that better represent the Los Angeles made fashion label.
Get the Kardashian look by pairing a pair of skinny jeans with a soft and comfy zipper-tee like Kim’s here: http://www.partisanstyle.com/lna-double-slant-zip-tee/
Manufactured in Los Angeles, USA
American Style Iconography: Ali MacGraw
Though largely known for her Oscar-nominated film Love Story, Ali MacGraw actually began her career as a fashion assistant to Diana Vreeland, editor of Harper’s Bazaar. She later worked as a photographer’s assistant but her refreshing look quickly caught attention and soon she was the one appearing on magazine covers and TV commercials. A foray into film soon followed with roles in Goodbye Columbus, The Getaway, Convoy, and of course, Love Story for which she won the Golden Globe award for Best Actress.
MacGraw turned her influence to other pursuits in later years, becoming a devotee to Hatha Yoga in her fifties as well as an animal rights advocate and PETA spokesperson.
In fashion, MacGraw’s legacy is impressive. Her style captured an effortless merging of preppy and 70s bohemian. Calvin Klein once told Vanity Fair “She exemplified this great American style. In the beginning, there was that rich-hippie period. But it went beyond that, and her style put her among the greats: Katharine Hepburn, Jackie Onassis, C. Z. Guest, Babe Paley.” Never complicated or overdone, Ali favored long skirts and flowing dresses, belted-jeans with tucked-in sweaters, and chunky accessories. Her look was simple, clean, and American.
Get the Look:
Michael Stars Poor Boy Rib Long Sleeve Turtleneck
Rich & Skinny Trouser Flare Jeans
Finish with a crisp leather belt, large earrings, and a low bun.
Sources:
http://www.starpulse.com/Actresses/MacGraw,_Ali/Biography/
http://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/features/2010/03/ali-macgraw-201003
Designer Profile:
You may know THVM (“them”) as the maker of your favorite pair of denim, but the company’s philosophy extends much further.
Founded in Los Angeles, CA in 2009, the brand is housed in a hundred-year-old factory and functions as a collective group of artists, designers, and musicians. With such a diverse core of talent, inspiration for their designs are found in photography, sculpture, music, dance–anything that celebrates the “wonders, struggles, and beauty of the creative process.”
The identity of THVM extends beyond production of denim; they publish a biannual magazine, THVM Rag–a visual journey of the talent and methodologies that inspire the brand.
THVM has also partnered with ORTA Anadolu, a leader in socially responsible jeans and sportswear manufacturing, to present the traveling exhibition Artists Series. This project brought together five artists from various fields to develop denim washes that lie far outside the sphere of “standard.” The video below captures the project and honestly gave me goosebumps the first time I saw it. It is this dedicated and artistic approach to denim that truly captures American Made Style. THVM transforms jeans–the most ubiquitous garment in American culture–into a wearable art form created through impeccable craft.
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Partisan Style is proud to carry THVM denim. This and more information about the brand can be found at their website.
It’s Sweater Time!
Sweaters, but it’s almost Spring not Fall! True, but we all know that Spring can be fickle and what’s worse than stepping outside in your brand new floral print dress only to realize that it’s ten degrees cooler than it looks and you must shrug on your winter wool once more. Not to worry, Partisan has the perfect selection of layer-ready American made solutions.
The Monrow Loop Back Shrunken Sweatshirt is my absolute favorite. Not only does its fitted cut lose the bulk of winter, but the French Terry fabric guarantees that you will never want to take this off. The bright blue pairs perfectly with a flouncy floral skirt to create a fresh spring look.
Feel the sun and show just a hint of skin with the LNA Cutout Sweater. Plus, who doesn’t want to follow the sartorial stylings of the gorgeous Catt Sadler? Pair with Habitual’s Coated Denim to add some color and finish it off with a printed scarf.
Don’t worry guys, you haven’t been forgotten. The Rising Sun Henley is the perfect way to layer. Pull it on over a staple v-neck and throw on a pair of aviators. Bonus, Rising Sun’s attention to detail and quality will continue to surprise you.
Runway, Partisan Style
With New York shows just behind us, the fashion savant’s task turns to translating the trends into wearable everyday inspiration. Partisan is here to help!
3.1 Phillip Lim played on the idea of duality with long, off-set zippers creating a strong line of focus and subtle contrasts of angularity. Jil Sander also experimented with angularity, but emphasized line created by variation in textiles.
Bailey44′s Aerodynamic Dress is the perfect American-made solution to these inspirations! Strong vertical lines and variations in surface texture provide an interesting play on the always-sexy LBD while a full-length zipper offers endless alternatives of shape. Accentuate the perception of length by pairing with a nude heel.
Photos courtesy of style.com.
