The United States economy up until recently has been stronger than ever. As a business, we typically do not like to dive into the topic of our financial system because it generally leads to a more political discussion. However, we feel that we would not be doing our part if we did not mention that shopping your local small businesses is going to play a critical role in stimulating the American economy moving forward.

Enviro-Tote is proud to say that we are a Made in America business. For a product to be advertised as “Made in America” it must be entirely or nearly entirely made in the United States. There are a countless number of small businesses across the country providing goods and services that meet this criterion. Supporting these local firms means that you are supporting a small business owner sending their child to college, or even more so keeping food on a family’s table.

As mentioned above, there are many advantages to shopping at Made in America businesses. Below we have put together a list of just a few benefits to shopping local –

1. Strengthen the economy: By supporting local businesses, you are not only advocating for that business, but this also carries an economic value by ensuring that the funds support your local community. In addition, this encourages other businesses to set-up shop in the area if they see companies already thriving. By supporting American Made businesses, you are boosting the American economy as a whole and keeping jobs in the United States.
2. Personalized service: There is just something extremely rewarding about purchasing a product and understanding the back story. When you shop a local small business, you are given the opportunity to meet the person or people behind that business and create a connection that you would not necessarily receive at a big box store. This connection gives the owner a chance to get to know your buying habits, allowing them to tailor your experience, making it even better. When you know the small business owners on a personal level, you become invested in their overall success as much as they are invested in making you happy.
3. Quality products: Products manufactured in the United States are usually created with higher quality pieces, giving that item better durability. A cheap product may have a lower safety standard. Buying a Made in America product means that it is been held to higher safety regulations, as well as American consumer protection laws.

We understand that supporting small businesses is not always the least expensive option. If there was ever a time to favor your neighbor’s store down the street, that time is now. Even if you are unable to buy from them now, even just sharing information on their business with those you know can play a huge role in others making a purchase. It is important that we remember to all help one another, and through doing so we will see these American-based businesses thrive.

Here are links to a couple of websites where you can find a variety of Made in America businesses throughout the United States –

• Made in America Co.
• USA Love List

There are so many amazing small businesses out there that are not on either of these lists. We recommend that you do your research locally, as you will likely find many businesses right under your nose. Happy shopping!