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Union Made In USA
The 2024 U.S. presidential election season has seen a surge of Chinese-manufactured campaign merchandise flooding the American market. Items like “Make America Great Again” hats and “Kamala Harris 2024” apparel are being sold at drastically lower prices on platforms like Temu, with some hats priced under $4—far cheaper than the $40 versions sold on official campaign sites.
One of the American companies impacted by this influx is Unionwear, a New Jersey-based manufacturer specializing in union-made, American-made political merchandise. Unionwear has long been a key supplier for Democratic and labor-backed campaigns, producing high-quality, ethically sourced hats and apparel. However, the company faces growing competition from low-cost Chinese imports, which pose a major challenge to U.S. manufacturers that adhere to higher labor and environmental standards.
Ben Waxman, founder of American Roots, echoed these concerns, emphasizing that domestic manufacturers like Unionwear must pay fair wages and comply with strict regulations, making it difficult to compete with cheap foreign alternatives. The situation is further exacerbated by the de minimis trade provision, which allows products valued under $800 to enter the U.S. duty-free—giving Chinese manufacturers an advantage in saturating the market with inexpensive election merchandise.
Despite these challenges, Unionwear remains committed to producing ethically sourced, union-made campaign gear, ensuring that supporters of U.S. political candidates have the option to purchase merchandise that aligns with their values. Both the Trump and Harris campaigns have pledged to sell only U.S.-made products on their official websites, but the widespread availability of foreign-made alternatives underscores the ongoing struggle for American manufacturers like Unionwear to maintain their foothold in the industry.
This situation highlights the broader issue of U.S. reliance on Chinese manufacturing and the difficulties faced by domestic producers in competing with low-cost imports, especially during high-demand periods like election seasons.
