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If you live in a town or a city that has a business that produces goods for the national or even international markets, chances are you will patronize that business above all others in the same field. For example, people living in Georgetown, Kentucky are probably more inclined to drive Toyotas than other brands of comparably priced cars. Why? Because the local Toyota production plant employs thousands of the area's residents. The same is true for clothing. If you have a clothing factory in your vicinity, you probably buy that company's clothing before you buy any others. I think it's a natural thing to do, and comes about from a combination of home-grown pride and a sense of civic duty. If you support the local business, then the business will stay in the community and continue to provide jobs and economic vitality.

These days, it can be a bit difficult to find clothing made in your area. Due to economic globalization, it is often cheaper for companies to have their clothing made overseas in third-world countries. For other companies, this very same globalization has spelled doom for certain divisions or even for their entire business. They simply cannot afford to compete with clothing produced overseas.

I lived in Minnesota for a few years and there were two companies that made fairly recognizable clothing articles. The first was Red Wing Shoes. They make high-quality work boots and safety shoes, and are still going strong, as far as I know. The second was Winona Knits sweaters. These sweaters were manufactured at a knitting mill in Winona, Minnesota. They were of excellent quality, had very nice designs, and were pretty expensive. I had never heard of Winona Knits before living in Minnesota, but I received a couple of their sweaters as gifts from friends in the area. I really liked the style, colors, and fit of the sweaters, but had a hard time finding them in retail outlets once I left Minnesota. I had always planned on returning to visit some people and buy some more sweaters, but I discovered a few years ago that Winona Knits had to close their doors due to economic problems caused in large part by competing brands manufacturing their clothes outside of the U.S.

The news is not all bad, though. You can still find locally made clothes if you try hard enough. For example, Dickies, which makes work clothes, uniforms, and even casual clothes now, has a plant in Texas. If you want some outdoor apparel that is suitable for hunting and other rugged activities, then check out Beagle Outdoor Wear. These are wool clothes that will keep you warm, and best of all, they are made in Vermont. For jeans, you can go with Prison Blues and Swivel. In addition, some of the denim offerings, though not all, from Land's End, LL Bean, Wrangler, Lee, and Levi's are also made locally.

Buying clothes is of course a highly personal decision. A lot depends on your taste, preferences, and economic circumstances. But the next time you go shopping, try local brands for a change!