I read an interesting comment regarding our beekeeping gloves recently.  Apparently, an online customer wanted to buy a Made-in-America beekeeping glove and was very disappointed to discover that our gloves are currently made in China.  This brings up a number of things that are important to discuss, so here goes…

First, I wholeheartedly agree that we should all make a conscious effort to buy small, buy local, and buy American.  It’s just good for the health of our overall economy and way of life.  Unfortunately, to my knowledge, there are no 100% made-in-America beekeeping gloves in existence, …not for less than $50 anyway.   We’ve looked very hard for an American manufacturer who can make our glove design and came up with nothing.  We would be delighted if someone could point us to a potential US-based manufacturer.

Second, the reason the person I mentioned above didn’t want gloves from China was that she believed Chinese products have heavy metals and other chemicals in them.  While it’s possible that some products from China have had these problems in the past, I’m confident that our gloves do not have any unusual chemicals or harmful substances that would harm bees (or people) under normal usage, …although I’m sure, as with anything, if you ate them or did something weird with them, they could prove potentially harmful.  Rest assured, our products are not going to harm your bees or you.

Third, our goal is to bring more joy to your beekeeping.  We do that with high quality products, designed to perform better, …for an excellent price.  The only way to do that is to partner with a top-quality manufacturer.  The Chinese company we are currently using also makes high-end gloves for a who’s-who list of top American brands (Dewalt as one example).

Again, there’s just no company that I’ve been able to find in the US that has the high-volume laser cutting, the high-precision sewing equipment, access to custom materials, and the experienced career experts and technicians our current manufacturer has.  Until we’re able to provide our customers with the same or better quality at a similar price-point and value, …we have no choice but to work with this top-tier manufacturer in China.  They have worked hard to earn and keep our business and have produced high-quality, consistent products.

Finally, we are sensitive to the political ramifications and the supply chain risks that any offshore connections bring.  We will continue to pursue domestic, and near-shore (Canada, Mexico, Central America) sources for our products to make sure our customers always have access to the best value and most consistent supply.  

Just remember, it’s an ongoing process and it might take some time since most American and near-shore factories require very large, consistent order commitments from us just to get on their waiting list. (*Note that this relates more-so to other products like clothing since there simply are no glove manufacturers on this side of the planet who can make the type of gloves we sell.)

Until then, use our products with confidence, knowing we are always searching for the best providers with an emphasis on buying American.