'Made in the USA' as Slogan and Marketing

One of the most prominent boosters of its U.S.-based manufacturing is the aptly named American Apparel. To the teenagers and 20-somethings who are its customer base, it's known for button-pushing ads that show young models posing provocatively in form-fitting T-shirts and not much else.

But its business model has become as much of the company's story as its edgy marketing. At a time when the American textile business has been decimated, American Apparel produces all its clothes at a factory in downtown Los Angeles. They're also one of the few companies selling made in the USA clothing in China.

"With a little innovation, anyone can win, especially in fashion," founder Dov Charney says in a statement on the company's Web site. "Simple, less expensively made garments can often be more valuable than more baroque and expensively made products."

The privately owned athletic-supply company New Balance is also using its local manufacturing as a promotional tool. New Balance produces about a quarter of its footwear in the U.S. at factories in Maine and Massachusetts. (It's the only major U.S. company that produces athletic shoes domestically). This summer, the company started a marketing campaign revolving around its commitment to American workers, including stickers on boxes of shoes produced or assembled in the United States.

David Riley, who lists companies who manufacture domestically on his Web site, says he's seen a dramatic increase in interest ever since the economy took a dive.

"Our traffic is exploding," he says. "Since the same time last year, we're up about 400%. When I started the site four years ago, I had to search to find companies to list. Now, I get flooded with requests to be included."