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The following members sell Made in America Products in the Luggage & Bags Category
eshop at Action Custom Straps's web store for Made in America products
One of the products Action Custom Straps sells is Made in America Shoulder Straps. A more complete list of their products is provided by Made in America Secrets, to review their list click here.

For more information about Action Custom Straps and its American Made products see the following:


Our story actually begins many years ago in 1978. I had just bought my first 35 mm camera (a Minolta XG-7) and I was proud of it, and I wanted to buy a classy looking camera strap. I looked for some time, but found while there were many camera straps available, I couldn't find one that I thought was worthy of being on my new camera. That may sound snobby, but I also noticed that the straps available at that time usually had a lot of metal hardware that would scratch the camera. Some people don't care, but when I get something new, I like to take care of it.

So, I went to the closest Tandy Leather Store here in Indianapolis and I bought the softest black leather I could find. This happened to be cabretta leather which was even softer than some glove leather. I hand cut the pieces and then my wife, Dena, sewed it together. We didn't know at that time but the first Action Custom Camera Strap had just been born.

Later, in the 1980's, because of the positive reaction to my camera strap and one which I made for my friend, Larry Roberts of New Palestine, IN, (who had gotten me interested in 35 mm photography) we decided to try and make a business of making and selling custom camera and then later, guitar straps. The we I speak of consisted of Dena, her cousin, Paul Hilton, and myself. We named the business Action Custom Straps.


We set up a booth at different camera shows and we advertised in Modern and Popular Photography as well as American Photographer and Shutterbug. We didn't have large ads because our budget wouldn't allow it. We instead put our money in a color brochure which we sent when someone would respond to our ads.


In 1986, we displayed our custom camera straps at the PMA (Photo Marketing Association) Show in Las Vegas. Here, we were able to make the contacts we needed to meet independent sales representatives who would eventually cover most of the United States with our custom camera straps. At the show we also had the opportunity to talk to many major camera manufacturers, such as Nikon, Minolta, Canon and others. And while there was interest in our straps, we decided that mass production was not what we were interested in. We did and still do enjoy working with individuals most of all. In that, our philosophy has not changed. We don't want to make the most straps, just the BEST!

Of course, we had some other ideas, like making console inlays for Harley Davidson. This is a picture of my ?83 FXR with a diamondback rattlesnake inlay - complete with rattle. And of course, like any good Harley riding custom strap maker, I made up a camera strap and submitted it to Milwaukee. It was black leather with the bar and shield on one side and Harley Davidson in classic script on the other side. (By the way, I have always been partial to red and black on my Harleys. I painted this bike candy red and black using spray cans! And yes it was as good a paint job as it appears in the picture.)

Sometime later, we made one last full page flyer exclusive to our camera straps. We thought it turned out pretty good. We narrowed our selections down to a few we thought were the best and YES that is dark and premium white mink on the right.

However, in late 1986 we made the decision to suspend all operations with Action Custom Straps. We had found that it was too expensive to advertise to get individuals to write for information and then order a strap. And it was too long a process as well. And when we were selling at wholesale, and paying a commission to a sales representative, it was hard to make much money on an item that we carefully handmade. But although we suspended all operations with Action Custom Straps, we still couldn't get it out of our minds that there had to be some way to make it work. In the meantime, the years roll on by.

1999 - Levi, our son, then 19, had taken an interest in collecting guitars and so when we made the decision to open Action Custom Straps again, this time taking advantage of the opportunity the internet offers, guitar straps became our main focus. The Guild (D-35) that you see in a couple of the pictures of our guitar straps is mine. I bought it when Levi was born in 1980. The old Harmony Monterey shown in some of the pictures was my father's. He bought it sometime in the 1940's.

We still offer custom camera straps, and although we have redesigned them to better show off the full snakeskin inlay they are very close to the original design.

Nikki, our daughter who joined us in making our straps in May of 2002, and I build all the straps and Dena does an excellent job of sewing them. So, if you want something made just for you, give us a call!

And there you have a brief history of Action Custom Straps. Thank you for taking the time to read Our Story!

Terry & Dena Misner, Levi Misner and Nikki Misner O'Neal


eshop at Alpha Industries's web store for Made in America products
One of the products Alpha Industries sells is Made in America Bags. A more complete list of their products is provided by Made in America Secrets, to review their list click here.

For more information about Alpha Industries and its Made in the USA products see the following:


In October, 1959, more than 50 years ago, Alpha Industries began its operations making military clothing in the basement of a rented Knoxville, Tennessee factory using leased sewing machines and only a few employees. The first few years were very difficult for newly formed Alpha because it was a time of peace and the U.S. Defense Department purchased only small quantities of military clothing. However, the outstanding quality of Alpha's clothing quickly came to the Defense Department's attention and as America's need for military clothing increased as the Vietnam conflict deepened, Alpha's growth as a manufacturer for the Defense Department rapidly accelerated.

Alpha specialized in manufacturing many types of jackets and pants for U.S. military forces. As the years went by America's Defense Forces came to rely more and more on Alpha's expertise to produce U.S. Air Force and Naval Aviation flight jackets, Army and Marine Corps field jackets and a host of military pants and other clothing. During this time Alpha manufactured over 40 million garments for the U.S. military ranging from simple hoods to complicated cold weather Gore-Tex parkas.

Although Alpha made many different types of clothing the company became most associated with several jackets that became classics of American fashion. Two of these jackets--- the MA-1 flight jacket and the M-65 field jacket-- were almost exclusively made by Alpha for the military and Alpha was instrumental in working with the U.S. military designers to improve their performance and design. Subsequently when these garments migrated from their military roots into globally popular casual or street wear styles Alpha, as the authentic producer of the MA-1 and M-65 for the military, also became famous in the public's mind for these styles.

Aside from the MA-1 and M-65, Alpha's manufacturing expertise and technical proficiency led the U.S. Defense Department to frequently consult with Alpha concerning the development of jackets, pants and other clothing for aviators, soldiers and sailors. This was of vital concern to U.S. military planners. Rapid changes in aircraft and new military technology required continual development of new clothing necessary for military personnel to function and survive in hostile climates and conditions that now became theaters of military operations. U.S. defense forces heavily relied on Alpha's expertise for the development of new flight jackets and army clothing not only for performance characteristics but to assure that the vast quantities of clothing needed by large military forces could be efficiently and economically manufactured by ordinary factory workers.

3 Bars make a difference
By the mid 1970's, Alpha's fame as the preeminent manufacturer of military clothing began to spread by word of mouth outside the military organizations. Surplus jackets and pants made by Alpha were quickly sold to the public through Army Navy stores. Alpha's clothing was valued over other brands because Alpha made its commercial clothing with the same quality and materials as the clothing it made for the military. Because garments made for the U.S. military were indistinguishable from those made for commercial customers Alpha decided to place three lines on the labels of commercial clothing so factory workers could readily identify which jackets were part of a government contract from those that were not.

Although not intended by Alpha, the 3 line label became a visual trade mark of Alpha that consumers recognized as representing superior quality, performance and comfort in a military garment. Alpha subsequently trademarked the three line label and later integrated the three lines into it's now famous Alpha logo.

Going Fashion
Alpha Kids 2011 Fashion
In recent years, Alpha has taken its 50+ year old heritage and grown into an internationally recognized brand global for military inspired casual wear. Building on its superior and proven manufacturing and design abilities Alpha now produces jackets, shirts, pants and many other products worn by people worldwide along with their jeans, footwear and other hallmarks of American casual styles.

Alpha has remained true to its history by continuing to produce authentic military garments. But Alpha also has fulfilled the expectations of its global customer base by continually developing casual clothing that interprets its military heritage into products that people want because of their unsurpassed performance characteristics, design and quality.


eshop at Alpine Innovations's web store for Made in America products
One of the products Alpine Innovations sells is Made in America Cases. A more complete list of their products is provided by Made in America Secrets, to review their list click here.

For more information about Alpine Innovations and its Made in the USA products see the following:


It all started with a muddy fly line. After a day fly fishing on the Little Blackfoot River in 2001, Darren Jones decided he needed a product that would not only clean his fly line, but protect his fingers. A few weeks and several prototypes later, he created Stripee, the first product for what would eventually become Alpine Innovations.

The company's next big break came in 2002 when Darren spilled mayo on his glasses. After an unsuccessful search for his ever-missing microfiber cloth, he knew he needed to invent a cloth that wouldn't get lost. With a little help from his wife and talented seamstress, Shellie, Spudz was born. Spudz helped put Alpine Innovations on the map, and the company has been creating innovative accessories for the eyewear, photography, electronics, and outdoor markets ever since.

Fast forward to 2013, and Darren is still looking for problems to solve. With 15 patents and over 25 unique products, Alpine Innovations continues to create products that solve everyday problems.

eshop at American Apparel's web store for American Made products
One of the products American Apparel sells is American Made Luggage & Bags . A more complete list of their products is provided by Made in America Secrets, to review their list click here.

For more information about American Apparel and its Made in the USA products see the following:


Passion, innovation & ethical practices for the clothing industry. That's American Apparel.
Our Garment Workers Are Paid Up To 50 Times More Than The Competition

A garment worker in Bangladesh earns an average of $600 a year. An experienced American Apparel garment worker can earn $30,000+ and receive bene?ts such as comprehensive health care. American Apparel garments are created by motivated and fairly-paid employees who don't just have jobs - they have careers. Our culture recognizes outstanding performance and promotes from within. Most importantly, our workers have a voice and in?uence the direction of the company. At American Apparel we call it Sweatshop-Free, a term we coined in 2002.
Unlike Our Competitors, We Make Our Own Product

The American Apparel factory is the largest sewing facility in North America. We believe that integrating our manufacturing, distribution and creative processes keeps our company more ef?cient than those who rely on offshore or onshore sub-contracting. By leveraging art, design, and technology at our Downtown LA campus, we are able to pay garment workers fairly AND sell garments pro?tably so we can sustain our business and grow. Everyone bene?ts - customers, workers, and shareholders alike.
The New Standard That Others Will Follow

There is clearly much more overhead, capital investment and training involved in manufacturing in the USA, as some critics point out. But at American Apparel we passionately leverage art, design and technology to advance our business process and we are con?dent we'll prove that vertical integration is a viable business model that can work even better than the status quo model of continuous outsourcing. It's not just about made in the USA. More importantly, it is about designing a business that does not, at its fundamental core, rely on the relentless pursuit of low cost labor to survive. As wages and transportation costs increase worldwide, we believe our business model of vertical integration to be the path of least resistance. For the record, American Apparel supports free and fair trade, and almost half of the company's 250 stores are outside the USA, allowing the company to export hundreds of millions of dollars of US-made apparel annually.
Environmental Commitment

American Apparel is also committed to sustainability. We've set the precedent for sustainable and ethical manufacturing in California?the state with the strictest and most progressive EPA standards in the country. By concentrating our entire operation within a few square miles, American Apparel has a smaller carbon footprint than our competitors. We recycle almost all our manufacturing waste?an average of 125,000 lbs of textile and 25,000 lbs of paper, plastic and cardboard per week (over 260 semi truck loads per year). As of 2014, we are virtually land?ll-free. Our solar panels offset as much as 20% of our electrical usage, and we ship the majority of our goods to our worldwide stores via excess space on passenger ?ights and busses, minimizing our environmental impact.
Investing In The Future

Manufacturing in America requires risk taking and long-term investment. We think it's well worth it. The apparel industry's reliance on low wages cannot be sustained over time, ethically or ?scally. As labor and transportation costs increase worldwide, exploitation will not only be morally offensive, it will not even be ?nancially viable. For us, American manufacturing is not a trend - we've been doing it since the day our company began in Los Angeles ?fteen years ago. We are extremely proud of our model, which provides thousands of good jobs both domestically and internationally. American Apparel's current head count is 6,000 in Los Angeles, with an additional 5,000 working at our stores worldwide.

The employees of American Apparel thank you for your support.

eshop at American Made Solutions's web store for Made in America products
One of the products American Made Solutions sells is Made in America Backpacks / Back Packs. A more complete list of their products is provided by Made in America Secrets, to review their list click here.

For more information about American Made Solutions and its American Made products see the following:


Nate's American Made Store was created as a single source where you can find American made products. We carry only products that are made here in the U.S.A. Our goods are made by your neighbors and your friends in communities just like yours. Our store celebrates America's craftsmanship, creativity, and innovation. I've looked for U.S. products in local stores and on the net, I can find them, but it's hard to do. Here at Nate's, wrapped up in one convenient online store, we bring you, soft goods, toys, tools, hardware, kitchenware, and more, all made here in America.

Nate's American Made Store concept was conceived nearly 5 years ago, as I watched our factories close and jobs offshored. Through the years, I've listened to our politicians argue about what kind of economic stimulus and job bill would create the most jobs, all the while they created more free (not necessarily fair) trade agreements shipping more and more of our jobs to developing countries. The solution is slow to come from Washington, a grass roots answer is achievable?the American people have a choice to purchase products made here, at home, in the U.S.A. When buying an American made product you keep the jobs here and have the peace of mind knowing they were made under safe and fair working conditions.

We value your input, tell us what you think and what kind of products you'd like us to carry. We'd love to hear from you.

Larry Nate Noethlich

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