Mall Watch: Forced to buy new shoes we went out there...............

[KoKo]

And it was a shock! First of all the SMELL emanating from the Shoe Stores we visited. CHEMICALS BIG TIME!

Holding our nose and entering (we were in need of Sneakers and Dress Casual Shoes to get throught the Winter and beyond) we tried on countless pairs of shoes. Being DEMS we looked at the labels...and here's what we saw:

VietNam, Romania, India, Bulgaria. This was for Male Partner shopping with me. The shoes were poor quality leather and had a "Odor du Chemical" that was kind of overpowering when one opened the box. This was for these "Old American Brands:" Bass, Dexter, Cole Haan, Rockport, Timberlake, Bostonian, Florshiem and Johnston and Murphey (Now Made in China).

Women's Shoes:

All made in China with a few exceptions of VietNam, India and if you can really hunt ...the ones made in BRAZIL or ITALY don't SMELL OF CHEMICALS! COUGH...COUGH....GACK ***** COUGH...GAG!

The crap that was out there made us come home and check out what we could send to the one or two Shoe Repair Folks who still exist in OUTSOURCED AMERICA. We decided to RE-HEEL rather than deal with the OFFENSIVE GLUE SMELLS from the SHOES and the Outsourcing to ever more poorer countries in BUSHFASICSTS COALITION.

I won't even get into where the CLOTHES are being MADE...that's a subject for another post....SHEESH ...and they have "bad dye" smells, too!

[grasswire]

1. I went to search google for "made in usa shoes"

and it was a very interesting search. Among other hits, there was a shoe company with some good-looking durable products:

http://capeshoe.com/main.html

[grasswire]

2. reportedly, many "New Balance" shoes...

...are made in the U.S. Gotta check the label, though.

[kath]

4. I'm not sure that this is still true - I bought NB shoes awhile back,

because I'd read that they were made in the USA. It was only after I got them home and checked the label that I found out they were made in China.

It's getting to be VERY, very difficult to find any textile product or shoe made in the US. Probably less than 1% at this point. Sad.

[spartan61]

21. We live in Maine in the summertime and there is a New Balance

factory near us in Skowhegan. My husband goes there often to the shoe outlet by the factory. Last summer we went together and the first thing we asked was where are the American made shoes. The clerk showed us only three pairs, but they really weren't manufactured in the USA, only assembled here. The clerk told us that most of the manufacturing for NB shoes are off shored to China (or some other foreign country.) So much for trying to buy American. I can't help wondering how many people have lost their jobs because of the greed of this (and so many other) shoe companies.

[KoKo]

5. Thanks for the site...a quick search said it's BOOTS...and Boots according

to the Fashion Sites are BIG FOR FALL...with women...and maybe some Texans and others who emulate Busholini...(who get's HIS Custom Made).

I was looking for "nice casual, sneakers and maybe some high heels.

Hubby was looking for something to wear to "work casual," business meetings and something he can wear that's "easy take off" through American Airport Security.

We had been hobbling along for awhile...but figured it was time to go out and get something new.

We've had problems with LL Bean and other catalogs not having the correct sizing...and they've OUTSOURCED, too...so we felt we needed to go in and "TRY ON' and see what was current...

It's sad to know that folks are buying stuff that SMELLS and bringing it home. What about Kids shoes? No wonder Asthma is on the increase in the USA... What are we putting on our own feet and our kids feet that it could smell so bad. :shrug:

[knitter4democracy]

12. a good link off that site

http://www.stillmadeinusa.com/shoppingindex.html

I'm definitely bookmarking it and looking around.

[peacebird]

24. thx for that link!

we are trying to buy American made and organic.... Does anyone know a link for American made and organic clothing and household goods which are of good quality (and hopefully not exorbitant price) I know you must pay more for quality but some sites seem to be so high priced as to feel like gouging....

[knitter4democracy]

29. American Apparel?

They seem to be better than most, at least.

[peacebird]

31. thank you! I will check them out!

:hi:

[sbj405]

28. Check Zappos.com

You can browse by "Made in the Usa"

[laylah]

34. While perusing

their site, grasswire, I came across a message stating:

Unfortunately Cape Shoe Company closed the factory July 2005,
Cape Shoe made some of the best shoes ever manufactured
and they are greatly missed.
Our remaining inventory is listed below.

http://www.villageshoeservice.com/capeshoe.html

How sad!

Jenn

[NMDemDist2]

3. I went to the two "department stores" in my new small town and couldn't

find leather shoes period! EVERYTHING was "manmade materials, Made in China"

:banghead:

[Shakespeare]

6. Boy, I bet you're fun to go shopping with.

I kinda like that New Shoe Smell, personally. Smells like....Steve Madden and Nine West...mmmmmm.

[KoKo]

8. Oh...I was in a Nine West Outlet today! The shoes were made in China

and although the leather was thicker...the styles were ill-fitting and not marked correctly. I must admit since I didn't see something I liked I didn't open boxes to get the "Odor du Chemical." Perhaps it had "gassed out" by then since it was a "9-West" outlet.

I'm a great shopper...though. I'm a fun person...unlike what you think of this post.

Peace and Smiles to you! :-)'s

[marions ghost]

7. a lot of things

shipped from overseas have to get pesticides sprayed on them. I've noticed that on products like shoes, cloth, decorative stuff, wood items.

[KoKo]

10. You know...I've wondered about that. Who's monitoring the pesticides

sprayed? Living here in the South I can imagine us shipping container loads of shoes filled with our Southern Friend the "COCKROACH!" and wondered how all this stuff from overseas countries is being handled for the "stray bug" not native to North America coming in ...that might just contain some chemical BANNED IN US..under Dems who repected Science as opposed to Repug Bushfascists who think the Planet is better with fewer people draining resources. GACK!!!!!!!

I wouldn't put it past the Bushofascists to approve foreign containers of GOODS for "MASTER CARD/VISA AMERICA" to be sprayed with all the BANNED DOW/DUPONT/ORTHO Chemicals that get rid of the Asian Bugs but make us all the sicker for it. Bill Frist's wet dream. :-(

[marions ghost]

15. I'm willing to bet

there is very little regulation on pesticides for container cargo :(

But then look what they did to the debris handlers at WTC ground zero...I am so angry that the workers were not required to use every available precaution in dealing with that stuff. But no....that site had to be cleared REAL quick. "There's no health risk." This is criminal.

[bbinacan]

9. I bought some Cole Haans

last week and they seemed fine to me.:shrug:

[KoKo]

11. The one's I saw at $100.00 a pair and over were made in CHINA! And...

the leather was so thin and the fit so poor ...I wondered why anyone would bother.

I'm glad they work for you, though.

BTW: Joan and David Shoes....CHINA...downgraded leather....cheap and saw the exact same shoe in Kohl's a very "mid-stream Dept. Store."

[bbinacan]

14. I bought the cap toe dress shoe

at a cost of $150.00. My last pair lasted at least five years so I think the price is worth it. Just checked my new pair and they were made in India.

[KoKo]

19. Do they have an odor? I know some folks are not so sensitive to smells

and so you may not have noticed. If they last as long as your last pair and if we are all still here on DU...PM me if they held up...!

If we have no alternative this is what we have to buy. But, one does wonder at $150.00 to India...what the factory got and the "employee" and is the leather as thick as the ones you bought five years ago?

For women's shoes it might not matter but my hubby is a QUALITY over FASHION person and he thinks the shoes out there are crap leather and too thin. He was disgusted at the selection. He's a very nice guy, btw..not a picky shopper. He only buys when he needs to and he checks EVERYTHING OUT for QUALITY.

[bbinacan]

33. I just smell leather

but full disclosure, I smoke. I compared my new ones to the old and the leather seems to be the same thickness.

[SoCalDem]

13. I think my favorite brand is not being made in sweatshops.. but then

who knows..

I love Ninas..

http://www.ninashoes.com/about.do

[KoKo]

16. Hot! Hot! Shoes! Weren't exactly what I was looking for ..PIC's but will

see if Nina has a casual line. :-)'s

[SoCalDem]

18. I have a pair of Ninas that I bought in 1967..made in Italy

Gorgeous... They are an oxford with multi-colored leathers.. I have never been able to part with them, even though I never wear them anymore (3 kids "grew" my feet :grr:..)

[KoKo]

20. Hey So Cal!

I think when I lived in Greenwich Village in the 60's I might have passed by Nina's shop on Prince Street. The name rings a bell. Before I go to bed tonight I'm going to check my old shoe boxes because I swear I think I have a NINA BOX which might have a very different pair of shoes...since I save shoe boxes I like for color and place different pairs of shoes in them, through the years, and move them every time we move!

Anyway...looking through the "dress shoes" the stuff was spike heels that I don't bother to wear anymore...(hobbling around in those things isn't necessary anymore because I have a guy I like) but I'm like you in that I save shoes for years that are just "pretty" and even if I can't stuff my feet in them anymore...I love the MEMORIES!!!!

I still stand by my post that the stuff out there is CRAP and STINKS, though. Maybe my "smeller" is overly sensitive...but GOOD GOD...I don't want to have some damned chemical going into my pores that could kill me. Bad enough with that Organic Spinach stuff...for someone who REALL LOVE SPINACH...it's a disaster!

Hugs and Smiles.

koko (Susan)

[SoCalDem]

27. I never wear "heels" anymore either

It would remind me of the scene from Fantasia (the dancing hippos) :)

I have gone to exclusively sandals (we have warm here year-round) or clogs.. I am officially a fuddy-duddy :hi:

[SmokingJacket]

17. Yeah, I know, it's nearly impossible.

Next best thing might be to get them from a decent company even if they're not US made -- like NoSweat shoes, or Earth Shoes.

My latest pair of shoes is from Merrell, a US company who I'm pretty sure manufactures overseas. But the quality is extremely good and though rather pricey, I'd rather have one pair of excellent shoes that don't hurt my feet, look good, and I can wear every day than a bunch of crap pairs.

I've been walking to work and back in these shoes, standing all day in them, for six months and they look brand new nad feel great.

[high density]

22. The last sneakers I bought via catalog

came with "Made in USA" tags on them. (New Balance) I was totally shocked.

[KoKo]

23. They were New Balance? Only ones I know who "claim" to be made

in USA...but then there are companies like Liz Clayborne who "claim on tag" to be Made in USA but got around it by Abramoff's dirty dealing allowing the sweatshops in the Mariana's Islands off Indonesia to be declared USA for garment label tags when in fact the women there are forced to have abortions by their Slave Holders they import them from from China and Taiwan.

Doesn't help those of us who find the fit of Liz Clayborne clothes and shoes suits us or your sneakers (which may really be made in USA) but I like to try on and walk in shoes before I buy them. When I've bought from catalogs I've had to take too many trips to Post Office or UPS to exchange.

Glad they worked out for you, though.

[knitter4democracy]

30. According to stillmadeintheusa.com, they are.

They still have factories in the lower 48. It's on the link I posted upthread. I'd wondered about New Balance, too.

[subchicagogal]

25. Allen-Edmonds Shoes - Still made in the USA!

If you are looking for some awesome quality shoes - check out Allen-Edmonds shoes - www.allenedmonds.com. They have been around for years and have awesome quality shoes. And, most importantly, they have resisted sending work overseas!

[Digit]

26. Zappos.com has categories for "Made In America" shoes

Depending on if you want dress or casual.

[elare]

32. Some New Balance are made in the USA

Hubby and I both bought some in March; his were made in the USA, mine weren't. We didn't even look at the labels till after we were back in Canada... and we were actually surprised his were made in the US. As for clothing, the only thing we've purchased in the past 4 trips down there that was made in the US was socks purchased at K-Mart (and I purchased a considerable amount of clothing on these trips)