Woah: Walmart Promises $50B in Made-in-America Product

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Walmart CEO Bill Simon just dropped a bomb on the retail industry. Speaking today at the National Retail Federation's 2013 conference, Simon promised to dramatically increase Walmart's commitment to producing and carrying American-made products. "Made in the U.S. accounts for two-thirds of what we sell," Simon said. "Today, we will make a commitment to add an additional $50 billion in made in America goods over the next 10 years."

Though Simon says Walmart will manufacture apparel, home, games, pet supplies, and high-end electronics to start, there's a lot missing from that statement. Like where all these goods will be produced, and whether the higher cost of American labor will affect Walmart's notoriously low prices.

You may recall that the country, including Senators Bernie Sanders and Harry Reid, turned its attention to the made-in-America issue last summer, when everyone realized that the Ralph Lauren-designed Olympic uniforms were actually made in China. There was a minor media uproar, and Senator Reid said on record that the United States Olympic Committee should "take all the uniforms, put them in a big pile and burn them."

Ralph Lauren responded by pledging to produce the 2014 uniforms in the USA.

As we said at the time, if all eyeballs (including those belonging to shoppers and politicians) are on this issue, the American garment industry has an excellent opportunity to make a case for American design and manufacturing, much of which has been superseded by fast fashion over the past decades.

With Walmart's announcement adding momentum to the issue, there's a chance the next few years could see dramatic changes in the conversation around American manufacturing industry, particularly in the apparel industry.
· Ralph Lauren Pledges To Make 2014 Olympics Uniforms in the USA [Racked]
· Ralph Lauren Pledges To Make 2014 Olympics Uniforms in the USA [Racked]