As families around the nation get ready to buy holiday presents, the Alliance for American Manufacturing (AAM) is urging gift buyers to choose products that are Made in the USA this holiday season. AAM is a unique nonpartisan, nonprofit partnership forged to strengthen manufacturing in the United States. AAM brings together a select group of America's leading manufacturers and the United Steelworkers (USW).

To help consumers find the right gifts made at home, AAM recently released its annual guide of American-made gift ideas. The gift guide highlights companies that make products in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. The online tool gives shoppers a wide variety of gift ideas of products made locally and throughout the country.

Three-quarters of American consumers say they would prefer to purchase holiday gifts that are made in the United States, but a third say they rarely or never see American-made products while shopping, according to a poll released by AAM.

“It’s no surprise that the majority of Americans want to buy domestically made goods, both to make the holidays brighter and to help support good jobs and a stronger U.S. economy,” said USW International Vice President Roxanne Brown. “USW members proudly make a number of high-quality products that make great gifts. We’re grateful to the AAM for putting together this important resource to make both holiday shopping and investing in our communities easier.”

“Americans want to shop ‘Made In USA,’ especially around the holidays,” said AAM President Scott Paul. “Retailers are missing out by not doing more to promote American-made gifts in their marketing and store displays. We’re doing our part by shining the spotlight on some great companies that are making their products locally. Now, it’s up to retailers to stock their shelves with more Made in America options, and better showcase them in their stores, too. It could benefit them at the cash register.”

Only 14% of adults say they see American-made products “a lot” while shopping. More than eight in 10 (81%) say they would purchase more holiday gifts that are Made in the United States if they were more widely available at large retailers. Consumers blame major corporations moving production overseas as the main reason, cited by 43%, that they do not see more American-made products while shopping. 

According to the survey, the major reasons shoppers want to buy American-made are:

• 72% say it can boost the U.S. economy.
  
• 58% say it creates American jobs.
  
• 57% say it supports small businesses.

Visit www.americanmanufacturing.org to find the holiday gift guide.