Frequently, at the Alliance for American Manufacturing (AAM), we're approached by people who believe making a commitment to buying American-made products means spending a lot of money.

This is not the case. Our friend, Sarah Mazzone (at Made in the USA Challenge), offers some great tips on buying American-made items on a budget.

Says Mazzone:

A product made in USA that is more expensive is often of superior quality and may last decades, if not generations. According to Elizabeth Kline’s book 'Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion,' the average American buys 64 pieces of new clothing every year! The majority of these purchases are on cheap imports featuring fast fashion – disposable pieces of clothing that are worn for a mere season or two. It can be fun to buy a few new pieces of clothing now and then to spice up your wardrobe, but I choose pieces that won’t go out of fashion and will stand the test of time.

Definitely be sure to check out the entire article on Made in the USA Challenge.

Image by flickr user Clearly Ambiguous, used following Creative Commons guidelines.