Carvel Norman says he and his wife Ashley started their business, Dirty South Pottery, out of a love of making objects that last. In addition to selling products online, they’ve also opened a storefront in Winchester.
"For the most part, we do a lot of production," said Norman, "but we also try and make sure that we're showcasing other makers and craftspeople around the country in our store as well."
According a new Morning Consult poll, 77% of people said they prefer to purchase items made in the USA for holiday gifts, and an overwhelming majority said they would buy more domestic products if they were sold widely in big-box stores.
Norman said high costs and inflation continue to impact small businesses, and consumers choosing to shop for local gifts can make a huge difference.
"I also think that our customers understand," said Norman, "we always do what we can to make sure that we are putting them first."
Scott Paul, president of the Alliance for American Manufacturing, said increasingly, consumers are going out of their way to support products made here at home, despite the large advertising budgets leveraged by overseas companies and American companies that outsource production.
"Overwhelmingly," said Paul, "it was about jobs, the economy, supporting small businesses, and knowing that they would get a quality product."
Supply chain disruptions, labor shortages, skills gaps, and high operating costs are just a few of the challenges facing U.S. manufacturing, according to a report from Zeiss Industrial Quality Solutions.
