putting people back to work

LAMILITE / CLIMASHIELD

I was in Fairbanks, AK this week when they had -40F and below temps. This is the first time I have experienced temperatures that cold. I decided to test the Antarctic Parka and Kodiak Mittens. After I did the obligatory throw of hot water into the air to watch it freeze, I took a 20 minute walk. I never felt any cold in upper body or hands. I had on the black Wellco boots w/ Lamilite insulation and a pair of wool socks. I could feel the cold but my feet did not get cold in that short time outside. Had I been out longer I would have wanted the Joe Redington mukluks.

While waiting for my ever delayed flight home to Anchorage, I talked with a young woman airman in the airport who was spending her first winter in Fairbanks. I highly recommended your products and showed her the parka. She mentioned that the Army issued gloves are no match for -40F. Recommended at a minimum she purchases your mittens.

Good products that work.

Thanks.

Steve

This weekend a friend sent me an article all about the new Gore testing facility, which I had already read about, which was the inspiration for my divulging my own testing facility. Anyway the point being that my actual testing laboratory is all over the country or world and the people who give me feedback are my testers.

Steve has presented me with information that I would not have suggested my products be used not necessarily be used in, the Kodiak mittens at -40 degrees as well as the Lamilite boots. But as he says his hands were warm and so were his feet. However, I am quite sure had he been out very much longer his feet would have started to get cold. Even if he was wearing the Lamilite socks it probably would not have mattered. I am quite sure the over boots would have made a significant difference allowing him to stay out for hours.

So for those of you living in the lower 48 I hope Steve’s testimonial is of value.

As for his use of the parka, we sell hundreds in Alaska to civilian, military and oil patch workers.

BRINGING PRODUCTION BACK TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

We have for many years heard politician after politician talk about bringing production back to the USA but we unfortunately have yet to see it, and there is a reason based upon a little known piece of legislation.

Last summer a solicitation was published by the Navy for a hiking boot. I went into the local Cabela’s store to see the boots; clearly they had a label “made in China”. I called one of the companies that would be bidding and told him I had the new Chukka hiking boot that was Berry Amendment compliant. The Berry Amendment passed some 60 years ago, “states that the government should buy product made in the USA made with USA provided components”, which happens to be what my Chukka boots are made with in the USA.

I was told that the government could buy whatever they wanted regardless of country of origin as long as the total cost is less that a threshold of $150,000.00. That is the legislation I referred too. So I was shut out as were every other company that might make a similar boot in the USA. When I started checking I found out that the legislation that was past maybe with in the passed two years and the original legislation was calling for a ceiling of $500,000.00.

As we know, the military purchases thousands of items, and who knows how many are not only no longer made in the USA, but how many are made in China? If the threshold were reduced to zero that would mean extensive production coming back to the USA. But the military would be the tip of the iceberg so to speak. The companies that are making these products would be advertising that they are producing products “made in America” which as I have found out brings Wiggy’s more business. I get told almost daily by someone saying they are happy to buy an American made product. Aside from the fact that there are no sleeping bags, made in the world, even close to my product which I am extremely proud to say is MADE IN AMERICA with components made in AMERICA. Also, I do not know of any other sleeping bags made in America.

My product would not be what it is if it were not for the insulation that I use Climashield which is only made in AMERICA. If the material used in an insulated product does not perform, buying that product is a waste of money. And these products are in retail stores throughout the country because these products are made in Asia.

Of course by reducing the threshold to zero there will be companies either happily increasing the work force or maybe companies opening needing to hire people. And the trickle down affect will be more people able to buy more American made products that I believe will be made better than what comes from Asia. With more people employed the tax revenue the government receives will increase which will make the politicians happy.

Of course a favorite company of mine that would benefit is the company that makes Climashield. Any company that choses to use Climashield automatically will be making a better insulated product.

If enough people write to their representatives throughout the country telling them that the legislation to eliminate the $150,000.00 threshold altogether is a necessary first step necessary to bring production back to the country.