suspending tariffs? i say NO!!!

THE SUBJECT IS SUSPENDING TARIFFS

But first the results of an experiment.

Wiggy,

I have recently concluded a thermal reclamation test in my thermal lab (my wife’s new LG dryer).

I ran my fabulous Ducksback parka through the wash cycle and once it was washed, I put the parka inside the thermal reclamation device set at 25 minutes. After FOUR minutes, it was dry on one side. I turned the parka inside out and started the thermal device again. To my astonishment, I pulled the parka out after another THREE minutes and was delighted to receive a fresh, great smelling, Ducksback parka. with full loft restored Total drying time…SEVEN minutes eclipsing my old-World Drying Record of eight minutes.

Having fun with my Wiggy’s.

Jeff Johnson, Ohio

World Record Holder

Jeff happens to be a customer for 30 years. He bought his first bag from Eddie Schwartz who owned Trail and Campers Hut in Medina, Ohio. He does have quite a collection of Wiggy’s product’s, and I have previously posted his test results. This time I mention this because our dear friend Eddie hasn’t long to live due to an unusual form of cancer that started as prostrate cancer. I appreciate your indulgence with me as it is as many know very tough to lose a good friend. If not for Eddie I would not have Jeff as a customer. Now Jeff is a good friend.

SUSPENDING TARIFFS

A few weeks ago, I received both an email and telephone call from the U.S. Department of Commerce wanting to know if I would support suspending or reducing the rate of the tariff on sleeping bags, tents and backpacks. My answer was an unequivocal NO!!! the company petitioning the International Trade Commission (ITC) that over sees these petitions needs feed back from a domestic producer (s) to either support the tariffs or suspend them.

As I see it we do not need sleeping bags or tents coming into the USA from China that are inundated with chemicals that are poisonous to the user and as far as sleeping bags are concerned these imported bags are of the “no sleep sleeping bag” variety.

The company that is the petitioner is Exxel Company. They make very cheap slumber bags using shells made in China and fill them with polyester fiberfill also I suspect made in China or someplace in Asia. These cheap bags get sold to retailers like Walmart and probably Dick’s, REI and LL Bean. Retail prices are in the $10.00 to $20.00 range and no telling how many chemicals are in the fabrics.

Exxel imports the Sierra Designs and Kelty brands as well as a large number of other hard goods and clothing products as well.

They do have a factory in Alabama, but they choose to import chemically treated fabric products rather than buy fabrics made in the USA the meet EPA standards as I do, there are NO standards in Asia.

I say keep the tariffs in place so these companies can’t present poisonous products into the marketplace.

Yesterday, Friday January 17, 2020 I received an email and then phone call from the U.S. Department of Commerce wanting to know if I wanted to oppose the 6 petitions covering camouflage and other outdoor jackets. My response before I knew who the 6 petitions were, was again an unequivocal YES!!!

There were no 6 petitions there was one petition 6 times from one company, W.L. Gore! There were presentation basically the same petition for clothing finished products made with the goretex laminate.

I told the representative that gore was not a manufacturer of garments. I was told they owned sitka gear so that made them qualify and the ITC accepted their petition.

Gore doesn’t care about sitka gear very much. They care about the many thousands of jackets that are made in China under dozens of labels like Bass Pro, Cabela’s, The North Face and who knows how many other brands sold in retail stores to hunters. But if the tariff is dropped for hunting apparel it will be dropped for all goretex apparel.

Gore does not laminate the materials for their customers here in the USA. They have a facility or more in China where they do all of the laminating and they also have their own camo print which is printed on fabric woven in China I suspect. Of course, if that is the case the fabrics are not made under the rules of our EPA. No fabrics are made in all of Asia according to the rules of our EPA.

If the tariffs are kept in place as I want to see, actually I would like to see them doubled, but regardless maybe less garments will come into the USA.

If the ITC were to agree with gore, then as I see it and in my opinion the US government is once again protecting gore. The Federal Trade Commission will not take any steps against gore’s false advertising of having a waterproof breathable material which is impossible to manufacture.

The Consumer Protection Agency will take no action against the gore because wearing boots that are lined with goretex promotes and causes foot sores.

Both of these agencies in my opinion do nothing about this because people’s lives are supposedly not particularly in danger, but their pocketbooks are. People buy these goretex jackets believing that the garment will keep rainwater out and also allow sweat to move through the fabric and in both instances, rainwater gets in and sweat does not get out. So, they are told buyer beware.

I cannot tell you the number of men who have told me in no uncertain terms that they have wet feet when wearing goretex lined boots and develop blisters.

Since they ignore the false advertising and the foot problems, they will probably add the suspended or reduced tariffs to the list.

You can support USA manufacturers who happen to make products far superior to those from the companies I have mentioned and Wiggy’s is one of them.