Podcast Summary: "The Made in the USA Myth"

Podcast: Today, Explained (Vox, featuring NPR’s Planet Money)
Host: Sarah Gonzalez (Planet Money)
Date: September 1, 2025
Main Theme:
This episode investigates the realities beneath the “Made in America” label—exploring who makes our clothes in the US, how they’re paid, how working conditions compare to the public’s perception, and whether revitalizing American manufacturing is as simple—or as ethical—as many assume.

Episode Overview

The episode follows Maria, a 73-year-old garment worker in Los Angeles, as a lens to examine the present and future of domestic garment manufacturing. Hosts and guests debunk the widespread belief that “Made in the USA” equates to good wages and working conditions, revealing outdated factories, persistent underpayment, and a shrinking, aging labor force. Through personal stories and expert commentary, the podcast pulls apart the myth of ethical or “better” American-made clothing.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Maria’s Story: Life as a US Garment Worker

• Background: Maria immigrated from Puebla, Mexico, and has worked as a “trimmer” in LA garment factories for almost 30 years, cutting loose threads from finished clothes ([03:16]).
• Pride & Hard Work: Maria enjoys her job because “you get money” ([06:12]). Over her career, she’s gone from 100 pieces a day to as many as 800, always racing to keep up with demands for speed.
• Piece Rate Pay: Maria is paid per finished piece—now 15–16 cents per item, often working at home late into the night to supplement income ([09:14]-[09:30]). Her pay can fluctuate with garment complexity.
  • Memorable Moment: “If you want to earn money, you have to do it fast.” – Maria ([08:22])
• Low and Unpredictable Wages: Even with improved speed, workers making tricky garments or paid slow piece rates may earn far below minimum wage. Some LA workers report making as little as $1.58/hour ([24:00]).

2. The Economics of “Made in America”

• Who Does What and What Do They Earn?:
  • Many hands touch even a simple item. Example: a $62 basic sports bra could involve up to 13 workers, each earning around 30 cents per task, totaling $3.90 in labor ([15:02]).
  • Quote: “40 cents is probably too high.” – Lynn Burady, regarding maximal pay per garment assembly step ([15:04]).
• Public Misconceptions:
  • Most people picture “well-run, air conditioned factories … nice breaks.” In reality, remaining US factories can be small, hidden, under-resourced, and sometimes worse than some overseas shops ([16:20]).
  • Quote: “I’ve seen worse factories in America than I have seen overseas.” – Lynn Burady ([16:37])

3. Industry Shifts and Decline

• Statistics: US apparel manufacturing fell from ~900,000 jobs in 1990 to just 82,000 today ([17:14]).
• Why Does US Garment Manufacturing Persist?:
  • Prototyping and short-run “fast turnaround” orders.
  • Specialized clothing (e.g., adaptive garments for disabilities).
  • Legal requirements: The Berry Amendment mandates US military clothes be made entirely in the US for security reasons ([20:50]).
  • Expert’s View: “We’re not going to make iPhones in America, and we’re not going to make all our clothes in America. We don’t know how.” – Aisha Barenblatt ([18:47])

4. Illusion of Ethical Consumption

• Myth Busting: Higher garment prices seldom reach workers as better pay ([21:23]). Luxury brands using “Made in Italy” or “Made in USA” labels may still underpay and exploit workers, both abroad and domestically.
  • Quote: “You generally cannot buy your way into better wages for workers.” – Aisha Barenblatt ([22:06])
• Law vs. Reality:
  • California banned piece rate pay in the garment industry four years ago. Despite this, many workers (including Maria) are still paid unlawfully per piece, often in cash, and must fight for every dollar ([24:03]).
  • Factories sometimes evade enforcement by simply rebranding and reopening under new names ([25:57]).

5. The “Sweatshop” Next Door

• Definition & Evidence: Poor conditions, low pay, and long hours characterize “sweatshops”—which exist in America, not just overseas ([26:21]).
  • Quote: “It is the very definition of a sweatshop. But you have to catch them at it.” – Lynn Burady ([26:12])
• Job Satisfaction and Mobility:
  • Both Maria and Pacheco (another garment worker) express regret and stress, saying they would not want their children to do this work ([29:28]).
  • Quote: “Not this job for them. Maria says she wants them to be something in life. I tell her, you’re something. ‘Yeah, I’m something,’ she says … but she raised her kids, ‘comimo citodo.’ They all ate.” ([29:57])

Expert Commentary

• Lynn Burady (Oklahoma State University, former industry insider):

  • Offers historical insight into “piece rate” pay and its physical toll on workers ([11:37], [13:26]).
  • Regrets implications of setting ultra-low pay rates.

• Aisha Barenblatt (Remake, nonprofit):

  • Compares American factories to global counterparts and highlights the lack of US investment and modernization ([17:32]-[18:19]).
  • Explains why better conditions or wages rarely materialize solely with “Made in USA” tags ([21:23]-[22:06]).
  • Summarizes the loss of technical skill and expertise in complex garment-making to overseas specialists ([19:13]).

Memorable Quotes and Moments

• Maria’s Hands-On Demonstration: Showing how she snips loose threads, gently tapping the host’s shirt “like a blessing” ([03:16]).
• On Factory Conditions:
  • “Most of the garment factories left in the US … you’d walk by some of these and never even know there was a garment factory there.” ([16:37])
• Wage Math Reality:
  • “A $20 T-shirt, a $120 T-shirt, the workers likely got 20 cents to work on it. Either way.” ([22:06])
• On Aspiration:
  • “She wants her grandkids to be something in life. … She’s proud of herself but she cannot imagine many Americans would want this job.” ([29:32])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [03:16]–[08:22]: Maria’s day-to-day tasks, pay system, and family involvement
• [09:14]–[11:37]: Detailed breakdown of piece rates and job evolution
• [11:37]–[16:37]: Industry context from Lynn Burady; breakdown of who touches a garment and for how much
• [17:32]–[18:47]: Decline of the US garment industry; barriers to revitalization
• [19:13]–[21:23]: Technical expertise lost; roles of global specialization
• [21:23]–[22:06]: The “ethical” myth of the Made in America label
• [24:03]–[26:12]: Piece rate legality, wage theft, and how factories evade accountability
• [27:21]–[29:32]: Worker aspirations and regrets; job satisfaction
• [29:32]–[30:12]: Maria’s pride and refusal to wish the same job for the next generation

Conclusion

This episode of Today, Explained (via Planet Money) dismantles the comforting fiction that US-made clothing is inherently better for laborers or the economy. Through Maria's experience and expert interviews, we learn that what remains of “Made in the USA” is often highly exploitative, precarious, and desperately needs more than consumer goodwill or patriotic fervor to improve. As listeners, we’re invited to look past labels and consider the complex, uncomfortable reality of garment work—no matter where “Made in” says.