Here at CHARLíS, we are proud to put the words “Made in the USA” on all our products, and there are specific reasons why we decided to do so. Read on to learn what this label really represents and how it can ultimately mean more safety, quality, and peace of mind for you!

What is “Made in the USA?” 

In the vast world of skincare products, the discerning and health-conscious consumers like you are increasingly looking to buy locally made products. In fact, according to a survey conducted by Consumer Reports, upwards of 78% of all Americans would rather buy products that were truly “Made in the USA” if they could (and most were willing to spend a little more to do so). (1) 

But what exactly does this mean? Simply put, the phrase “Made in the USA” (or just “Made in USA”) is a denotation put forth by the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to indicate that “all or virtually all” of the “significant parts” of a product are of U.S. origin. (2) According to the FTC’s terminology, companies that use this exact wording have put forth an “unqualified” claim of an American made product and must provide documentation to back it up if asked to do so. 

CHARLíS is able to put this label on all of our products because, although we may source some organic, non-GMO, wild-harvested ingredients from regions of origin that are out of the country (such as organic Theobroma Grandiflorum seed butter, which comes from trees found only in untouched regions of the Brazilian Amazon), the vast majority of our ingredients are harvested here in the United States. In addition, all of the physical packaging as well as manufacturing, assembly, advertising, designing, and administrative work that goes into each CHARLíS product occurs right here in the USA– more specifically, in our home state of Tennessee. Most importantly, before each bottle is shipped to you, it is independently lab-tested to be 100% ToxinFree© by the U.S.-based ToxicFree Foundation. 

Be Aware of Fraudulent “American Made” Claims

All that seems pretty straightforward, right? Still, massive confusion is the name of the game when it comes to so-called American made products in general. Unfortunately, both unscrupulous foreign and US-based companies take advantage of the worldwide desire for American products by attempting to skirt around official labels. 

A small side note here just for clarification: as opposed to unqualified “Made in the USA” FTC-regulated claims (like what you see on CHARLíS labels), qualified FDA-regulated American made claims are for products that are created and/or designed in the USA yet produced in some way in another country. Qualified products must indicate which other countries are involved in the making of the product. A fictitious example would be a piece of technology such as a cellular phone that says “Designed in the USA, Assembled in Korea” on its label. Qualified claims must also be backed up by documentation. 

To sum up, there are only two kinds of labels allowed by the FTC for American made products: unqualified “Made in the USA” claims (such as what is on all CHARLíS labels) and qualified ones, which must indicate which countries are involved outside of the USA. That’s it! Any other wording or images which may lead one to believe that a product is American made is more than likely a fraud. 

“Made in the USA” Means Transparency and Accountability

Now that we have cleared the air about what it means when a product is truly “Made in the USA” (and when it is not), let’s discuss some reasons why choosing “Made in the USA” products can benefit you and your family.

First of all, there is transparency. Transparency means that a company is above-board in informing their customers about ingredients, manufacturing practices, laboratory testing procedures, and even financial information. Some of this information may exist on the product label itself or on a product insert as well as on the company website. In addition, many US-companies also provide an email address or telephone number that is easily accessible so that consumers can reach out and get a response right away. 

In general, American-based companies maintain higher standards of transparency overall. They are in-country, so reaching out to them if you are also in the states is usually a snap. And when you do reach out, you can be assured that the person on the other end of the phone or email conversation knows what they are talking about and sincerely wants to help you.  

Transparency creates a higher-quality product and over-the-top accountability. Here at CHARLíS, our customers are family. We are all on this natural health journey together and it is our desire to help you experience natural beauty both inside and out through what we offer. This means that not only are we available for you to reach out with questions, comments, and concerns, we encourage it! Feel free to email us directly at support@charlis.com. We will respond back to you promptly and get the answers you need!

“Made in the USA” Means Higher Quality

Keeping it “Made in the USA” means you are interacting with a US-based company where transparency is a top priority, and this transparency naturally translates into a higher quality product and an overall more positive customer experience. 

This is especially true when it comes to customer service, as I already mentioned. But it  also means higher standards for safety in both manufacturing and delivery. 

Unfortunately, when it comes to global manufacturing practices for the skincare industry in particular, the motto is usually “profits over people.” A recent Notre Dame report found that half of all the cosmetics on U.S. shelves contain highly toxic compounds. Many of these name-brand US products are actually manufactured overseas. What’s more, the toxic substances that can cause the most damage, such as preservatives, binding agents, and plastic containers, are often used at the manufacturing stage.(3)

Ethical U.S.-based companies will naturally extend their high-quality standards to manufacturing as well. Products, skincare or otherwise, will be put together in a clean, sanitary, dedicated facility. If a U.S. company claims to use “natural” ingredients, then this should extend to what they use to prepare, assemble, and package their products as well, plain and simple. 

At CHARLíS, we take clean manufacturing to a whole new level. On par with the organic, non-GMO ingredients we use, our signature blends go into beautifully designed Italian glass bottles which were literally made to maintain the integrity and freshness of the ingredients inside of them naturally for months after purchase. What’s more, our products are shipped directly to you from our U.S.-based facility, so there is no need to worry about irradiation, leakage, or spoilage en route. 

“Made in the USA” Ensures Fair Labor Practices & Ethical Behavior 

Besides the benefits for yourself and your family, buying “Made in the USA” products like those in the CHARLíS Face Collection and the CHARLíS Body Collection helps to ensure fair labor practices. This means treating employees with respect as well as offering fair, livable wages and benefits to full-time employees. It also ensures that no child labor was used in manufacturing the products and that the product was not tested on animals. 

It’s no secret that our U.S. government and its various departments are ripe for improvement in 2023. However, when it comes to worker standards for wages and safety, it is safe to say that the United States is amongst the best. The U.S. Department of Labor Fair Labor Standards Act sets standards for wages and overtime pay, and these standards must be adhered to in most private and public employment situations. (4) The Wage and Hour Division sets the laws regarding child labor and states that a person under the age of 16 cannot be employed during school hours or in positions deemed too dangerous. (5) 

The federal organization that oversees employee safety is called OSHA, or the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. OSHA sets a high standard for worker safety as well, which is enforceable via inspection and investigation. OSHA covers most public and private operations across the country. (6) 

These governmental organizations and their regulations set the framework and the federal enforcement for worker safety and fairness. That being said, it is up to ethical and conscientious US companies to see to it that these laws are adhered to– and even gone beyond with their employees. This is what we strive for at CHARLíS. We are a small, family-owned company and we see our employees as part of that family. Even though we are just getting started, we have a loyal crew who are treated with the utmost respect and fairness on all levels. 

“Made in the USA” Means Supporting Local Community and American Self-Sufficiency in Tough Economic Times 

Purchasing American-made products not only benefits yourself and your family and  ensures that labor laws are being adhered to. It also directly contributes to local, regional, and national economies. This is especially important in the wake of economic challenges, both at home and globally.

The relationship between buying “Made in the USA” products and boosting the American economy is just common sense—the more business stays “in country,” the more jobs on all levels are available for Americans by Americans. This is a concept that most people in the US understand and can stand behind. According to the Consumer Reports research report mentioned above, 80 percent of Americans surveyed said that keeping both jobs and manufacturing in the country was the main reason why they would buy “Made in the USA” products.

What you may not know, however, is just how much revenue this represents. Kevin Wabiszewski, writer and founder of the online product database allamericanmade.com, states that “…every $1 invested in American-made goods generates $1.81 in domestic economic activity…” (7) And according to a 2018 Brookings Institute report, keeping manufacturing within the US contributed $2.17 trillion to the US economy, representing about 12 percent of the American GDP. (8) Wow!  

On the local level, spending our money at home can make a profound difference as well. Did you know that, according to the Small Business Administration, between March 2020 and March 2021, 8.7 million new jobs were created by American small businesses? (9) On the other hand, about 70 percent of the total American economy is directly driven by consumer spending. In your hometown and across the country, the health of small US-owned businesses keeps jobs in local communities and high-quality products in people’s homes. It is a win-win! (10) 

Supporting American Self-Sufficiency

As parents, it just makes sense that we want our children to grow up as strong, clear-headed, and self-sufficient as possible. Why wouldn’t we want to “grow” our communities and our nation to have these same characteristics? 

Healthy people create healthy communities, which then creates a healthy America, able to stand on its own two feet and contribute as an equal partner with other nations around the world. It takes all of us to make that happen. In particular, it takes each person’s decision to buy “Made in the USA” products, as well as small businesses like CHARLíS which are not afraid to stand up for healthy values. 

To paraphrase an old adage, standing alone there really isn’t much we can do to effect change.  When we work together, however, we can move mountains! 

References: 

(1) Knowing Which Products are Truly Made in America
(2) Federal Trade Commission – Made in USA
(3) Fluorinated Compounds in North American Cosmetics
(4) Wages and the Fair Labor Standards Act
(5) Wage and Hour Division
(6) Summary of the Major Laws of the Department of Labor
(7) 27 Reasons Why Buying American Made Products Matters (2023) 
(8) Global manufacturing scorecard: How the US compares to 18 other nations 
(9) Oberlo 10 Small Business Statistics
(10) The Importance of Consumer Spending