Several years before the attack on Pearl Harbor, the US Navy was designing a class of fast battleships that would prepare them for a potential war with Japan. Almost four years after the attack, Japan officially surrendered to the Allied forces on the quarterdeck of one of those battleships, the USS Missouri.

A Brief History of Made in USA

As Americans celebrate Victory over Japan Day or VJ Day, we wanted to reflect on the significance of the phrase Made in USA and how that sort of forward-thinking benefits us all.

By the time of the official surrender on September 2, 1945, the importance of American-made products was already in the atmosphere. President Hoover signed the Buy American Act on his last day in office in 1933.

Then, 1941 gave us the Berry Amendment, requiring the Department of Defense to give preference to domestic goods and products and expanding the scope of the Buy American Act to cover clothing and clothing materials.  

What is Berry Compliant? 

Being "Berry Compliant" means adhering to the Berry Amendment, which mandates that the U.S. Department of Defense prioritize the use of domestically-produced goods, especially in areas like food, clothing, and specialty metals. This commitment to using American-made products supports our domestic industries and ensures a robust manufacturing sector.

So when you see the label on our Leonidas Legend Plate Carrier that says Berry Amendment Compliant, that’s what it’s referring to. 

Why Are So Few Products Made in the USA?

There are several reasons that businesses manufacture products outside the USA. But you can probably guess the overarching reason. Yes, money. By manufacturing overseas, companies may be able to:

• Take advantage of unsafe working conditions for employees.
• Exploit lax or non-existent child labor laws.
• Pay employees less than livable wages.

Naturally, the more removed two parties are during a transaction, the less accountability there will be.  

The Danger of Remaining Dependent

The COVID-19 pandemic handed the world a significant disturbance in the force.  

According to the executive vice president of major procurement and supply chain consultancy Proxima, “What supply chains thrive on is predictability… And the only thing we can say about China at the moment is that for many businesses, they’re looking at China as predictably unpredictable.”  

The best thing any business can do in the wake of that crisis is to course correct, making sure to not remain dependent upon unpredictable outside variables. There’s too much at stake.

Spartan Armor is Made Entirely in the USA

Whether you're a member of the law enforcement community, military, first responder, or a concerned citizen, we take your personal protection seriously. If a body armor manufacturer gets its materials from China or elsewhere and anything disrupts that supply line, that disruption cuts everything off.  

People want to know they can get their armor order when they need it most. 

Spartan Armor Systems is already known as a leader in the industry in craftsmanship, but we also take pride in providing American made body armor to a market that wants just that.  

Did you know?

• We don't import from or outsource any body armor to China or anywhere else.
• Our steel comes to us by the truckload from a US steel mill.
• We make our Level IIIA plates from rolls of USA-made aramid fiber ballistic material.

These facts testify to our commitment to supporting the local economy and providing customers with the highest-value products. We’re committed to using materials and manufacturing processes sourced within the United States to ensure quality and contribution to the nation's economy.  

Benefits of Manufacturing in the US

We know that once jobs move overseas, their chances of returning to the United States are slim. But why should we care? What does it mean for us as individuals and as a country?

• American Independence- Like the original Buy American Act concept, we want the United States economy to keep trucking even during international conflict.
• US Employment Rate- Maintaining production lines here in the US keeps your neighbors employed.
• Quality Control- It’s far easier to oversee the manufacturing process when you keep it local. When you outsource, you lose traceability.  
• Promotes Research and Testing- The potential for theft of intellectual property and patent violations increases with outsourcing, allowing businesses to skip the costly processes of research, testing, and development.
• Customer Service Efficiency- Customers get issues corrected quickly with domestic customer service.
• Simple Supply Chains- The less complex the supply chain, the less chance of error.
• Lower Delivery Costs- The shorter and more efficient the supply chain, the lower the delivery costs. We then pass those savings on to you, the consumer.

And lastly… 

• Faster Lead Times- Let’s explore this one a little further!

Spartan Has the Fastest Fulfillment in the Industry

The body armor industry is a competitive one. Quality and speed are crucial in this business and that became even more evident in 2020.  

We’ve already established that Spartan Armor is made in the USA. But you may not have known that we have the fastest lead times in the industry.  

We encourage you to shop around for your body armor, and when you do, pay special attention to the lead times on different websites. At the time of this article, Spartan offers next-day fulfillment of orders.

How can we do that? American made body armor should be high-quality and fulfilled quickly. You can fulfill orders faster when you’re not outsourcing your manufacturing. We show you exactly how we accomplish that in our video on how body armor is made at our Tucson facility.

Conclusion

Spartan Armor is leading the industry with our American made body armor products. Our dedication to quality, innovation, and supporting local businesses sets us apart from our competitors. With Spartan Armor, you can have confidence that you're getting the fastest, most reliable body armor available on the market today.  

By choosing American made body armor, you support local businesses and the US economy. Spartan Armor's commitment to manufacturing our products in the United States creates and preserves jobs, benefiting the community and contributing to our country's manufacturing sector.  

Looking for the best body armor made in USA? Start protecting what’s yours today with Spartan Armor.