Are Canadian made goods *really* overpriced?

With the recent building collapse in Bangladesh that killed almost 300 workers, it got me thinking about what the "made in Canada" label really means to consumers. There are only a handful of companies that still rely on Canadian ingenuity, skilled workers, and safe working conditions, to produce goods at a price that the market is willing to pay. Unlike companies such as "Canadian tire" who try to disguise the fact that practically all of their stuff is made in China, there are still companies like Canada Goose who use this as a strategic advantage when trying to compete internationally.

The Great Canadian Sox Co Inc. is Canada’s largest producer of outdoor adventure socks and has been in business for over 30 years. Seeing sock manufacturing and production practices move overseas due to globalization is directly related to consumer demand for cheaper products, and has forced us to re-evaluate our stance in the marketplace. As with any industry, in order to succeed one must adapt to the times and find their niche. We have been able to do this by creating a line of technical socks with innovative new features and fibers.

As garment production continues to move overseas, staying in Canada, despite the costs and hurdles, remains a tremendous source of pride for both the company and our loyal customer base as well. We understand that most Canadians want to support companies that go out of their way to operate here. The fact that we are 100% Canadian owned and operated is definitely one of our strengths. The apparel industry in Canada at large continues to struggle, and it is truly disheartening to see companies close down their operations here. Thankfully, government contracts and private label work (including producing socks for the Canadian army and socks for the Vancouver 2010 Olympics) continue to be a source of revenue, which has helped us remain efficient and keep fixed costs low. As consumers we often underestimate our power to change the way business is done, and with increasing competition from overseas we MUST support our own before it’s too late.