Foreign-Made Products
 

Being a geography nerd, I am fascinated by our global economy. I always look at objects to see where they were made, and sometimes, certain unexpected or expected but unusual countries of origin pop up.

So TFP members, please list objects that you've seen or that are in your possesion that have been made in unexpected/unusual countries. (Please exclude foreign currency, as it is expected that it would be made in foreign countries, and Chinese-made products, as they permeate the globe).

I shall start off:
Bic mechanical pencils (France)
Papermate mechanical pencils (Japan)
Staedtler compass (the drawing kind, not the navigation kind, assembled in Mexico of German parts)
Wenger knife (Switzerland)
Various silver and gold jewelry (Italy)
CD scratch repair kit (no longer in my posession, Ireland)
Robe-(not mine, United Arab Emirates)

I don't consider this unusual, but by far my favorite foreign-made product is my La Pavoni Professional Cappuccino Maker. I got it when I was in graduate school in the late 80s - it is the best purchase I have ever made. I figure I have made thousands of espresso beverages on it - and better quality than at most coffee bars. Plus, it's just plain wonderful to make my own cappuccino and enjoy it while still in my jammies.

(made in Italy, of course)

Some of my Victoria's Secret underwear are made in Israel, while others are made in more predictable places, like Malaysia and the Phillippines. I just never thought of Israel as a hotbed of cheap garment construction.

Toyota Camry - Kentucky
BMW Z4 and X3 - Greenville, SC
etc.

stock has been traded internationally since the early 1970s.
by now, many many larger manfacturers have production systems organized across national boundaries.
what exactly does the distinction between american and not-american made mean?

While a product may be composed of materials from different countries, this thread deals with countries of manufacture, and that process usually takes place in one location.

Nobody said the product has to be non-American. You have to remember that the TFP, while being mostly composed of Americans, has many non-American users, and to them, an American product may seem foreign.

Re: Foreign-Made Products
 

Out of those, the only ones I find weird are the CD repair kit and the Robe. Bic is a French company, Wenger is a Swiss company, loads of jewelry is made in Italy...
Things made abroad don't tend to suprise me anyway, it's so rare that stuff is Made in Britain now that I often go out of my way to buy that stuff.

Most of my stuff is made by young kids that get paid little to nothing to work long hours in factories with dirt floors all in a country I've never heard of.


I'm saddly okay with all of that.

I've owned a few Wacom tablets (and they kick ass, BTW). They come with a mouse (that I never use). The tablets and mice are made in Taiwan EXCEPT on the really big tablet. The mouse for that one is made in Japan. Go figure.

Toyota truck - Made in California

Arnette sunglasses - made in California

////////////////WARNING PRINT GEEK POST AHEAD\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

The best narrow web printing presses are made in Canada

Mont Blanc Pen, made in france I think.
Swatch watch, made in switzerland
Assorted electronic gadgets, made everywhere but the usa
Coach bag, made in the USA

swatch is a swiss company, and the swiss are world famous for watches and clocks - i dont see how a swiss watch is surprising...

I had an American Flag that was made in China.... there's something just basically wrong with that.

Also I once bought some salsa and you know where it was made? New York City!

I love the fact that our "import" cars are all made right here in the US. My GM car is made in Canada, so I guess it's an import.

My cell phone is made in Korea, that's about as close to weird as it gets.

All my tools at work are all made in the good old US of A

why is everyone posting domestic products... your car doesnt count unless it came here in a container

I once got a poncho for an outdoor concert from Old Navy... it was made in Russia.

My new GAP shirt was made in Cambodia.

My contact lenses are made in Ireland.

My BMW 325i was made in Germany (only REAL BMW's are made there, BTW)

My Divx DVD Player - Germany

Altoids - Great Britain

Also, IKEA products are always fun...

ANTON Desk - Germany
Kitchen Cabinets - Sweden
Couch - Slovakia
Hardwood Floor - Germany

i have a kind of metrosexualish shirt thats from Macau
and a had made in hawaii, although i admit its made from coconut husks and i watched him make it

Made in...
 

Merged thread starts here

What's the, I don't want to say weirdest, but most uncommon place that you've ever seen on the tag on your shirt, or whatever?

I just saw a pair of pants that were made in the Sultanate of Oman, I'd never seen anything made there.. other than oil of course, but that doesn't have a sticker on every drum saying where it came from.. and that has me wondering what are some other countries that have very little name recognition on products.

Also, on a related topic, I saw the Alamo on dvd last week, as I was opening it I saw that it was made in Mexico.. I thought it was kinda funny :)

I have a t-shirt made in Alaska. Where in Alaska I don't know.

I have a jacket made in Afghanistan.

I have the urge to look through all my clothing now for odd countries in which they were made.

I have a made in canada stamped on my ass...

i have a flannel made in Bangladesh, and i was going to buy some Craftsman spring clamps till I noticed they were made in Slovakia.

The tag in my shirt reads...Made in U.S.A.

I have a pair of "Nike" socks that were "made in America."

That's how I know they are fake.

Shirt im wearing now is made in guatemala. :)

MY MS and Logitech mice were made in China

The toothpicks I use were made in South Korea

My Mitsumi keyboard in China