How 100% US Cotton Apparel Supports Local Economies

It comes as a surprise when you think about the dip in U.S. retail cotton use by consumers back in 2022. Things have changed.

We don’t think it’s just about pride. It’s about putting food on American tables. And nowhere is that more evident than in the story of 100% US-made cotton apparel.

Let’s go back to the roots…literally. American cotton farming has been around for generations. U.S. farms today produce some of the highest-quality cotton on the planet, like Supima cotton. The entire cycle starts at the fertile southern soil. When you buy cotton apparel made in the USA, you’re helping keep tractors moving, barns busy, and rural communities alive.

The show is about Americans trying to survive in a world that’s changing too fast. Family farms in Mississippi. Cooperative growers in Texas. Cotton ginners who live five minutes from the fields. There’s a high chance your sustainable blank t-shirt from ShirtsBargain started in their hands.

Once that cotton is harvested, it goes to the spinning mills and sewing floors inside the USA. Textile mills in the Carolinas and the South process the cotton into yarn, then into fabric, then into the many garments you order in bulk.

This production chain creates jobs. For cutters. Sewers. Machine techs. Floor supervisors. Shipping crews.

When you wear 100% US-made cotton apparel, you get quality and comfort. But you are also connected, contributing to helping communities that depend on textile jobs to survive.

Some of our most in-demand wholesale brands at ShirtsBargain - Gildan, Allmade, Hanes, and a few others - are part of this American supply web. Many of their lines are sourced from US-grown cotton, and some of them are manufactured on US soil.

American Apparel has it in their name. The brand is on a mission to create garments that feel truly American. They’ve helped revive parts of the domestic textile workforce along with other brands like Bayside while offering blank garments that decorators love. Gildan has a different story. They use US-grown cotton and have set up distribution centers across the country. Some of their manufacturing is also done in the United States. Stocking US-made apparel keeps the demand alive, encouraging more brands to jump on the bandwagon sooner. 

Primarily by opening more job opportunities in local economies. But that alone won’t cut it. Apart from jobs, sales must improve too. And when a business like yours chooses Made in USA clothing, you are feeding both the domestic supply and demand cycle.

Here’s a breakdown of your business’s impact. 

The impact may sound trivial, but it is big enough to make a difference in the economy.

People want to know what they’re wearing. That’s why sustainable apparel is becoming a major preference for consumers. They want transparency, too, and are ready to pay for it.

If you sell apparel - even blank tees or bulk uniforms - you are leading this change. You can promote US-made lines or mention the use of 100% US-grown cotton. It’s real, and not just fluff anymore. Your buyers might be schools ordering spirit wear or print shops serving events. When you push USA-made cotton goods, they become part of the impact, too.

At ShirtsBargain, we keep things simple by offering a wide range of apparel styles from brands that care about quality and country. Our catalog includes styles made of US Cotton, like print-friendly t-shirts from Gildan and Hanes, or fully US-made, sustainable t-shirt styles like the ones from Allmade. Additionally, specific styles from American Apparel and Comfort Colors are made of locally grown fabric materials.

Top US-Made T-Shirt Recommendations for Customization:

Every order helps someone down the supply chain. And that’s the kind of business we want to run.

We believe buying American is about making choices that ripple through the community. Through jobs. Through local pride. Through the comfort that comes with a conscience. Our 100% US-made cotton apparel collection is where you can start, and at the best prices in the wholesale market.