"American Girl" dolls made in China

[jenbrdsly]

Newspaper Article here. (Full disclaimer, I wrote it!:tongue_smilie:)

 

I'm still really bugged that the American Girl store in Seattle features paper napkin rings printed in China. That seems nuts! I'm going to start leaving a message on the American Girl Facebook page every day for a whole month that says: "Please print your napkin rings in America."

 

Is anyone with me?

[teeniebeenie6]

The dolls are made in China too. I dislike that more then the napkin holders.

[Catwoman]

The dolls are made in China too. I dislike that more then the napkin holders.

 

:iagree:

 

It does seem a bit ironic that American Girl products are made in China, but it's not at all surprising to me.

 

I loved your article, Jennifer -- it was excellent!!! :thumbup:

[saraha]

Just in the last few years we had a dust up in Girl Scouts, because they wanted to have uniforms and products made in China. I seriously would have quit GS all together if that had happened.

[Zuzu822]

Yes, a lot changed when Pleasant Rowland sold out to Mattel. :glare:

 

She is really not my favorite business woman/entrepreneur. Her behavior in the village of Aurora, NY is another example.

[In the Rain]

On one hand, it would be nice to see them made in America. On the other hand, it would probably increase the cost. :001_huh: They are already a financial stretch for so many families, I'd hate to see them become even more unobtainable.

[In the Rain]

Yes, a lot changed when Pleasant Rowland sold out to Mattel. :glare:

 

She is really not my favorite business woman/entrepreneur. Her behavior in the village of Aurora, NY is another example.

 

:bigear: like what?

[Ravin]

I Can't believe you let three vintage AG dolls with boxes intact go for $200. You could easily have gotten twice that or more!

[momma2three]

I wish many more things were made here, but at this point I just assume that everything's made in China. Certainly almost all toys.

[itsheresomewhere]

It goes along with the Boy Scouts patches are made in China.

[jenbrdsly]

Yes, a lot changed when Pleasant Rowland sold out to Mattel. :glare:

 

She is really not my favorite business woman/entrepreneur. Her behavior in the village of Aurora, NY is another example.

 

 

Do tell! :bigear:

[Jennifer3141]

I wish many more things were made here, but at this point I just assume that everything's made in China. Certainly almost all toys.

 

 

:iagree::iagree:

[Mommy22alyns]

Yes, a lot changed when Pleasant Rowland sold out to Mattel. :glare:

 

She is really not my favorite business woman/entrepreneur. Her behavior in the village of Aurora, NY is another example.

 

You know you're going to have to spill it! :bigear:

 

I don't find it surprising. Sad, yes, surprising, no.

[Janie Grace]

nm

[Rai B.]

I’m obviously not the pp, but I found this on the Aurora story—here or here.

 

I did not have an opinion of Ms Rowland either way before looking this up, but I discovered the "Criticism" section has been removed from the page about her on Wikipedia, and from the cache on google. :001_huh:(Google has a link and an image from the last time Google visited the page, but it is way too small for me to read what it says.) Info is still here.

[2girls4us]

I'm pretty sure that they were originally made in Germany. They have never been made in America as far as I know. It's who the doll "is" that is American, not where she is made.

[jenbrdsly]

I'm pretty sure that they were originally made in Germany. They have never been made in America as far as I know. It's who the doll "is" that is American, not where she is made.

 

 

Yes, my original dolls were made in Germany.

[BibleBeltCatholicMom]

Well, color me heretic . . . I think just about everything American's use should be made in America. ditto for things made in China or elsewhere.

 

I know that sometimes a country has developed a truly artistic product (violins, chocolate, clocks/watches) and there is a part of me that would want them and want them imported. Still, no part of me thinks that cheap and plastic fall in that category.

 

I know that high tariffs are controversial and some say they only hurt the American economy. Still, it's hard to see how they could hurt more than it hurts now. I think we might need to look more long term.

[mommaduck]

Newspaper Article here. (Full disclaimer, I wrote it!:tongue_smilie:)

 

I'm still really bugged that the American Girl store in Seattle features paper napkin rings printed in China. That seems nuts! I'm going to start leaving a message on the American Girl Facebook page every day for a whole month that says: "Please print your napkin rings in America."

 

Is anyone with me?

"Server not found"

[teeniebeenie6]

On one hand, it would be nice to see them made in America. On the other hand, it would probably increase the cost. :001_huh: They are already a financial stretch for so many families, I'd hate to see them become even more unobtainable.

The prices they charge is definitely not due to the cost of making the dolls. It's because they can charge those prices. I've seen knock off's that are nearly as good of quality for $30 and less.

[freeindeed]

They should be made in America. I mean, they're "American" Girl dolls.

[mirth]

The prices they charge is definitely not due to the cost of making the dolls. It's because they can charge those prices. I've seen knock off's that are nearly as good of quality for $30 and less.

 

Totally :iagree:

 

American manufacturers want to have things made in China because China offers inexpensive labor AND political stability. American manufacturers feel that there is little chance that there will be some kind of coup that will overthrow the gov't and confiscate their factory. There are other countries where labor is inexpensive but politically instable or not-as-stable. This is why you do not see a lot of Made In Congo or Made in Central African Republic goods. Btw, since the 1980s is has more been western countries trying to get their foot into China and not the other way around. Prior to then China was largely closed to the world. (btw, the assumption of political stability in China is one that, if faulty, will dramatically affect more than the price of household goods)

 

Any manufacturer or customer gets what he pays for. If you want high quality control, you pay for it. If you think people are subbing in lead paint because it is $0.10 cheaper per 4,132,364,870 parts, you pay for better security and rewards for whistleblowers. The manufacturer can call the shots. If you think you are getting some kind of shoddy goods from Mattel, why is China (an entire nation!) more to blame than Mattel (the ultimate profiteer)?

 

Let's take a close look at a high-end, high-performance product ... Britax car seats. Up until maybe 5 years ago, every Britax came out of Charlotte, NC. Now at least I know our Parkways and Frontiers are made in China. You know it's costing Britax less money per unit to make each car seat -- and yet the cost of Britax car seats have never decreased and are consistently in the $250-$300 range. It could be (and should be, and probably is) that Britax pays for really good QC in their Chinese plants but still the net cost must be lower for them to have switched. Why is the cost savings not reflected in the final price to the consumer? Because the American manufacturer wants a bigger profit margin. If they still used American labor, they would have a smaller profit, and their stock would look worse than that of their American competitor. It is American greed that brings poorly QC'ed goods into the American stream of commerce.

 

I have really had it with general potshots to China. And the next time anyone complains about Made In China "garbage", consider the following 1) why are you buying garbage and 2) how do you think this makes anyone who was actually born in China, or has been adopted from China, or is considering adopting from China, feel? (is it better that they understand that you didn't mean them? -- that somehow by virtue of being in the US, they are not what you meant by Chinese garbage?) Having been to China, I can tell you that official and properly branded goods like Legos, Wimpy Kid books, Tonka trucks, etc are *very* expensive there -- way, way more expensive than you would pay in the USA. (A little box of Legos that would cost you $11 tops in the US would set you back around $27 in Beijing.) So it is not like the Chinese have penchant for ripping off Americans and lounging about like dragons in a lair of gold hoard. It is the manufacturer. They give everyone the shaft.

__________________

Edited September 26, 2012 by mirth

[mirth]

2x post

[Aelwydd]

Totally :iagree:

 

American manufacturers want to have things made in China because China offers inexpensive labor AND political stability. American manufacturers feel that there is little chance that there will be some kind of coup that will overthrow the gov't and confiscate their factory. There are other countries where labor is inexpensive but politically instable or not-as-stable. This is why you do not see a lot of Made In Congo or Made in Central African Republic goods. Btw, since the 1980s is has more been western countries trying to get their foot into China and not the other way around. Prior to then China was largely closed to the world. (btw, the assumption of political stability in China is one that, if faulty, will dramatically affect more than the price of household goods)

 

Any manufacturer or customer gets what he pays for. If you want high quality control, you pay for it. If you think people are subbing in lead paint because it is $0.10 cheaper per 4,132,364,870 parts, you pay for better security and rewards for whistleblowers. The manufacturer can call the shots. If you think you are getting some kind of shoddy goods from Mattel, why is China (an entire nation!) more to blame than Mattel (the ultimate profiteer)?

 

Let's take a close look at a high-end, high-performance product ... Britax car seats. Up until maybe 5 years ago, every Britax came out of Charlotte, NC. Now at least I know our Parkways and Frontiers are made in China. You know it's costing Britax less money per unit to make each car seat -- and yet the cost of Britax car seats have never decreased and are consistently in the $250-$300 range. It could be (and should be, and probably is) that Britax pays for really good QC in their Chinese plants but still the net cost must be lower for them to have switched. Why is the cost savings not reflected in the final price to the consumer? Because the American manufacturer wants a bigger profit margin. If they still used American labor, they would have a smaller profit, and their stock would look worse than that of their American competitor. It is American greed that brings poorly QC'ed goods into the American stream of commerce.

 

I have really had it with general potshots to China. And the next time anyone complains about Made In China "garbage", consider the following 1) why are you buying garbage and 2) how do you think this makes anyone who was actually born in China, or has been adopted from China, or is considering adopting from China, feel? (is it better that they understand that you didn't mean them? -- that somehow by virtue of being in the US, they are not what you meant by Chinese garbage?) Having been to China, I can tell you that official and properly branded goods like Legos, Wimpy Kid books, Tonka trucks, etc are *very* expensive there -- way, way more expensive than you would pay in the USA. (A little box of Legos that would cost you $11 tops in the US would set you back around $27 in Beijing.) So it is not like the Chinese have penchant for ripping off Americans and lounging about like dragons in a lair of gold hoard. It is the manufacturer. They give everyone the shaft.

__________________

 

Quoted, just because it needs to be said again.

 

I couldn't care less where American Girls are made, since the idea of paying $200+ for a doll makes me gag anyway. (Actually, the whole idea of building stores and boutiques centered around overpriced dolls makes me gag.)

 

But, it is a form of poetic justice, I guess, that something presented as an ode to American spirit and history gets produced in a Communist country by low-paid workers, enabling an international corporation to make a great deal more profit.

[Zuzu822]

You know you're going to have to spill it! :bigear:

 

I don't find it surprising. Sad, yes, surprising, no.

 

I’m obviously not the pp, but I found this on the Aurora story—here or here.

 

I did not have an opinion of Ms Rowland either way before looking this up, but I discovered the "Criticism" section has been removed from the page about her on Wikipedia, and from the cache on google. :001_huh:(Google has a link and an image from the last time Google visited the page, but it is way too small for me to read what it says.) Info is still here.

 

Sorry, I had to take the boys to swimming! The articles Rai posted do a fairly balanced job. The villagers are a little more biased, of course. There are several websites by locals that are a little more...heated.

 

In addition to the issue of "sprucing" up the village, there is some controversy over the sale then re-sale of Mackenzie-Childs I think. That I don't know as much about...

 

My sister went to Wells at the height of the P.R. firestorm. Incidentally, it was also the time when Wells became a co-ed college. Plenty of controversy over that decision too! :tongue_smilie: President Lisa Ryerson and Rowland are/were thick as thieves, I believe. Conspiracy?? :lol:

 

I noticed the deletion of the criticism of P.R. from Wikipedia too!

 

Yes, my original dolls were made in Germany.

 

It does bug me that the dolls were never made in the U.S. I believe production shifted to Eastern Europe before finally settling in China. I have originals. :D My sister and I were HUGE A.G. collectors way back when. She has NO intention of buying them for her DD though, and should I ever have a daughter they aren't high on my must-have list either.

[Catwoman]

Yes, a lot changed when Pleasant Rowland sold out to Mattel. :glare:

 

She is really not my favorite business woman/entrepreneur. Her behavior in the village of Aurora, NY is another example.

 

I was thinking the same thing. We were in that area a while back, and I innocently asked someone about her... and boy, did I get an earful! As I understand it, she is not at all the kind, sweet woman she presents herself to be. She sounds like quite the barracuda. :glare:

[jenbrdsly]

"Server not found"

 

Try searching: "A night with the girls takes on a new meaning".

 

I think all of the American Girl products should be made in America, but I thought I would start my campaign with napkin rings.

[NASDAQ]

American Girl dolls have never been made in the United States. The originals were made in West Germany, then in Hungary, and now in China.

 

I don't care. The West German and Hungarian ones are good dolls. Germans make the best dolls.

[HejKatt]

I wasn't particularly surprised that it was made in China. Nowadays, if something is mass produced (including high end items), it's usually from China. Toys made in the US now tend to be artisan (wood, handmade) although there are exceptions .

 

As to where it should be made.. yes, I would like it to be made in US, I generally like to buy items 'locally'. I don't know if I would pay the cost differential in this case - the dolls are expensive enough as they are.

 

I would rather look for a vintage doll, not necessarily AG, on eBay and encourage my dd to make outfits for her. Then, use the difference in $ to get Zome tools, Radio Shack kits or Snap Circuits. :tongue_smilie:

[EthiopianFood]

I'm more concerned about all the harmful chemicals in the plastic of the dolls than I am where they are made. One is a matter of ideology, the other is a matter of health.

[Puma Mom]

I'm pretty sure that they were originally made in Germany. They have never been made in America as far as I know. It's who the doll "is" that is American, not where she is made.

The Goetz doll factory in Baldwinsville, NY made the AG Bitty Baby doll for a while at least--we visited the factory on a homeschool field trip in 1999ish. I though they made one of the AG dolls as well.

 

I found this:

The Baldwinsville location used to aid in the assembly of what is know as Pleasant Company American Girl dolls during the 1990’s. from http://americangirl.wikia.com/wiki/G%C3%B6tz

 

So maybe they only assembled them. I know my boys were fascinated by the sight of workers popping the eyes into the dolls' heads.

[Jennifer3141]

Totally :iagree:

 

American manufacturers want to have things made in China because China offers inexpensive labor AND political stability. American manufacturers feel that there is little chance that there will be some kind of coup that will overthrow the gov't and confiscate their factory. There are other countries where labor is inexpensive but politically instable or not-as-stable. This is why you do not see a lot of Made In Congo or Made in Central African Republic goods. Btw, since the 1980s is has more been western countries trying to get their foot into China and not the other way around. Prior to then China was largely closed to the world. (btw, the assumption of political stability in China is one that, if faulty, will dramatically affect more than the price of household goods)

 

Any manufacturer or customer gets what he pays for. If you want high quality control, you pay for it. If you think people are subbing in lead paint because it is $0.10 cheaper per 4,132,364,870 parts, you pay for better security and rewards for whistleblowers. The manufacturer can call the shots. If you think you are getting some kind of shoddy goods from Mattel, why is China (an entire nation!) more to blame than Mattel (the ultimate profiteer)?

 

Let's take a close look at a high-end, high-performance product ... Britax car seats. Up until maybe 5 years ago, every Britax came out of Charlotte, NC. Now at least I know our Parkways and Frontiers are made in China. You know it's costing Britax less money per unit to make each car seat -- and yet the cost of Britax car seats have never decreased and are consistently in the $250-$300 range. It could be (and should be, and probably is) that Britax pays for really good QC in their Chinese plants but still the net cost must be lower for them to have switched. Why is the cost savings not reflected in the final price to the consumer? Because the American manufacturer wants a bigger profit margin. If they still used American labor, they would have a smaller profit, and their stock would look worse than that of their American competitor. It is American greed that brings poorly QC'ed goods into the American stream of commerce.

 

I have really had it with general potshots to China. And the next time anyone complains about Made In China "garbage", consider the following 1) why are you buying garbage and 2) how do you think this makes anyone who was actually born in China, or has been adopted from China, or is considering adopting from China, feel? (is it better that they understand that you didn't mean them? -- that somehow by virtue of being in the US, they are not what you meant by Chinese garbage?) Having been to China, I can tell you that official and properly branded goods like Legos, Wimpy Kid books, Tonka trucks, etc are *very* expensive there -- way, way more expensive than you would pay in the USA. (A little box of Legos that would cost you $11 tops in the US would set you back around $27 in Beijing.) So it is not like the Chinese have penchant for ripping off Americans and lounging about like dragons in a lair of gold hoard. It is the manufacturer. They give everyone the shaft.

__________________

 

 

:iagree::iagree:FABULOUS post!!

 

You can make many of the same arguments against Walmart. It's the corporatization of America that has destroyed American manufacturing. We've gotten incredibly greedy. And then we turn around and blame it on China for basically just being there and being a stable, totalitarian regime.

 

We Americans made this mess. Our labor allowed it to happen but as consumers, we should have SCREAMED bloody murder when all tags started saying, "made in China."

[momma2three]

:iagree::iagree:FABULOUS post!!

 

You can make many of the same arguments against Walmart. It's the corporatization of America that has destroyed American manufacturing. We've gotten incredibly greedy. And then we turn around and blame it on China for basically just being there and being a stable, totalitarian regime.

 

We Americans made this mess. Our labor allowed it to happen but as consumers, we should have SCREAMED bloody murder when all tags started saying, "made in China."

 

What really bothers me is that Wal-Mart made their name selling "Made in America" things. Remember those commercials from the 80s? A woman in a blue Ivana Trump dress showing off the tags on the clothes at Wal-Mart, saying how important it was to buy American.

 

Now I'd be surprised if there's more than 25 things in any Wal Mart that are made in America.

[mirth]

What really bothers me is that Wal-Mart made their name selling "Made in America" things. Remember those commercials from the 80s?

 

Something else happened in the 80's. Deng Xiaoping. (a highly respected old-school regime survivor who said, "Umm guys, I think it's time we became a more open country ...")

[GailV]

:iagree::iagree:FABULOUS post!!

 

You can make many of the same arguments against Walmart. It's the corporatization of America that has destroyed American manufacturing. We've gotten incredibly greedy. And then we turn around and blame it on China for basically just being there and being a stable, totalitarian regime.

 

We Americans made this mess. Our labor allowed it to happen but as consumers, we should have SCREAMED bloody murder when all tags started saying, "made in China."

 

How did our labor allow it to happen? I'm curious as to what you mean by that. Not to be a nitwit, but I'm not sure. It probably doesn't help that I can't remember who says what on various threads, so maybe you have a long history of speaking up on XYZ issue, and I'm just totally clueless.

 

When I think of why manufacture has moved to China, some issues that pop into my head are export subsidies, and environmental regulations. The pay rate of the workers is just a piece of the puzzle, not the entire picture (also, in regards to pay rate, whether or not the corporation or the government paying for healthcare and retirement).

Edited September 27, 2012 by GailV
clearer wording in the last sentence

[mirth]

How did our labor allow it to happen? I'm curious as to what you mean by that.

 

I am pretty sure part of the early and the existing enticement was the idea getting to sell stuff to a billion people who previously had no access to Ford Motor cars, Levi's (and other vaunted items of lore). If you could even get each of them to give you a penny ....

[jenbrdsly]

Totally :iagree:

 

American manufacturers want to have things made in China because China offers inexpensive labor AND political stability. American manufacturers feel that there is little chance that there will be some kind of coup that will overthrow the gov't and confiscate their factory. There are other countries where labor is inexpensive but politically instable or not-as-stable. This is why you do not see a lot of Made In Congo or Made in Central African Republic goods. Btw, since the 1980s is has more been western countries trying to get their foot into China and not the other way around. Prior to then China was largely closed to the world. (btw, the assumption of political stability in China is one that, if faulty, will dramatically affect more than the price of household goods)

 

Any manufacturer or customer gets what he pays for. If you want high quality control, you pay for it. If you think people are subbing in lead paint because it is $0.10 cheaper per 4,132,364,870 parts, you pay for better security and rewards for whistleblowers. The manufacturer can call the shots. If you think you are getting some kind of shoddy goods from Mattel, why is China (an entire nation!) more to blame than Mattel (the ultimate profiteer)?

 

Let's take a close look at a high-end, high-performance product ... Britax car seats. Up until maybe 5 years ago, every Britax came out of Charlotte, NC. Now at least I know our Parkways and Frontiers are made in China. You know it's costing Britax less money per unit to make each car seat -- and yet the cost of Britax car seats have never decreased and are consistently in the $250-$300 range. It could be (and should be, and probably is) that Britax pays for really good QC in their Chinese plants but still the net cost must be lower for them to have switched. Why is the cost savings not reflected in the final price to the consumer? Because the American manufacturer wants a bigger profit margin. If they still used American labor, they would have a smaller profit, and their stock would look worse than that of their American competitor. It is American greed that brings poorly QC'ed goods into the American stream of commerce.

 

I have really had it with general potshots to China. And the next time anyone complains about Made In China "garbage", consider the following 1) why are you buying garbage and 2) how do you think this makes anyone who was actually born in China, or has been adopted from China, or is considering adopting from China, feel? (is it better that they understand that you didn't mean them? -- that somehow by virtue of being in the US, they are not what you meant by Chinese garbage?) Having been to China, I can tell you that official and properly branded goods like Legos, Wimpy Kid books, Tonka trucks, etc are *very* expensive there -- way, way more expensive than you would pay in the USA. (A little box of Legos that would cost you $11 tops in the US would set you back around $27 in Beijing.) So it is not like the Chinese have penchant for ripping off Americans and lounging about like dragons in a lair of gold hoard. It is the manufacturer. They give everyone the shaft.

__________________

 

My primary issue is with the paper napkin rings at the American Girl restaurant. This is an environmental issue as far as I'm concerned. How is it cheaper to print paper napkin rings in China and then ship them over to America? Think about the cost-of-fuel waste! Why not print those same napkin rings in Seattle, and not have to ship them half-way across the world?

[GailV]

My primary issue is with the paper napkin rings at the American Girl restaurant. This is an environmental issue as far as I'm concerned. How is it cheaper to print paper napkin rings in China and then ship them over to America? Think about the cost-of-fuel waste! Why not print those same napkin rings in Seattle, and not have to ship them half-way across the world?

 

I think the environmental issue isn't so much the shipping -- really, that's a drop in the bucket -- paper packs tightly into containers. The environmental issues are questions like where they got their raw materials. If it's from wood, where did they get the wood? What were the environmental practices of those places? Does the source encourage the destruction of old growth forests and also destruction of various 3rd world economies? Also, what are the environmental impacts of the manufacturing process itself -- what happens to waste products in the plant in China?

[NASDAQ]

My primary issue is with the paper napkin rings at the American Girl restaurant. This is an environmental issue as far as I'm concerned. How is it cheaper to print paper napkin rings in China and then ship them over to America? Think about the cost-of-fuel waste! Why not print those same napkin rings in Seattle, and not have to ship them half-way across the world?

 

Because bulk shipping of paper has a very low environmental impact?

[hsmom2011]

Yes, they should be made in America as should many, many other products we use each day. I would rather pay a higher price if it meant lower unemployment rates for Americans.

 

My dd received her 1st American Girl doll 4 years ago, and right away I notice dthe "Made in China" imprint. I just kind of rolled my eyes, it really didn't surprise me.