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"Made in the USA" Could Have New Meaning

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The "Made in the USA" label could soon apply to products made with foreign materials
RALEIGH — Whether it's a hat, a shirt or even a pair of shoes, chances are you'rewearing something that was made in the USA. While you may not havenoticed the red, white and blue label, it's something many businesses takepride in-- a kind of pride that a new proposal could change.

You don't see the labels, but they're there. From wagons to water bottles, from shelves to shorts, the "Made in the USA" logo seems to be a bigpart of marketing these days. But the Federal Trade Commission is lookingat changing the standards behind the those USA labels.

Take a bike horn for example. Right now the packaging says it's madein Mexico. And a bag says it's made in China. Under the proposed FTC changes, if the product is assembled in the US, it could still get the"Made in USA" label, even if the components that make up that product arefrom a foreign country.

A product may be made with foreign parts but still allowed to say "Made inAmerica". Some local manufacturers say those proposed changes are way offthe mark.

Barry Carter has been making curtains in Raleigh for 61 years. Everythingis his store is American made. Carter says the "Made in the USA" labelhas a deeper meaning. He could purchase fabric cheaper from foreignsources, but he doesn't.

Carter believes saving 15 cents a yard doesn't mean that much. Gettingsomeone to stand behind you when you need it is something that counts. Hesays it's all about good American caring-- caring Carter hopes the FTCtakes before dropping the curtain on the USA label decision.

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