Until I joined this forum, I had never heard of Swanndri. I assume that it isn't available in the States. However, some well known American manufacturers have done the same thing.
Two of the best known American names in woolen are Pendleton and Woolrich. Woolrich is in Pennsylvania and Pendleton is in the northwest. Both have been selling woolen clothing for outdoorsmen (and women) for ages but now both have most of the products manufactured offshore. But as you know, everything changes all the time and things aren't that simple, if you want to complain.
First of all, things are not just made in China but in lots of places. Everywhere but in the United States (and New Zealand), evidently. Generally speaking, prices are lower but the quality is another matter. But if the quality is less, don't blame China. Blame the company! Then buy somewhere else. The problem is that, even if things are made where the labor cost is lower (a lot lower, as I understand), the product is often modified in other ways to keep cost down. It is true that many quality outdoor products, woolens, in this case, are still made in the United States but prices are high. Two brands that I know of are Beagle and Filson. I have several Filson products and they are just wonderful but they were expensive. There are other lesser known brands like Bimidji (from Minnesota) that are of equal quality at much lower prices, too. Funny how no one talks about them.
However, there is another side to the story. In fact, more than one side. For one thing, people just don't buy woolens like they used to. Fashions change, after all. I couldn't say, however, if outdoor clothing was a sideline to other products for these companies, at least for Pendleton, or if it was the other way round.
Real complications set in when you realize that woolens now offer more features than they used to. Many woolen shirts and a few other products are washable, which is surely an advantage. And, yes, I'm stocking up for the day they aren't made anymore, just the same. For instance, Pendleton informed me directly a while back that they were no longer producing garments sized "tall," which pretty much loses me as a customer. There are still some in the pipeline, more than enough to soak up all my extra money.
So that's the story at this end.
