# Union Made in the USA



## mpossoff (Nov 21, 2006)

Hi all,

I just recently started my own apparel business and my business is Union Made in the USA screen printed and embroidered apparel.

I feel there is a market for union made in the usa apparel and also my conscience won't let me market otherwise!

Any suggestions on how to best market this somewhat micro-niche?

Marc


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## WWinstin (Apr 14, 2007)

Try selling to Union fire departments. Hats-shirts that are union made with all products made in the US is what they like. Electical--plumbing and any union would buy from you instead from a non union company. Also make sure you tell them it is union made with all US materials. It is in the bylaws to buy union made over non union made when possible.


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## mpossoff (Nov 21, 2006)

WWinstin said:


> Try selling to Union fire departments. Hats-shirts that are union made with all products made in the US is what they like. Electical--plumbing and any union would buy from you instead from a non union company. Also make sure you tell them it is union made with all US materials. It is in the bylaws to buy union made over non union made when possible.


Thanks! Are there any copyright issues with logo's?

Also are there heat transfer suppliers that provide union made heat transfers? Currently I have one union screen printer/embroiderer that I use for contract work but also thinking about doing some work 'in-house'.

Marc


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## WWinstin (Apr 14, 2007)

If you use the IAFF or other official union logo you need their permission to use it. If that union gives you the ok then you can do it.


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## focusink (Mar 23, 2008)

Try Democrats and progressive political groups! They are our main customers. We are also a union shop and can print our bug. This is in great demand.


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## Breezy (Jun 16, 2008)

Are you a union worker? If your not then your product will not be "union made" it will be "scab made". In order for something to be considered "union made" all aspects of the business needs to be part of a union. 
I'm a Union Electrician IBEW 134 and if i'm working for my company everything i do is under the union, making it a union project! If i do a side job outside of the union then the project would be a nonunion job even though I'm a union electrician. You need to join a union! Then you can legally market your goods as "Union Made".


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## focusink (Mar 23, 2008)

I have a union print shop, and all employees are union. My customers want union made tees (eg Bayside, Unoinwear) as well as union printed tees (us).


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## selzler (Apr 4, 2007)

Which union is the best to contact to become a union shop. And also will they let a owner with no employee's become a union shop.


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## focusink (Mar 23, 2008)

We had a very hard time becoming a unon shop - no one wanted us because we were too small (only 2 at that time). The Gephardt campaign really wanted us to print for them, and they got us hooked up with the IUPAT. (Painters and Allied Trades). I know of one person who is self employed who is a member, and a former employee of mine kept her membership . She is working for an elected official and has a percent of her salary going to dues.


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## Reign (Jun 16, 2008)

Breezy said:


> Are you a union worker? If your not then your product will not be "union made" it will be "scab made". In order for something to be considered "union made" all aspects of the business needs to be part of a union.
> I'm a Union Electrician IBEW 134 and if i'm working for my company everything i do is under the union, making it a union project! If i do a side job outside of the union then the project would be a nonunion job even though I'm a union electrician. You need to join a union! Then you can legally market your goods as "Union Made".


Im also a union worker IOEU 542 and I know that if you want to do business with any union they will want proof that you are union yourself. I personally buy nothing that is imported if I can buy american made and most of my union brothers are the same way.


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## focusink (Mar 23, 2008)

I push union made products as much as possible, and when not available, American made. Most people are oblivious to where there product comes from. Union members a bit more awake in this arena.


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## mpossoff (Nov 21, 2006)

I'm a union worker, a Teamster. I just started my own decorated apparel business because I feel there is a demand.

Also I noticed about union made shirts, Baysides union made t's... They seem to be 'cut' too small. Customer wanted large and they seemed not cut like imports. I'm a large myself and felt I could have worn an XL. So I ordered an XL to see and it fits better although I'm a large.

Anybody else run into this with union made or american made t shirts?

Marc


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## Reign (Jun 16, 2008)

mpossoff said:


> Anybody else run into this with union made or american made t shirts?
> 
> Marc


 
uhhh ...no! But maybe because I have always worn american made ...that may also be why I think most of the guys I work with are a bunch of fat a$$es!! lmao!! I swear most of em are 2 or 3 X's!! So I guess in reality they are 1 and 2X's which would be more the norm. ...sheesh that takes all the fun out of teasing them!  ...then again ...I don't have to share this info with them either!!! hehe


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## mpossoff (Nov 21, 2006)

Hey I see you are in a local in Philly? I'm in Teamsters Local 115! The hall is located on Cottman Ave in the Northeast.

Nice to meet you.

Do you know Jimmy Gallagher of Teamsters local 463, they are in the same building as 542?

Marc


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## Reign (Jun 16, 2008)

mpossoff said:


> Thanks! Are there any copyright issues with logo's?
> 
> Also are there heat transfer suppliers that provide union made heat transfers? Currently I have one union screen printer/embroiderer that I use for contract work but also thinking about doing some work 'in-house'.
> 
> Marc


There are definately copyrights for union logo's but you just need permission from the union hall to use them and if they want to do business with you they'll give you what you need. I'd suggest hanging out in the bars they hang out in ...im being serious here. Im not sure where you live but where I live we have a bar for nearly every union. They also have union clubs and the business agents are usually a part of the goings on. If you're union they want to know you, you should already know that!  I would even go out on a limb and just make some really nice designed shirts (a few) and roll into the union hall with them and give them to the business manager with your company info that stresses you are union! There are also a TON of union websites ...check em out ...email them too. Good Luck!


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## Reign (Jun 16, 2008)

mpossoff said:


> Hey I see you are in a local in Philly? I'm in Teamsters Local 115! The hall is located on Cottman Ave in the Northeast.
> 
> Nice to meet you.
> 
> ...


oh... you and I need to talk! I live right off of Cottman Ave! Send me a PM and I'll shoot you my phone number and we can do some collaborating ....I have some great ideas! and there's plenty of work for both of us ...no doubt about that!!


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## focusink (Mar 23, 2008)

It's been my experience that Bayside runs larger than the imports. Please note that not all of their shirts are union made> some are "just" American made.

Also, I thought only union printshops were permitted to print union logos.

Does anyone know of union or american made jersey polos?


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## mpossoff (Nov 21, 2006)

You mean run larger as in I'm normally a large but with Bayide I am an XL?

Marc


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## focusink (Mar 23, 2008)

NO, if you normally wear a large, this shirt will be roomier than the large you are used to.


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## mpossoff (Nov 21, 2006)

Hmmm not from my experience. The large sample I gave to client seemed to shrink after a couple of washes. Then I decided to order a couple of Bayside union made t's for myself to see. One large and one XL. The large before a wash seemed OK. The XL before a wash seemed a bit too big especially the length. I washed both 2 times and the large seemed too small and the XL was perfect although a bit too long for me.

So client was correct. 

Are you referring to Bayside's union made?

Hmmm.

Marc


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## focusink (Mar 23, 2008)

We buy both. I have not had the post-wash complaints, but that doesn't mean much. A large potion of the shirts we print are for political campaigns, and are ot worn long term.


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## mpossoff (Nov 21, 2006)

What other brand do you prefer. Reason I like Bayide is because they are made by Teamsters.

Marc


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## glhmbr (Jun 17, 2008)

focusink said:


> We had a very hard time becoming a unon shop - no one wanted us because we were too small (only 2 at that time). The Gephardt campaign really wanted us to print for them, and they got us hooked up with the IUPAT. (Painters and Allied Trades). I know of one person who is self employed who is a member, and a former employee of mine kept her membership . She is working for an elected official and has a percent of her salary going to dues.


I too am a member of IUPAT which I did to be able to do work for local unions, my husband is retire Plumber and Steamfitter. However I was told that just recently in order to put the union bug on a garment I would have to be a member of the garment industries union. I did originally try to contact them to see what their requirments were for membership but could never get a response from anyone. Anybody have any thoughts on this?


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## focusink (Mar 23, 2008)

The label will say union made.
Your printed bug indicates that you did the printing, not that you made the shirt.


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## glhmbr (Jun 17, 2008)

That was my response also and since all parties involved are aware I am continuing on.


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## focusink (Mar 23, 2008)

Whenever you see a bug on printed tees (ALL the time for union and Democrat campaign tees) this is the case. period. go for it.


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## amy_schutt (May 29, 2007)

Here at Girls In The Garage, we are union. We signed a union contract, we pay union wages and have a union bug. We print a lot of american made tees to unions. We also print for the union that we belong to.

It was not an overnight deal becoming union, but we get a lot of business from it... worth looking into.


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## selzler (Apr 4, 2007)

amy_schutt said:


> Here at Girls In The Garage, we are union. We signed a union contract, we pay union wages and have a union bug. We print a lot of american made tees to unions. We also print for the union that we belong to.
> 
> It was not an overnight deal becoming union, but we get a lot of business from it... worth looking into.


Can you tell us with union your with and how we can contact them to see if those of us that want to become a union shop can qualify to be a union shop I can never seem to get any union to get back to me.


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## focusink (Mar 23, 2008)

I can give you my local rep, and he may be able to direct you to a national contact. We are affiliated with the sign painters union (Painters and Allied Trades), because we also do signs. I do not know what it takes to qualify otherwise.
If you email me at [email protected], I will give you contacts and phone numbers.


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## amy_schutt (May 29, 2007)

My local requires that you be in my area. We belong to the Communication Workers. They have printers all over the US. I know of a lot of Allied Union printers as well. You might look into the national headquarters. I know they both have web sites.


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