As Father’s Day approaches on June 19 and we look forward to giving our dads gifts, we are reminded just how an interconnected world helps us celebrate our fathers. Once upon a time, transportation costs made it too expensive for retailers to source from all over the world. Manufacturers that had a local presence could offer a cost advantage. Today, our global supply chains work efficiently to provide us the goods we want even if they are coming from halfway across the world.
Americans spent $12.7 billion on Father’s Day gifts last year, according to the National Retail Federation. Many of these gifts are imported from other countries. China, especially, is the patron goddess of Father’s Day gifts as it is the patron goddess of most American consumerism. (If you don’t believe me, read the book A Year Without Made in China. Even the flags we wave for the 4th of July are made in China.) For four major types of gifts that we give dad --- apparel, greeting cards, gadgets, and household appliances --- China is #1 country we import from. See more of where we source our goods for Father’s Day gift giving in this infographic, Global Trade Presents Father’s Day.
*Mobile phones are used as a proxy for gadgets
Here are some other fun facts we learned about Father’s Day imports:
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The U.S. is the largest importer of apparel in the world.
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China accounts for 37 cent of every dollar of imported textiles and apparel.
- There is no import duty on mobile phones from America’s normal trade partners.
We hope you like the infographic and feel free to share!