American-Made Beach Towels

I love that feeling of stepping out of the chilly ocean water to wrap myself up in a warm, plush towel. Available in everything from cotton to bamboo to linen, in neutral colors to vibrant prints, and in a bevy of sizes to suit your needs. Beach towels are a summer necessity for anyone spending time at the pool, relaxing at the lake, or hanging out at the ocean.

Here are nine American-made beach towels and one made in Canada:

American-Made Weekend Links

Well, hello there stranger. It's been a while since my last post. No, I did not drop off the face of the planet. I just got busy and lost a bit of my blogging itch. If you've been following me on Twitter, though, you'll know that I am still keeping up with my Made-in-USA reading materials. Seems like for a while it was a bit quiet with the American-made news, and then all of sudden... BAM!

Here's what's going on: Junior's NY cheesecake will no longer be made in NYC, photos from the Upstate NY Stickley furniture factory, why Under Armour (UA) should make its athletic apparel in the USA, people are suing over jeans they claim are incorrectly labeled as "Made in USA," the 'Made in New York' program will invest millions to keep fashion manufacturing in NYC, AAM's Scott Paul weighs in on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and currency manipulation, G.E. is ditching finance to get back to profitable manufacturing in the U.S., John Oliver nails it with his segment on the hypocrisy of fast fashion giants like GAP and H&M who manufacture overseas, and more.

Here are 10 articles and videos you need to see if you haven't already:

Top Posts for 2014

Thanks for another great year for The American-Made Guide to Life. This marks my 301st post.

I made a somewhat unconscious decision to post less this year, yet my posts are still true to my goal of writing about the quality things I find and love that are made in America. Although, I know some would like me to post more, I've been having a busy (and successful) year with my paid work and that has been rewarding as well. I think finding that right balance of writing and just doing are always difficult for me. I would love to be able to write more about everything I have and find, but there's just not enough time to be able to do it the way that I would want.

Regardless, thanks for all the kind feedback and steadfast support. I have enjoyed all the personal (virtual and real) connections that this blog has helped me make, the journalistic outlet that blogging has given me, and the reaffirmation that supporting my local craftspeople and makers is making a difference in my community. I hope that the new year brings even more development into American manufacturing, that the support expands, and people continue to see the positive impact of having local production of goods and services. I wish for a 2015 with prosperity, peace, and good health.

On that note, the top five posts for 2014 are:

American-Made Things Loved This Month

A pair of jeans, a pop-up market, a Cabernet, wool socks, legwarmers over leggings, a tote bag, two shirts, oranges, and a leather protector spray. Here are more than a few American-made things that I'm loving this month:

Made in the USA Gift Guides 2014

This year, I embarked on the great task of creating some gift guides that really indicated things that I would like to give or receive.  I made them as gender-neutral as possible. In each, as well, I tried to feature at least one locally-made, made-in-NYC, or made-in-New-York-State product. I hope you enjoyed these lists of gift ideas that I created.

Just in case you need a little extra help getting that last-minute holiday shopping done, I've got a gigantic roundup of some other American-Made gift guides. In my list of other gift guides, I've tried to focus on locally-made as well. Happy Holidays!

American-Made Friday Links

Here's what's happening recently in news about the Made in America Movement: the entertainment industry is alive and well in NYC, wage theft in U.S. garment manufacturing, the Hollywood starlet launching her own made-in-NYC clothing line, Chinese companies getting in on American-made, the 9/11 Museum selling patriotic goods made in Asia, falling wages for American factory workers, made in Brooklyn market, the Promoting New Manufacturing Act (H.R. 4795), buying made-in-USA for the holidays, the newsman behind a Made-in-Maine brand, the damage of outsourcing to China, 3M's investment in American manufacturing, the Pope's advice to holiday shoppers, and more.

Here are 20 articles and videos you need to see if you haven't already:

American-Made Gifts for Whiskey Lovers

Here are five 13 American-made gifts for the whiskey lovers in your life:

American-Made Gifts for Your Nerdy Friends

Here are five American-made gifts to give to the nerdy friends in your life:

American-Made Wednesday Links

This month in news from the Made in America Movement: NPR's great series, China's rising wages, why American manufacturing jobs will require more smarts, J.Crew gets in on Made-in-NYC suiting, Martha Stewart's fave fall items made in Brooklyn, a great photo tour of Faribault Woolen Mill, Zady's American-made private label, LA's garment workers, the history of the American t-shirt, how US-made watches are now ubiquitous, and more.

Here are a dozen articles and videos you need to see if you haven't already:

American-Made Things Loved This Week

What do a mug, a light bulb, a screen cleaner, a wine aerator, and a popular TV show have in common? Well, they were my favorite American-made things this week.

American-Made Tuesday Links

Jeans for men, jeans for women farmers, Woolrich's new store (yipee!), Target's new American-made collaboration, NYC's hidden factories, made in Detroit, more things grown in New York, keeping the Fiesta line alive, light bulbs made in the USA, the US-made sweatshirt with a cult following, fashion for the guys that's inspired by motorcycle culture, custom New Balance, and the 2014 winners of the Martha Stewart American Made contest.

Here are 14 articles, audio, and videos you need to see if you haven't already:

Emerson Fry, Fall 2014

Dear Emerson Fry,

You nail it every season with design and styling. I love the knits, the coats, the textiles, and the sleek silhouettes of this fall collection. You deliver on neutral-palette staples, make pieces that layer effortlessly, brought back some old favorites, and then surprise me with a few new colors and prints for good measure. Thank you for your commitment to production in NYC. Please send me one of everything.

XOXO, Amy

Here are some of my faves from the Fall 2014 looks and pieces:

American-Made Weekend Links

The latest news regarding the Made in America Movement: small-batch whiskey, counterfeit products, luxury linens, outdoor gear, women's handbags from Shinola, power suits, Brooklyn-made, Made in USA e-commerce, national parks, why more clothing might be American-made, and why 'made in China' could be in decline.

Here are 15 articles and videos you need to see if you haven't already:

American-Made Friday Links

Some recent news in the world of American-made: kitchen items, bike helmets, stuff for kids and babies, Brooklyn, Chicago, the American salmon fallacy, a tour of a NYC Garment District sewing studio, an LA shop with made-in-America items for guys, why iPhone will not be part of American manufacturing, fake 'Made in USA' labels (yep, apparently it's a thing), the FTC getting strict on those labels, the most 'American' companies, and more.

Here are 16 articles and videos you need to see if you haven't already:

Bandana Fana Fo Fandana

I recently made good use of my decades-old bandana while walking the rim trail at the Grand Canyon. This little piece of fabric can be used as a furoshiki (to transport items), headband, pocket square, and even a handkerchief. With additional uses from everything from a head or neck covering (as I have used it), to a face mask (while riding your motorcycle), a napkin, adornment for luggage or a purse, a pet neckerchief, a makeshift potholder or tourniquet (while hiking or camping), to a baby bib. They can range from classic paisley to fancy designs, from cheap to more pricey, and are great for both men and women. I found over 20 great options but have whittled it down to my favorite 13 choices for American-made bandanas.

American-Made Tuesday Links

Some news from the Made in America Movement over the past few weeks: Motorola's decision to stop assembling the Moto X in the US, $500K fines for violating the Buy American Act, Walmart's struggles to meet its promise for US-made items, robotics' role in American manufacturing, American Apparel boots its founder for misconduct, Obama thinks 'Made in America' is the new DIY and the brand is stronger than ever, American-made cast iron cookware's popularity, the New Jersey bill to mandate the purchase of American-made products, Mercedes' made-in-USA milestone, American rum (America's first spirit of choice) from craft distilleries, how American manufacturing is struggling to get a foothold... except in Brooklyn, and others believe it's going to make a comeback.

"... the US is the best place to locate, the best place to invest, and the best place to hire." -- President Obama

Here are 20 21 articles and videos you need to see if you haven't already:

Lighten Up

The weather this spring has been a bit bipolar. It's hot and summer-like one minute, and then cold and rainy the next. Time to lighten up what you've got on your bed. This linen quilt is the right weight for such weather.

The Busy Bee

Spring is here! The honey bees are getting busy. I've been a busy bee myself, hence why I haven't had the chance to post as often as I'd like. Quite fittingly, I've been obsessed with products made from honey. I've been getting raw, local honey from my farmers' market but I also keep seeing lots of things made from honey or bee-related. Here are ten eleven American-made things related to bees that I love:

American-Made Monday Links

Some news from across the globe about things made in the USA over the past few weeks: an ecofriendly company that pays $17/hr minimum wage, a football player whose accessories line is American-made, a beautiful series of photos of textile factories, one online retailer's public commitment to slow fashion, Governor Cuomo hosts summit on New-York-made beverages, Tesla cars, matzo (just in time for Passover), helicopters, breast implants, and more. Not necessarily in that order.

Here are a dozen articles and videos you need to see if you haven't already:

Gun Hill Brewing Co.

Some photos of my visit to the opening event at Gun Hill Brewing Co. tasting room in the Bronx. I spent the afternoon tasting their beers, eating food, and hanging out with friends. I tried their Gun Hill Gold (easy, golden ale) and Thunder Dog Stout (dark chocolate-like stout). Both very good.