My hats off to the global economy

I just looked at the label in my hat. It was made in China. My jacket says it was made in Costa Rica.

Regardless of where they were made they had to reach the US. They were transported in containers owned by different companies and investors, some Americans, some not.

When the goods arrived in the US, the containers were unloaded by Americans. They were then driven by American truckers or by rail on American trains to wholesalers. Then Americans took them to retailers for Americans to purchase if they fancied them, liked the quality and price. That’s how I purchased my hat at a small shop in Chatham, Massachusetts.

The Company making these goods made money as did its workers, but so did many Americans who earned a salary or made a profit from the time the hat left the factory to the time I purchased it.

I suspect this process applies to most imported goods. Take vehicles as another example, but in that case the value to Americans continues through years of money spent on maintenance and repairs and imported parts.