July buyers are manufacturers, trade associations, unions, political and civic organizations, and retailers running a domestic-sourcing message. This is the only cause on the calendar where the claim printed on the item is a factual assertion about the item itself — and the only one with a federal regulator paying attention to it.

“Made in USA” is a legal claim

The FTC holds an unqualified “Made in USA” claim to a strict standard — all or virtually all of the product made domestically, including components. A product assembled in the US from imported parts generally does not qualify without a qualifier such as “Assembled in USA.”

Practical version: if you want that claim on a product, ask us in writing and we’ll confirm what the manufacturer certifies before anything goes to print. Don’t infer it from a catalog badge. Getting this wrong on 5,000 units is not a design problem, it’s a compliance problem.

Domestic decoration is not domestic manufacture

A common confusion worth naming: an imported blank printed in a US shop is decorated domestically, not made domestically. Both are real things worth saying — just say the accurate one. “Printed in [your state]” is honest and often lands better locally than a vaguer national claim.

What’s actually available

Genuinely US-made promotional stock is a narrower field than the general catalog: some drinkware and bottles, certain apparel lines, flying discs, table covers, lip balm, key tags. Expect a smaller selection and higher unit costs, and give yourself more lead time — domestic runs are often scheduled rather than stocked.