Hollis Made in China?

[ShutterFinger]

I recently purchased a new BP/W setup from my LDS and decided to go with Hollis for two reasons.

First being that's what my LDS sells and I wanted to support them since they fill my tanks and I need to look him in the eye from time to time.

Second reason was because Hollis website states "Designed and built with pride in the USA" and I like to support local jobs here when I can even if it cost more. However on closer inspection of my S38 LX wing it states "Made by Hollis in China"! I feel a little duped by that. Is anyone making this kind of stuff in the USA?

 

[Bennno]

DiveRite and Halcyon make their BCs in the States. There are a few smaller brands too but they're not as common or only do direct marketing.

 

[StefinSB]

DSS manufactures their goods in Los Angeles/CA.

 

[Rhone Man]

BPWs are a bit simpler than some other things, but nowadays "manufacture" is a process which normally takes place over a number of different transshipments - assemble a lit bit here, ship it on to the next place which assembles with another component built somewhere else and ship it on to the next place afterwards. I am guessing they claim the "made in the USA" badge on the basis that final assembly takes place in the USA even if some (or all) components are assembled or manufactured overseas.

Very few things are sourced and manufactured from raw materials in a single place these days (I think I read somewhere that even though iPhones are considered to be "made in China" actually only 4% of the assembly takes place there, and none of the design or coding work). I don't think there are any hard or fast guidelines as to how much of the process needs to take place inside the USA for a manufacturer to claim it was made in America.

 

[StefinSB]

 

[runsongas]

oxycheq wings are made in florida too iirc.
zeagle used to make all their bc's in florida but apparently some have started being offshored too.

 

[ShutterFinger]

BPWs are a bit simpler than some other things, but nowadays "manufacture" is a process which normally takes place over a number of different transshipments - assemble a lit bit here, ship it on to the next place which assembles with another component built somewhere else and ship it on to the next place afterwards. I am guessing they claim the "made in the USA" badge on the basis that final assembly takes place in the USA even if some (or all) components are assembled or manufactured overseas.

Very few things are sourced and manufactured from raw materials in a single place these days (I think I read somewhere that even though iPhones are considered to be "made in China" actually only 4% of the assembly takes place there, and none of the design or coding work). I don't think there are any hard or fast guidelines as to how much of the process needs to take place inside the USA for a manufacturer to claim it was made in America.

Actually there very specific rules as to when you can state "Made in USA". they can be found at ftc.gov. I won't quote any of them here since I'm not a lawyer and can't state that any of them pertain to Hollis. I just didn't expect something made in China when they state built in USA. I feel should be more clear.

 

[Shotmaster]

here is the link.

Complying with the Made in USA Standard | Federal Trade Commission

 

[tbone1004]

I don't think Hollis claims "made in usa" on their wings, they're very open about them being made at their facility in Wuxi China. Some of their products are actually made in the US at their facility, drysuits I think are one of them, and all of the hard parts of their regs are made in USA. I think the injection moulded parts are imported.

 

[ShutterFinger]

I don't think Hollis claims "made in usa" on their wings, they're very open about them being made at their facility in Wuxi China. Some of their products are actually made in the US at their facility, drysuits I think are one of them, and all of the hard parts of their regs are made in USA. I think the injection moulded parts are imported.

I never said they claim Made in USA on their wings. What they do say in the "About Us" on their website is "Proudly designed and built in the USA". No where on the site did I see a statement that their wings were made in China. Please correct me if I over looked it.
So yes the wing does state "Made by Hollis in China" as per required by law but by putting a blanket statement on their website stating "Proudly designed and built in the USA" is misleading at the least. Perhaps they could put a footnote on the wing page stating they are made in China?

I'm sure Hollis makes top quality gear but as a consumer I would like to know before I buy if the products are made here or abroad. My choice to support American factory workers or not.