Secondhand, Not Second-Class: Rethinking “Made in China” Labels

For decades, the words “Made in China” have carried loaded assumptions—cheap, mass-produced, disposable. But these labels, stitched into nearly every closet in America, tell a story far more complex than we’ve been led to believe.

At Academy St. Thrift, we’re on a mission to pull back the curtain on fashion’s global supply chain. And that starts with changing the way we see the tags in our clothing—not as warnings, but as windows into the lives of real people who cut, sewed, dyed, pressed, and packed the garments we wear every day.

The Truth Behind the Tag

Every tag has a heartbeat. This label doesn’t just say where it was made—it reminds us who made it. Respect the work. Honor the hands.

China is the world’s largest manufacturer of textiles and apparel. That didn’t happen by accident—it happened because of skilled labor, massive infrastructure, and global demand. Contrary to the stereotype, many factories in China produce high-quality goods for brands like Nike, Coach, Michael Kors, and even parts of Armani and Burberry.

And yet, when people see “Made in China” at a thrift store, they sometimes turn away. They assume it’s not worth much. That it’s “less than.” That it's second-class. We’re here to tell you: that couldn’t be further from the truth.

Global Labor, Local Impact

Every single piece of clothing, whether from China, Bangladesh, Turkey, or Vietnam, was touched by human hands. Those hands deserve respect. Many of the garments in our thrift store were made by skilled workers—tailors, pattern cutters, embroiderers—who often perform intricate labor for long hours with little to no recognition. This is invisible labor: essential, yet routinely undervalued.

But invisible labor doesn’t only happen abroad. We see it right here in our own neighborhoods—in the unpaid, unacknowledged work of stay-at-home moms who manage 24-hour days without breaks or benefits. The cooking, the cleaning, the caregiving, the emotional labor—it’s a full-time job that too often goes unnoticed. And to all the single moms out there holding it down—I see you. I was a single mom for nearly a decade, and I know the weight you carry, the sacrifices you make, and the strength it takes. This is your shout out. Your labor may be invisible to the world, but it’s powerful, it’s real, and it deserves recognition.

Respecting labor means recognizing all of it—global and local, paid and unpaid, seen and unseen. Dignity doesn't come from a paycheck or a passport—it comes from the work itself.

What Secondhand Really Means

At Academy St. Thrift, we proudly say:Secondhand is not second-class.

It means:

• Reducing waste in a system that dumps millions of garments into landfills each year.

• Honoring the labor embedded in every stitch by giving garments a longer life.

• Reclaiming value in pieces that fast fashion culture tells us to throw away.

• Rejecting elitism in fashion that suggests only designer labels or “Made in Italy” goods are worthy.

A “Made in China” label doesn’t make something disposable. What makes it disposable is how we’ve been trained to treat it.

When you shop secondhand, you’re not just saving money. You’re participating in a global conversation—one where workers matter, consumption slows down, and every item has a story that deserves to be told.

So the next time you spot “Made in China” in the neckline of a beautiful jacket or the waistband of a comfy pair of jeans, we hope you’ll pause and remind yourself that this isn’t just clothing. This is someone’s craft. Someone’s livelihood. Someone’s work. And that’s always worth honoring.