Digital music listening platform, Spotify, allows users access to millions of songs and albums as well as customized channels to suit individual tastes. All within the comfort of their own smartphone. Such simple creation that anyone could have thought of, except no one did.
In 2013, Tech Crunch noted that the music platform announced a share swap with China-based company Tencent Music Entertainment. True, the product is not tangible, but in plain language, this means that Spotify is now partially owned by China. So, as it turns out, the only thing Americans left from Spotify are the artists listed on it.
Made Overseas: Calvin Klein
Known for its clean silhouettes and casual glamour (not to mention its high-profile spokespeople), Calvin Klein was born in New York City in 1968. Although Calvin Klein ads have been plastered across the United States with the faces of celebrities like Justin Bieber and Kendall Jenner, the fashion label receives most of its materials from China.
Certain specialty materials, such as their leather, come from Italy, but most of their other materials are outsourced from China, as their clothing tags clearly state. So, the brand is America, however, it is produced anywhere, and thankfully the presenters are all stripes and stars.
Made Overseas: Oakley Sunglasses
Oakley sunglasses contain a “Made in the USA” label, but the brand has created some controversy about where their goods are actually manufactured. Initially, it was thought that the label indicated that they were made in the United States, however, there are other speculations.
Headquartered in Foothill Ranch, California, Oakley was bought by Luxottica in 2007, which moved some of its production to a Chinese factory. It was finally revealed that 70 percent of Oakley’s parts are made in the USA, which is a respectable percentage, but that still leaves a weighty 30 percent that is outsourced from other countries.
Made Overseas: Hush Puppies Shoes
Hush Puppies shoes have been an American staple since 1957 due to their comfort and classic style. The Hush Puppies brand is owned by Wolverine Worldwide and has headquarters in Rockford, Michigan. The brand became famous for selling comfort. They never said they had better-looking shoes or attractive prices, they emphasized the comfort of their goods, which was incomparable.
Unfortunately, the beloved leather shoes are not manufactured in Michigan but are instead produced in a Chinese factory. Still, Hush Puppies shoes remain beloved by many Americans to this day. The brand operates in over 130 countries and shows no signs of stopping.
Made Overseas: Huffy Bikes
Huffy Bikes have been headquartered in Ohio since 1887. Huffy was revolutionary in their development of a convertible bike in 1949 with the first-ever training wheels for children. To this day, the brand is considered one of the best products designated for children, however, they have a long way to go when it comes to competing against the big boy bikes.
Many bike models and years later, Huffy sadly closed two of its U.S.-based factories, moving their production to China in 1999. Huffy also has factories in Mexico and Taiwan, with 70% of its materials coming from these off-shore locations.