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My Pfaff was made in China!

beo | Posted in Equipment and Supplies on

Can you imagine that after a year I saw the plate on the back of my Select 3.0 that said Made in China? Silly me. I thought all their machines were German made. Is Viking made Sweden or Romania? Anyway, I really like this machine…it performs well and makes really nic buttonholes. Which brings me to this. I’ve had my eye on a blindstitch hemmer, but the downfall for me is that it too, is made in China. Not that I have anything against the Chinese people, it’s just that I grew up in a time when anything from China, or Japan for that matter, was junk and I’m having a hard time getting by that bias. Please help me understand what to do.

Replies

  1. Palady | | #1

    Your request for help in understanding is a tough call. MO.

    Every company "going to China" is doing so for the bottom line profit. Some whatevers coming out of the country are O.K. Others less so. Think toys with lead paint. Dry wall giving off toxic vapors causing illness.

    As to sewing machines, some are less than desirable. Others work well. Though, again, MO, planned-obsolescence comes into play.

    Foremost, I would say, would be to test run the machine you have in mind.

    nepa

    1. beo | | #2

      My problem is that I live in a small north central Oklahoma town and would have to drive hours to test drive anything. In the case of the Chinese made machine, it would be Toronto. I did call a dealer in Alabama this morning and they have US Blindstitch amchines which are made in America. New is $2200.00. Used is 900.00. Shipping is not inclued. The Canadian machine is 1000.00 which does include shipping.

      1. Palady | | #3

        Your location does present a challenge. If you've the time & so choose, you might use the Contact Us hyperlink in the following URL. It's been maybe 2 or 3 years since I had one of their catalogs. At that time they had sewing machines. If memory serves a blind stitch was amomgst their inventory. It's likely prices would be similar I'd guess, but still . . .

        http://www.atlanticthread.com/

        nepa

        1. Palady | | #4

          ETA - Another source might be in NH. I've dealt satsfactorally with this Sew/Vac business. Though I do recall reading a post where a someone waited an inordinate amount of time to get her machine back from repair.

          http://www.neveretts.com/

  2. Pattiann42 | | #5

    When I read such a remark, I always wonder - do the (Chinese or Japanese in this case) people ever complain - "I don't want that US junk"????

    1. beo | | #6

      Perhaps. As I said in my origonal post, I do have a bias. I also asked for help with understanding it and advice on which machine to purchace. I am not rich, must watch my penneys. I appreciate all the advice, but do not appreciate biting barbs. And I too, not only strive, but do learn something new each day.

      1. SewingSis | | #12

        Interesting that you were asking for help understanding the situation and yet, someone needed to post a biting barb.  I posted just this past week about a sewing issue and the response I got was also a biting barb...and, I also posted the same issue on another sewing site & got the same treatment.  And the replies were by the same poster...We all want the same thing, to enjoy sewing & get help when needed.  Happy sewing! I hope you got the machine you wanted!

    2. SylvieinVicenza | | #19

      I will answer for myself. I am always looking for product that are NOT made in China because I believe that buying is voting. I do not vote for companies that are not treating well there employees. When I am looking for something to buy I will do the research. I will buy from America, Europe and LAST China if I really cant find elsewhere. At that point usually I decide to go second hand or I do not need it. I prefer my neighbor to have the benefit of my purchase because he has a job and will be able to pay tax that we will all enjoy the benefit. Sylvie

  3. Stitchwitch | | #7

    I could not agree more. We as consumers are being sold out for the benefit of company's profit margins. I have a Husqvarna Viking and I was horried when I read on http://www.svpworldwide.com that in future even the TOL HV machines will be manufactured in Shanghai - China. I also bebelive that Made in China is sub-standard to made Made in Germany or Switzerland. I think BERNINA is the ONLY brand where everything is still manufatured in Switzertland, except the cheaper Bernette range. I'm going to think VERY carefully before I purchase my next sewing machine. I try and avoid everything that is Made in China, not just for quality issues but also because of their human rights issues. It will only change if we STOP buying these products.

    1. beo | | #8

      Thank you Stitchwitch, you've
      Thank you Stitchwitch, you've helped me make up my mind. I am going with the used US Blindstitch machine made in the USA! I too, try to avoid anything made in China, therefore I did not know if their quality has improved. I do know, however, that my husband cannot wear leather tennis shoes made anywhere but in the U.S. (and there are none now) because OSHA and the EPA does not allow industry to use the toxins required to soften the leather. They tend to injure workers. Or give some unlucky wearer blood poisoning.

      1. Pattiann42 | | #15

        Thank you Stitchwitch, you've..................

        It may be to late for Beo, but think about this.  Where are you going to take the machine that is only sold in Toronto and Alabama when it needs to be serviced?

        Is there an import tax/duty on products purchased in CA and transported to the US?  I think so.

        Purchase a machine locally and then when the machine needs to be serviced you can walk it in to the local dealer who will be a US citizen but possibly with foreign ancestry! 

  4. ManikBhai | | #9

    I think that this is not your falut because when you have buy this product and you don't have check it who is compnay to produce this product. All over the world are buy the chinabuye supplier product.

  5. HelgaPataki | | #10

    made in China, cheap labor

    Yeah, I know what you mean.  But I guess its cheap labor, and they have little children assemblers and little children laborers to keep their costs down too.  anyways. I had a friend travel to China, hong kong region for a holiday and bought some nice clothes and the label said made in Canada.  Funny heh? 

  6. carol1945 | | #11

    My two cents!!

    Here is the problem.  The U.S. companies simply cannot or will not enforce quality control over the manufacturing done in China.  I was a teacher and you cannot imagine how difficult it was when everything changed over to being made in China.  The scissors the kids have won't cut, the glue doesn't glue, the scotch tape doesn't stick.  Or, I forgot the pencils don't even write. The kids would sharpen and sharpen them and there would only be lead on one side.  Then, my own experience with appliances, pots, pans almost any new thing I buy, it is a joke.  I have a wonderful Bernina 930 made in Switzerland a long time ago. I would bet the Bernina company does not make their machines in Switzerland anymore.  If they have strict quality control, then it would be okay for them to "oursource" I suppose. I have no idea. Does anyone have a newer Bernina, and are they still good???

    1. Pattiann42 | | #14

      Bernina an exception?

      No, they are not all made in Switzerland.  Their outsourcing began many years ago due to an avalanche that destroyed their plant.

      Some are now made in China.

      They are still the favored brand by diehards.

      I switched to BabyLock many years ago and am very happy with the performance and durability.

      I am also happy to no longer be in a "Bernina Click"!

  7. Pattiann42 | | #13

    Are we Ugly Americans (paraphrasing book title)

    I answered this when it was first posted nearly three years ago and it bears repeating.

    First of all, products made in the US are foreign to other countries as well.

    PAST - Yes, the US was not involved in the war until Japan was bold enough to attack the US, but it was not the ordinary people who were responsible. 

    In the 1950's it seemed as though all those ordinary people had left was empty beer cans for making toys and such. Pay backs can be hell - we had to practically ruined their country to end the war.

    And BTW, that Pfaff you thought that was built in Germany, during the same war (WWII) they were fair weather allies with Japan.

    During that war, many lost their lives and those of their family (military and civilian) because the leaders of Germany and their allies were a nasty lot to many places in the world as well as to their own people.

    That was then and this is now. Water under the bridge. The olive branch has been offered and accepted.

    I believe the "powers that be" are now beginning to see that it is not the ordinary people who cause all the trouble.  It is those in charge of the country!

    PRESENT - Japanese machines, namely Brother and BabyLock are superb, not to mention Toyota auto.  There are more products, but those are the ones I am familiar with.

    Some of the Japanese products are made in North America - Toyota and Honda are a couple.

    Now, that is coming a long way from fashioning beer cans into usable products!

    A lot of companies' products (including some Bernina's products) are being made in China and under the supervision of their perspective company's representatives/engineers. 

    Speaking of the entire world, we have done nothing but make the Chinese government rich through our stupid governments thinking that throwing away our jobs makes more friends.  I do not trust the leaders of any communist county.

    Speaking of the US, when someone brings up foreign countries and talks down their noses, I have to wonder, what opinions do the people in those (foreign) countries have about us?  Expensive American products they cannot afford?  Or, do they think American junk. Or, are we still just ugly Americans. 

    Buy whatever gives the best performance and hope somewhere some ordinary person is better off for having built it!

    Now, I am going to burn my soapbox --- that expression is an oldie, of which I am one, although just an ordinary one.

  8. User avater
    TaraSews | | #16

    I would rather support our American unemployed.

    1. Pattiann42 | | #17

      American Made

      And what brand would that be?  Really, really vintage Singers or White?

      If there is an option, most Americans would buy American made products.

      1. User avater
        TaraSews | | #18

        If we as consumers demanded then the supply would happen. I am more concerned with our citizens at this point then another countries employment options.

        1. SylvieinVicenza | | #20

          I love your comment. I do not want to do politics but I blieve that buying is voting. I want to buy something that has been made by the guy next door. This way he will be able to send his kids to school, pay his tax, have health care... At the end we will all benefit from this.

          You see that I cant enter a Wal... again buying is voting.

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