How Does One Determine U.S. vs. EL Salvador Vansons

[Vespizzare]

I saw a pic on this site of a Vanson label where it said, "made in El Salvador." Can one generally assume the absence of said tag denotes a U.S. product or what?

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Dunno..
My slightly older Vanson Enfield says Boston Mass 'made in USA' on black and gold Vanson tag with American Flag...
HD

 

[Vespizzare]

So does that mean if it has that label, it's made in the U.S.?? I bought a Vanson Teton in January 2010. Would that being made in the U.S. sound right? I thought I saw a pic on this site of a Vanson that had the label you describe and also a tag that said El Salvador (although I couldn't swear that in that picture the label said Boston or had the flag).

 

[pjstrass]

I just got a PLU 3 Vanson Comet from Insurrection Vintage...tag does NOT say "Made in USA"...which the labels shown with the jacket on their website do say ... called Vanson and the fellow who answered said if it doesn't say where made it is made in USA / BUT ...called again and got Kim...wife of / owner who looked up the serial # and called me back..it was made in El Salvador...so I would say if label does not actually say "Made in USA" its made in El Salvador...but find the serial # and check with the factory ...

 

[IXL]

Any Vanson jacket made in the USA will boldly proclaim that fact. Any jacket made elsewhere will, by law, have a tag somewhere with the country of origin. Vanson appears to have tried to mislead customers several times as to whether the foreign-made garments they sell were produced in the US. Look at their website carefully.
They do claim that one can order an American-made jacket, but I know of no one who has actually gotten one that was not old stock. This doesn't mean they don't make anything stateside, I just know of no one who, after being told that they would receive a newly-made US-made jacket, ever got one. Several people claimed they did get a lot of excuses, though.
All this being said, my Vanson CHP, purchased through Insurrection and produced in El Salvador, is a heavy, well-made jacket produced from good leather. I am happy with it and it absolutely beats the hell out of anything vended by most of the US "leather jacket" companies I've dealt with.
And hopefully I have in some small way helped some El Salvadoran workers to earn a living. They are people who need jobs, just like anyone else.

 

[ButteMT61]

Vanson aren't the only ones hiding the origins of it's jackets with small/hidden/misleading labels. That to me is way more shameful than making jackets overseas. If you must for business reasons do it - but don't hide it. Companies like to proclaim "We're American" to get sales but many beyond the ownership/management are not. And I'd rather deal with an honest company that makes things overseas than one pretending to be "American" Just my 2¢.

 

[IXL]

Vanson aren't the only ones hiding the origins of it's jackets with small/hidden/misleading labels. That to me is way more shameful than making jackets overseas. If you must for business reasons do it - but don't hide it. Companies like to proclaim "We're American" to get sales but many beyond the ownership/management are not. And I'd rather deal with an honest company that makes things overseas than one pretending to be "American" Just my 2¢.

My thoughts exactly. Well said!!

 

[Faster]

I just bought a Vanson Model B from Insurrection for a friend of mine in Japan. It was tagged "Made in El Salvador," right behind the size 36 tag. Although the jacket was made in El Salvador, the stitch work was perfect, the cowhide was incredible (very thick with a lot of character), and it was as nice as the very best made in USA Vanson jackets that I've seen in person.

 

[Vespizzare]

Thanks for the info. I just wanted to know and didn't mean to come off as nativist. The one thing I do like about "U.S. Made" is that it it reminds me of the best of the old days.

 

[ButteMT61]

Thanks for the info. I just wanted to know and didn't mean to come off as nativist. The one thing I do like about "U.S. Made" is that it it reminds me of the best of the old days.

Don't think it came off that way. There was a time when it really made a big difference to have jackets made here. Seems the lines have blurred with quality in some places and foreign-made jackets are a good alternative in some cases. OTOH, companies that make it seem as if you're getting a US-made jacket and that bothers me. I won't lie, I'd rather have products made here - especially given the sad state of our economy. Just not always "better" like the good ol' days...

 

[Peacoat]

I have seen tags that say "El Salvador" and tags that say "Made In USA." I have seen some posters who said their tag read "Made In America" as in the Americas? My tag says Made In USA, and it is a great jacket. Well made with thick leather that takes a long time to break in. I would say it is broken in now, after 1 1/2 years, but is a long way from being soft. Probably never. I am a 42 but ordered a 44. Would not have wanted it any tighter because I sometimes wear a vest under it. Also the arms are very fitted.

As long as the company keeps up with quality control, the El Salvador jackets should continue to be top of the line.

 

[Vespizzare]

I just got a 42 Enfield on ebay. I'm a 42 and I think the 42 fits me great. I can still put a fleece vest underneath, but that's it. Of course if I was twenty pounds lighter, maybe it would be different. I wanted something sort of fitted because my other motorcycle jacket, a Venson Teton, is an armored safety cocoon that makes me look like a black Moby Dick (which I just read was based on a true story).

 

[mattp]

I know this is an old thread, but just wanted to mention that if you purchase from Insurrection you might not be able to tell where your jacket was made. I bought a PLU-3 from them and assumed it was US made, as the only tag is the one with the American flag and BOSTON MASS written on it. After finding this thread I went looking for the 'hidden' tag and all I can find is a small remnant where a tag has been cut off behind the 44 tag under the main label. I can only assume this means it's El Salvador made, and the tag was cut off to hide this fact? Happy to be corrected by Wade on this one if I'm wrongly assuming. The swing tags from memory did say made in USA though... Either way I'd rather the jacket was whole and the tag hadn't been taken off.
Has anyone else got a PLU2/3 with the tag missing? Maybe I'm looking in the wrong place?

 

[Mojo1975]

Anytime a jacket doesn't say "Made in USA" on the main tag, it was a Vanson jacket made in El Salvador. We're sorry your jacket didn't have "Made in El Salvador" tags. There have been some batches of Vanson jackets where the "Made in El Salvador" tags weren't sewn in correctly (hanging off or sewn in only half-way). It sounds like your jacket might have been one of these where the El Salvador tag came out of the stitching and was removed.

We're always very up front about which jackets are US-made and which ones are "Made in Salvador". Most of our customer base doesn't care, but we do occasionally get requests for US-made and we accommodate them as we can. However, just under 50% of the Vanson jackets we receive currently are US-made. We continue to work with Vanson because the El Salvador-made products are just as good as the US-made Vanson of ten years ago.

It seems like with the recent Aero USA debacle, there is a lot of paranoia floating around the forum. We have had emails, calls, and inquiries as to whether or not we are submitting our orders to Aero of Scotland. Let me assure all of our past, present and future customers that there is no such "story" or "scandal" with Insurrection.

 

[mattp]

Anytime a jacket doesn't say "Made in USA" on the main tag, it was a Vanson jacket made in El Salvador. We're sorry your jacket didn't have "Made in El Salvador" tags. There have been some batches of Vanson jackets where the "Made in El Salvador" tags weren't sewn in correctly (hanging off or sewn in only half-way). It sounds like your jacket might have been one of these where the El Salvador tag came out of the stitching and was removed.

We're always very up front about which jackets are US-made and which ones are "Made in Salvador". Most of our customer base doesn't care, but we do occasionally get requests for US-made and we accommodate them as we can. However, just under 50% of the Vanson jackets we receive currently are US-made. We continue to work with Vanson because the El Salvador-made products are just as good as the US-made Vanson of ten years ago.

It seems like with the recent Aero USA debacle, there is a lot of paranoia floating around the forum. We have had emails, calls, and inquiries as to whether or not we are submitting our orders to Aero of Scotland. Let me assure all of our past, present and future customers that there is no such "story" or "scandal" with Insurrection.

Hi Wade, thanks for the quick response. Two points stand out from your post:
1) The tags not being sewn in correctly doesn't instil a great sense of confidence, if this is indeed the case. The jacket I have seems like decent quality, but the 46 I was initially sent did seem to be better quality in the short time I had it. Not sure if this was US made, but it did have different zips and studs. I was under the impression by law goods had to have a label saying where they were made? If so, shouldn't these faulty batches have been remedied or sent back? Not having any tags at all doesn't strike me as being 'very up front' about where the jacket was made.
2) When you say the El Salvador made jackets are as good as the US made jackets of 10 years ago, is that to say the jackets made today in the US are better than the El Salvador ones?
For $550 they're a good deal wherever they're made, unfortunately mine cost me $700 once extra postage was factored in for wrong sizing, so I'm a bit more prone to nit-pick.

 

[dr.velociraptor]

Didn't read the entire thread but essentially none of the Vanson jackets are Made in the USA anymore. They are made in El Salvador now. I emailed the President of Vanson and got back a message stating they have factories in Mass and El Salvador, same quality yada yada... When I pressed him if I could get a Model B Made in the USA he wouldn't commit to it.

So unless you find old Made in the USA stock somewhere you can assume it's Made in El Salvador. If a shop has it and you're not sure just ask if it says Made in the USA.

Say what you will but no chance I'm paying $700 for a jacket made in El Salvador, if they are paying their workforce pennies on the dollar I expect some of the savings to trickle down to me the customer. For $350, sure I may take a stab at it, but for $700 I'm getting a jacket Made in the USA.

 

[pattonfan]

I ordered a Model B during one of their VanBucks deals. It was a little deceiving because the vest had a made in the U.S.A. label, but once you removed it the actual jacket tag said "Made in El Salvador".

That being said, I now own three Vansons. The El Salvador is the heaviest, toughest one of the bunch. I did have one little problem area on it, but Vanson fixed it state side. They offered to replace it, and I wouldn't allow it.

 

[dr.velociraptor]

I ordered a Model B during one of their VanBucks deals. It was a little deceiving because the vest had a made in the U.S.A. label, but once you removed it the actual jacket tag said "Made in El Salvador".

I gotta say that is downright dirty...

 

[jksu]

relatively new to the forum, but on our family trip to to the northeast last year, we stopped by fall rivers, home of vanson. i was just getting into leather jackets and had yet to find this forum, but i knew about vanson and it's respected name in the race world and thought it'd be cool to visit.

the factory is a pretty industrial looking building...and appears at least partly deserted. the "show room" is relatively small, but there are a lot of jackets to try on of various styles. the person staffing it was very friendly. one side of the showroom has some old cafe racers and other paraphanelia. to get to the showroom you walk by a big empty warehouse area.... it just seems it might have been full back when they used to make most of their jackets. but now it's just a showroom/shipping center for jackets made elsewhere.

i didn't know then to ask about made in the usa, etc. but i do recall slipping on a "drifter" model which was their mid-weight leather and not made in the usa. very comfortable, but not the leather associated with vanson -- the competition weight- armor that requires a significant of time to break in.

there's various ways to run a business and i think vanson is trying to continue to make quality products and stay in business. and it sounds like they decided to go about it by having their work force off shore... instead of china, they chose el salvador. i think i read somewhere that they did this because of difficulty finding adequate skilled labor in the US. it does sounds like they are able to continue do deliver a high quality product from el salvador from satisfied customers who have mentioned it here.

however, they must know, they are alienating/ turning off a % of customers who bought/buy vanson because it was synonymous with made in usa. and i agree with others that to be some what unclear about it, is an even bigger turnoff.

i'm not a business person, but it'd make sense to me from a marketing stand point to create a line, or series (call it "heritage") or have all custom jackets, made in the usa. they may have to pay higher salaries to recruit and retain these rare artisans.... difficult but aero and others seem to be able to do it. sure, the cost will be significantly higher ($800-1000) than their el salvador jackets. but offer customers that choice. and perhaps building into their business model an apprenticeship program that can help ensure future skilled workers...

i just think by using el salvador for their mainline jackets as well as custom orders, it dilutes the brand. it sounds like even when customers ask for made in usa, that vanson has not been able or willing to comply with the request. with decent competition in the high end leather area these days (langlitz, lost worlds, johnson, aero, etc), i think vanson maybe making a mistake to erode/lose the made-in-usa reputation, no matter how good the jackets are from el salvador.

sorry, back to topic at hand... i did not see a "made in the usa" or "made in el salvador" label on the drifter i tried on. just the large label of "vanson leathers, boston ma" -- which is not quite accurate either...