We have a new, American supplier for our Caps and Gowns. We’ve made this change for both moral and practical reasons, and I’d like to explain how I reached this decision and how it may affect your purchases from us!
Our previous regalia supplier provided a beautiful product at a good price. Quality is very important to us, so we were proud to offer such an attractive product to the homeschooling community! But over the past few years I’ve had increasing concerns over the connection to China: first morally, because of China’s “human rights abuses”, and then also practically, because of supply disruptions and unpredictability.
The Chinese Government Commits and Supports Unspeakable Evil
The news coming out of China is very distressing. I read of religious persecution and genocide, of brutal forced abortions and organ harvesting, of mass surveillance and authoritarian repression of individual liberties. And I hear of how China funds and supports the unfathomable evil of the North Korean government, which demands worship of its citizens, intentionally starves its rural population and publicly executes dissidents.
I read and hear these things, and I know that the state-run Chinese economy is the power source behind these atrocities. I don’t pretend to think that America is without its faults and flaws, but I know I don’t want to support this brutal repression of the Chinese and North Korean people. Yes, my decision to stop buying and selling Chinese-made regalia is “a drop in the bucket”… but what is all the water in a bucket, if not many individual drops? If I have only one drop, I want to put it in the bucket of liberty and justice, not repression and evil.
A China-Based Supply Chain is Unpredictable and Risky
Besides the moral concerns with the Chinese government, I’ve also had growing practical concerns over the stability of our supply chain. A Chinese invasion of Taiwan, and an ensuing war (or war-by-proxy) between America and China, would immediately cut off our source, and we’d be scrambling to find a new supplier along with the rest of the graduation industry.
And even if relative peace continues between the U.S. and China, there are still many risks to a far-flung supply chain that’s affected by “Zero-Covid” lockdowns, congestion at ports, and rising fuel costs. Our business model requires us to have more than a year’s supply of regalia on hand in advance of the graduation season so that we can guarantee a consistent product across many group orders. To ensure your graduates stand tall on their big day, we must ensure we have a reliable supply.
We Believe the Best Solution is a USA-Based Supplier
Our new supplier is the only company making Caps & Gowns in the USA with USA-made fabric. These gowns do not have quite the same impressive feel of the Chinese-made product – mainly because the fabric is not as heavy. However, I’m confident that this is the right move despite the lighter-weight fabric. One of our core values states, “We believe people have intrinsic dignity as humans, and should always be treated with great respect.” A USA-based supply chain removes many questions about how the product is made and who it supports, while also ensuring long-term reliability in the face of geopolitical uncertainty.
What this Change Means for You
If you’re concerned about how this change will affect your order(s), please contact us! We would love to work with you to help make it a smooth transition.
For groups who are setting up a Custom Graduate Package: to ensure we have enough matching caps & gowns for your group, we will automatically be using the new, USA-made regalia for your group’s orders. If you want everyone to have a consistent, matching look on stage, every graduate will need to purchase a new cap & gown set (regalia from previous years won’t match).
If you’re ordering a Cap & Gown for yourself (not with a group), or ordering a quantity of Caps & Gowns for multiple students: you may choose our new, USA-made gowns or our Clearance China-made gowns, if we still have the size(s) you need in stock.
Again, please contact us if you have questions or concerns about this change!
Karl Thompson, CEO
