Why American Manufacturing Still Matters: An American Story

Made in America Since 1958

For more than 60 years Gary Manufacturing has been producing quality sewn products in San Diego, California. What began as a small sewing operation has grown into a trusted manufacturing partner serving industrial, commercial, healthcare, hospitality, and government customers across the United States.

Over the decades, we have watched much of America’s textile and sewn-products industry move overseas. Thousands of factories have closed, and finding a domestic manufacturer capable of producing custom sewn products has become increasingly difficult.

Yet American manufacturing continues to offer something many offshore factories cannot: partnership, flexibility, accountability, and personal service.

Today, supporting American manufacturing is about more than patriotism. It is about preserving skilled jobs, strengthening local communities, and giving businesses access to suppliers who can respond quickly when challenges arise.

When Off-the-Shelf Isn’t Enough

Every business eventually encounters a problem that cannot be solved with a catalog item.

A piece of equipment needs protection. A facility requires a specialized solution. A customer has a unique application that does not fit a standard product.

That is where custom manufacturing begins.

The best solutions are rarely found on a warehouse shelf. They are developed through conversations, collaboration, and a willingness to understand exactly what the customer needs.

American manufacturers excel in this environment because customers can work directly with the people designing, producing, and inspecting their products.

Why Domestic Manufacturing Makes Sense

Better Customer Service

When you work with a small American manufacturer, you are not navigating time zones, language barriers, or automated support systems.

You can speak directly with the people responsible for your project. Questions get answered faster, revisions happen more quickly, and problems are solved before they become costly delays.

The relationship becomes a partnership rather than a transaction.

Greater Control Over Your Design

Custom projects often evolve from concept to production.

Customers may discover opportunities to improve a design, modify dimensions, add features, or refine details along the way.

Working with a domestic manufacturer allows for greater collaboration and flexibility throughout the process. Instead of being locked into a design months before production, customers can remain actively involved in creating the best possible solution.

Exceptional Quality Control

Quality is not something inspected into a product at the end of production. It is built into every step of the process.

By manufacturing domestically, companies maintain greater visibility over materials, workmanship, production methods, and final inspections. Issues can be identified and corrected quickly, resulting in a more consistent and reliable product.

Lower Minimum Order Quantities

Many overseas manufacturers require large production runs to justify setup costs and international shipping expenses.

For many businesses, that means purchasing far more product than they need and dedicating valuable warehouse space to storing excess inventory.

American manufacturers often offer smaller production runs, allowing customers to order what they need, when they need it. This reduces inventory costs, minimizes waste, and improves cash flow.

Faster Lead Times

Overseas manufacturing still involves ocean freight, customs processing, port congestion, and international transportation schedules.

Domestic manufacturing eliminates many of these variables.

Without overseas shipping delays, products can move from concept to production to delivery much faster, helping customers respond quickly to changing business needs.

Supporting Small American Businesses

Every time a company chooses an American manufacturer, they are investing in more than a product.

They are supporting skilled workers, local families, small businesses, and communities across the country.

Small manufacturers employ pattern makers, machine operators, sewers, cutters, quality inspectors, engineers, customer service teams, and countless other professionals whose expertise has been developed over decades.

These skills are valuable, and once they disappear, they are difficult to replace.

Supporting American manufacturing helps ensure that future generations continue to have access to the craftsmanship, innovation, and problem-solving capabilities that built this country.

Made in San Diego. Made to Last.

At Gary Manufacturing, we are proud to continue a tradition of American manufacturing that began more than six decades ago.

Every project represents an opportunity to solve a problem, support American jobs, and deliver a product built with care and attention to detail.

Because when quality matters, communication matters, and flexibility matters, American manufacturing still matters.

And sometimes, the best solution is still the one made right here at home.

Contact Us

Looking for high-quality, made-to-order products?

We offer a range of standard solutions with custom sizing and fabric options to fit your exact needs.

Contact us at sales@garymanufacturing.com or call 619-429-4479 to learn more or request a quote.

Surviving 2020; Being an Essential Business During a Global Pandemic

“There were times when we didn’t know if we were going to be able to weather this, but it has been interesting to see the business flex and shift where we need to, to keep ourselves viable.” – Andrea Beagle, Office Manager.

2020 has been a challenging year for everyone, Gary Manufacturing included. Learning that we are among a few lucky businesses’s considered to be essential, Gary Manufacturing is navigating the COVID waters and striving to come out on the other side with strengths we didn’t know we had prior to this year.

March 19, 2020, was the day California Governor Newsom announced a state-wide shutdown, restricting all non-essential businesses to close in an attempt to fight the rapid growth of COVID-19. That evening the management staff had to make phone calls to all employees that the company would remain closed for an unforeseen amount of time.

After being closed for one business day, several key essential customers requested that we stay open as we were one of their essential suppliers. The team at Gary was thrilled to be considered an essential business. Being able to bring employees back to work immediately was a great source of pride for us, however, it felt risky not knowing what was coming next.

First order of business was safety. Shifting from a close-knit group to a more individualized setting was a hard, but necessary change for the Gary staff to make. In addition to splitting lunch and break shifts, we created clear barriers and socially distanced workstations. Daily temperature and welfare checks were implemented in the mornings before reporting to work.

There have been many difficulties along the way but maintaining employee safety has been the main priority. Not all employees felt comfortable returning to work right away. Temporary workers were hired and trained. Extra communication with customers was needed to be able to produce essential products in a timely manner. Gary Manufacturing has been building strong relationships with both clients and vendors for many years. During this time, we have relied heavily on those relationships to see us through.

From a Human Resources point of view, navigating constant changes in regulations and staying compliant has been one of the hardest parts of the year. At the start of the pandemic, no one really knew what was going to happen. Federal guidelines have changed many times, keeping up with that no easy task, but as an essential business, it was now our job to make sure we could safely remain open.

Even though it has been a struggle, there have been many positives for the business. Gary Manufacturing has learned that it was more adaptable than we ever knew. Being able to end the year with the doors open and to provide a stable job for her employees has been Kerri Smith’s, General Manager, proudest accomplishment of 2020.

Gary has been able to adapt both internally with staff and externally in their product offerings. Utilizing technology for virtual meetings, working from home when possible, and reducing contact with others on-site has been imperative to stay safe.

Gary Manufacturing evolved our shower curtain line to include barrier curtains for pop-up hospitals, restaurants, or anywhere that needs to offer protective barriers between people.

Since learning of its essentiality, Gary Manufacturing is looking forward to continuing growth in these essential sectors of the economy:

• Medical
• Technology
• Transportation          
• Communication
• Sanitation
• Construction

Gary Manufacturing recognizes that very few businesses have been lucky enough to remain open during COVID and is thankful for the continued support of our customers and the hard work of the staff. We look forward to continuing to bring quality products and superior customer service in 2021 and beyond.

Stock Materials for Clear Vinyl Curtains

Gary Manufacturing offers clear vinyl industrial curtains in a variety of different materials to fit the needs of your project. Here are 5 of the most versatile solutions we offer.  Our five most popular choices for clear vinyl include:

6g or 10g Crystal Clear PVC Film – A clear film that allows for full visibility and light penetration.

Recommended Uses: Shower curtains, windows in custom bags and covers, pockets on promotional chair caps, doors on rack covers, room dividers, and protective barriers.

Frosty Clear PVC Film – A partially opaque film that allows for light penetration and some visibility.

Recommended Uses:  Rack covers, shower curtains, and custom covers.

6g Clear Parquet – An embossed clear film that allows for visibility and light penetration while still maintaining some privacy.

Recommended Uses: Shower curtains.

12oz Clear Banna – A heavy duty supported frosty clear film with interior scrim that allows partial

light penetration and visibility.

Recommended Uses: Rack covers, custom covers, and custom bags.

Sure-Chek – A hospital-ready reinforced clear film with interior scrim that includes antimicrobial, anti-static, and flame-resistant properties.

Recommended Uses: Shower curtains, rack covers, cart covers, custom covers, and cubicle curtains.

Our vinyl curtains may include water-repellent, fire retardant, antibacterial, and antimicrobial properties. They are easy to maintain and come in different thicknesses. Customers can also choose between REACH-compliant or Prop 65-compliant vinyl varieties.

Call us today at 1-800-775-0804 or email sales@garymanufacturing.com to discuss your project with our expert sales team.

Safely Made in the USA; Gary Manufacturing Responds to COVID.

As an essential manufacturing company supplying the medical, sanitation, technology and military industries, we have had the privilege of continuing to serve our customers through this unprecedented time.  As a response to the world-wide pandemic COVID19, Gary Manufacturing is following the CDC guidelines and has established a Seven-Point Safety Plan to ensure our workspace is a safe environment for all our valued staff members.

• Employee Screenings – Every morning employees are screened before entering the building. Screening includes a respiratory questionnaire and temperature check.  Employees with respiratory symptoms or a fever over 100.0 are sent home.
• Employee Training – We have regular meetings with staff to go over COVID symptoms and what precautions to take including wearing masks and practicing safe physical distancing. Signage in all areas of the factory to remind employees how to stay safe.
• Mandatory Masks and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) – As a sewing company we have had the luxury of producing our own cloth masks for all employees. Additionally, paper masks and latex gloves are available to all.
• Physical Distancing – Markings have been placed on floor to keep employees 6 feet apart at the time clock and in the kitchen. Plastic partitions have been installed between workstations where 6ft separation was not physically possible. We have also shifted from one to two morning break periods and two lunch periods to minimize how many employees are using the facilities at the same time.
• Enhanced Sanitation – All common areas are sanitized after each break and at the end of the day. Workstations are cleaned at a minimum once daily and always between uses by different employees. Our facility is cleaned by an outside company with hospital-grade cleaners once a week. Hand sanitizer has been placed at high-use areas to increase hand cleanliness and signage encouraging hand washing is throughout factory.
• Air quality – Big bay doors are opened during business hours and fans are kept running to encourage air changeover in the facility.
• Digital Innovations – We have moved all meetings to virtual platforms using current technology. To reduce the exchanging of paperwork we have established new protocols to utilize email wherever possible.

Gary Manufacturing has been in business for over 60 years.  At no time in the past have we faced such challenging times as we have faced in the last few months.  As a manufacturer we have always been acutely aware how important our production staff is to our business.  Now, more than ever we are focused on putting employees first on the priority list and are exceedingly grateful that we can weather another storm. Thank you to all our customers who have supported us during this difficult time, we are here for you and growing stronger every day.