Steve Liquori has sold USA-made T-shirts, caps and hoodies through his Goodwear company in Essex, Massachusetts, since 1983, but he told The Boston Globe on April 29, 2025, that he doesn’t think tariffs will bring apparel making back.
The business
- Goodwear brings in an estimated $3 million a year, employs four people and charges almost $60 for a basic T-shirt.
- It survives partly by exporting to Japan, where shoppers seek authentic USA-made clothing.
- It has never owned a factory. Instead, it works with a shrinking group of USA factories and moves orders among them.
- The Globe cited estimates that labor to make a shirt costs $1 to $3 in China, Vietnam or Bangladesh and $8 to $20 in the USA or Western Europe.
“Consumers definitely care that it’s Made in the USA. But then when the rubber hits the road … they’ll just buy everything on price.”
Steve Liquori, Goodwear founder
Why it matters for Made in USA
Liquori’s model works because it is small and premium. He says a USA apparel brand the size of Nike would fail. His view is a reminder that USA-made clothing today is a niche built on quality and loyal buyers, not volume.
FAQ
Where is Goodwear based?
Essex, Massachusetts.
Who buys Goodwear?
Many sales go to Japan, where buyers want authentic USA-made apparel.
Does Liquori support tariffs?
He told the Globe he does not think tariffs will bring large-scale apparel making back.
Source & credit
Source: The Boston Globe, April 29, 2025: “He makes Made in the USA T-shirts from Essex. He doesn’t think tariffs will help”, by Thomas Lee.