Today saw the opening of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, and Team USA will wear national uniforms designed by Ralph Lauren, albeit produced in China. Americans of all political persuasions were aghast.
The news has created a huge controversy after it was discovered last week that Ralph Lauren had outsourced the manufacturing of the uniforms to China when they could have been manufactured here in the United States. The textile industry has always had a strong history in the United States, until the market began to decline in 1990s due to American businesses outsourcing to China and other countries.
The flak has spurred the U.S. government to issue a new bill to ensure that from now on U.S. Olympians will have their uniforms produced in the United States. Ralph Lauren is contracted with the USOC until 2020, and promises that in the future upcoming 2014 winter Olympic games he will manufacture his uniforms in the United States.
In other announcements the Russians are rumored to march into the 2014 Winter Olympics stadium in Sochi, wearing uniforms made in the United States. The Russians have in fact declared that they do not want their uniform produced in China. In stark contrast to the flap caused by Ralph Lauren.
