Made in the USA – Why it matters!

The ever increasing popularity of shutters has spawned a very competitive sales environment. While most shutter demand is still fulfilled by local manufactures, the growing market has gotten the attention of local blind and shade retailers. In an effort to be competitive with local shutter manufacturers, most window covering retailers have resorted to importing product from China. In addition to lengthy and widely varying lead times, most of this product is measured and installed by people whose background is primarily in blinds and shades. The measuring and installation of shutters is more closely related to custom cabinet work than blinds. Many of these imported shutters come from companies with very American sounding names (Sunland Shutters, Norman Shutters). While some of the all-wood shutters from China are of good quality and appearance, other lower grade shutters are also commonly offered and may be made of low quality materials like MDF (particle board). Typically there is very little detailed information available regarding who makes these products and their construction. Rarely is there a written warranty, and where one does exist it is not of much value. Also, many foreign made products have been in the news recently due to safety concerns, poor working conditions, poor quality, and a disregard for the environment. While these products may provide some savings, consider what you are sacrificing:

  Are you sure you know what you are getting? Can you get it in writing?

  How long will it really take to get the shutters? Most quote 6-12 weeks – while six weeks may sound ok, 12 weeks is three months!
    What if the product is damaged while in transit – do you have to wait another 6-12 weeks?

  Do you want most of your money going overseas to manufactures that are largely unregulated?

  You wouldn’t have your hair-dresser work on your car – experience installing blinds and shades does not translate into shutters.

Shop local and help save the planet!

At Austin Window Fashions and Window Fashions of Texas, we feel strongly that it is better to buy locally made products than spending your hard earned money on an inferior products imported from China. In case you needed one more reason to shop local- take a look at these photos. This HUGE pile of trash is the packaging that came from one order of 14 Chinese made shutters. Sure, they might be slightly cheaper to your pocket book- but when you consider the total costs to our economy and our planet- most of this packaging is going to end up in the landfill- maybe you would reconsider your purchase.

When the shutters are coming from China, they have to be very heavily packaged to protect them during the long journey. It took two and a half months for these shutters to get here. But if you ordered locally made shutters from Austin Window Fashions or Window Fashions of Texas, you would have already been enjoying beautiful real wood shutters in your home for the past month. And, to top it all off- one of the Chinese made shutter panels arrived damaged and it’s going to take and additional six to eight weeks to get a replacement for it.

When producing our locally made shutters, we don’t create even 10% of this much trash. The millwork is done in Lubbock and shipped to our factory in reused plywood containers. And it takes a lot less fuel to ship shutter parts from Lubbock to Austin than it does to ship from China to Texas! If you’re just looking for the cheapest shutters you can find, you might find they aren’t so cheap after all.

Shop local and buy locally made- it’s a better value for you and a better deal for our planet!