When we buy something, the first requirement is quality. Then we buy US made if it is of similar quality, we try not to lower our standards.
2 5 instances I can think of:
1. When we bought our 1915 house the original plan was to work on it ourselves. We knew it would be slow but we wanted the satisfaction we did it ourselves, and we knew the quality. 10 years ago I was in a car accident and received some money. It has been 10 years with no major health problem, my husband had cancer 8 years ago and we just decided to hire a cabinet maker for our last room to remodel the kitchen to get it finished.
If the houses weren't across the street I could see the shop of a cabinet maker I never thought we could hire. He has an outstanding reputation, as did his Dad before him, in fact real estate ads mention the cabinets made by him as a plus. We hired him to do the kitchen and a few other cabinets in the family room. They buy the wood and actually custom make the cabinets, they are like furniture. I remember when we first talked to him I told him I was really picky and asked if he can work with that. He said he could and I don't regret for a second that we hired him. He has 30 employees, 7 are relatives. They did as we requested and complemented the stairs my husband built.
It satisfied our wanting to buy quality, stay local and a plus that it's a family business.
He had 3 levels of making them, we chose custom and paid him $45,000 (Our house when we bought it was $45,000 but that was 37 years ago).
3. I would have been happy with laminate counters but my husband wanted granite or quartz. I knew I didn't want granite because of the maintenance and I was reading some things about treatment of workers I didn't like. There was one quartz supplier in the US, they adhered to OSHA rules for their workers and that was who the cabinetmaker suggested.
Again, a quality product, US made. It might have cost a little more but the good fortune that took care of me in the accident I thought should be shared with US companies.
3. I already told about our Wisconsin built Speed Queen dryer purchase - US made, union made so you know OSHA rules are adhered to. It cost a bit more than other brands but has a 3 yr warranty where the others only had 1.
4. For the stairs, the wood that we bought came from another family owned business across town. They sell more exotic lumbers (we just bought red oak) and do woodworking services. We bought our stair treads, risers, handrails and 5 newel posts and the wood needed for the balusters and finish pieces in the kitchen. Again local business, great quality. Price? I don't know if they are more than anyone else or not, it is the only place we've gone to over the years.
5. Our family room and master bedroom all have furniture from the Amish in eastern Ohio. They are of the quality we expect from a handmade product. Again, US (Ohio) made.