Freep: Kid Rock's clothing line says 'Made in Detroit' -- but isn't

**partystore** · February-06-12, 12:44 PM

http://www.freep.com/article/20120206/COL07/202060320

More evidence of Kid Rock co-opting Detroit. Aren't "Made in" labels supposed to actually identify where a thing is made? You would think that'd be the whole intention/mission of the brand "Made in Detroit." Glad to see the Free Press expose this blatant hypocrisy by dressing down a hometown "hero."

Oh yeah, Kid Rock wasn't "Made in Detroit," either.

Occurrence · February-06-12, 12:52 PM

Interesting. I'm not really surprised they arent made in the city they claim they are.

**JBMcB** · February-06-12, 01:17 PM

There was a story on the Planet Money podcast where the hosts went through the process of having a T-shirt made from scratch - from sourcing the cotton, yarn and dye to packaging and shipping.

They tried for months to get a factory in the US to produce T-shirts, but no existing factories would take the job. Apparently opening a new garment factory is prohibitively expensive if you are making inexpensive clothing - the overhead is just too high and you'll never recoup the costs.

**401don** · February-06-12, 01:22 PM

Originally Posted by Occurrence

Interesting. I'm not really surprised they arent made in the city they claim they are.

Here we go again. I always thought the "Made in Detroit" label promoted Detroit manufacturing, not where the t-shirt was made.

**partystore** · February-06-12, 01:30 PM

401don, you don't see the glaring hypocrisy of promoting Detroit manufacturing while not producing in Detroit? I find irony in Made in Detroit's branding. Walk the walk. It's possible -- other companies are now going out of their way to do so.

**FlyingJ** · February-06-12, 01:44 PM

Originally Posted by partystore

http://www.freep.com/article/20120206/COL07/202060320Oh yeah, Kid Rock wasn't "Made in Detroit," either.

You left out his dad's Buick Dealership was on Van Dyke & 17 Mile, a good 9 miles past Detroit City Limits

**401don** · February-06-12, 01:45 PM

Originally Posted by partystore

401don, you don't see the glaring hypocrisy of promoting Detroit manufacturing while not producing in Detroit? I find irony in Made in Detroit's branding. Walk the walk. It's possible -- other companies are now going out of their way to do it.

His company is buying blank t-shirts and putting the logo on in the Detroit area. He's then selling them through local retailers. I really didn't expect him to find people to sew the t-shirts together within the city limits. After all, t-shirts are mainly a vehicle to promote a message. It's not like he was putting the "Made in Detroit" label on a lawnmower or dishwasher.

**detbest** · February-06-12, 01:46 PM

I always took the "Made in Detroit" to refer to the person wearing it. In other words, the person wearing the shirt is a proud Detroiter who was made there. I don't really view it as a glaring hypocrisy that the shirts aren't actually made in Detroit. I see the shirts as promoting the city and it's people and the Made in Detroit being a play on words.

**Detroitnerd** · February-06-12, 01:55 PM

Haha. I've been waiting to see this hayseed cultural appropriator fall on his ass hard for some time. How gratifying.

**partystore** · February-06-12, 02:00 PM

At the very least, there are bulk shirt manufacturers within the US to consider -- American Apparel, All American Clothing Co., etc.. If local bands can make it a point to order these American-made shirts for their own designs, so can a larger company that solely exists to promote Detroit. It's not expecting too much, since that's the name of the brand. Kid Rock can afford it.

Occurrence · February-06-12, 02:06 PM

I always figured Kid Rock as someone who uses the Detroit name to better his career. Nobody would take him seriously if he marketed himself as born as raised in Romeo.

I see the hypocrisy with his shirts. Kind of similar to American flags made in Korea.

**cramerro** · February-06-12, 03:35 PM

I couldn't beleive they actually wasted an article on this. Of course a shirt with a screened "Made In Detroit" logo is not the official manufacturing stamp for the actual shirt! What would the message be? This cheap cotton shirt was MADE IN DETROIT! YEAH!

As I'm thinking about how silly this is, do we have a thread started or a news article that analyzes the Imported from Detroit slogan? Not even the GD Chrysler HQ is in the city. No design jobs. Nothing but a manufacturing facility for a portion of one or two models the company makes. NO, because it's the message, the idea, the frame of mind that we're talking about.

THAT is much more relevant than a T-Shirt that has a logo advertising a general attitude/idea and is much more relevant since Detroit is the MOTOR CITY and has never claimed to be some sort of textile or garment industry stronghold. Say what you will about Kid, his heart is in the right place, and he has employed a number of people in the region doing various things including the brewing operation.

**partystore** · February-06-12, 04:00 PM

If Kid Rock's heart is in the right place like you insist, cramerro, I would expect the sentiment of his brand "Made in Detroit" to be reflected by business practice. Instead, it co-opts Detroit by "promoting" the City while not substantively giving back to it.

The above article is the exception to the rule of local media lauding Kid Rock... some of us are sick of this narrative.

**adamjab19** · February-06-12, 04:59 PM

I confess. I bought a Made In Detroit onesy for my little one. Truth is the 'made in' location was more like Berkley or possibly Farmington Hills.

On a side note, and not that I know Kid Rock, but if there is enough stink made about this I feel like he may change where most of the shirts are made.... I don't know why I say this... or he'll just throw a middle finger in the air at it!

I'm not going to hold this one against him though. How many other Detroit companies sell Detroit t-shirts representing Detroit in this scale and make their shirts in Detroit? I think his multi-day, annual concerts probably have a bigger effect on the area's bottom line.

**313rd** · February-06-12, 05:33 PM

"Made in Detroit" to me is a brand for the people who live in the Metro Detroit area, who are proud of where they come from and are willing to show their pride by wearing these shirts. Also, I'm willing to bet that most of the people wearing these shirts are living outside of the "city limits" There is absolutely nothing wrong with this.

This was also the fact that University of Detroit t-shirts were some of the best selling apparel along with the USC, UCLA and big name schools in college sales because of the word "Detroit" on the apparel.

As far as Kid Rock's heart not being in the right place, he sure does help out......
2011 Highlights
^ During a concert at Detroit’s Ford Field in January, Kid Rock received the Spirit of Detroit
Award, an honor presented by the Detroit City Council to a person, event or organization for outstanding
achievement or service to the citizens of Detroit.
^ Also at the Ford Field concert, Kid Rock announced a $25,000 donation each to Detroit-based
COTS [[Coalition on Temporary Shelter); Detroit’s Capuchin Soup Kitchen; Pontiac, Michigan-based
HAVEN, a shelter for victims of domestic violence; and Rochester, Michigan-based Rainbow Connection,
an organization dedicated to fulfilling wishes of children with life-threatening illnesses.
^ In April Kid Rock made a surprise visit to his alma mater, Romeo High School, to present the
school’s music program with a $5000 donation on behalf the GRAMMY Foundation and Best Buy. Kid
Rock also made a personal matching donation of $5000 during the presentation.
^ On May 1, the Detroit branch of the NAACP presented Kid Rock with its Great Expectations
Award during its annual Fight For Freedom fundraising dinner. The honor recognized his promotion of
Detroit and support of its citizens. While accepting the award Kid Rock made a $100,000 donation to be
divided equally among the Detroit Recreation Department, Detroit’s Friends of Belle Isle, Mosaic Youth
Theatre of Detroit, YouthVille Detroit, and Habitat for Humanity, as well as the American Red Cross to aid
in its efforts of assisting those communities throughout the South devastated by tornadoes in April.
^ In July, while performing at the Red Sky Music Festival in Omaha, Nebraska, Kid Rock
announced the foundation donated $10,000 to the Nebraska-Southwest Iowa Region of the American Red
Cross to support disaster assistance related to Missouri River flooding.

**black gold man** · February-06-12, 06:08 PM

Kid Rock is OK in BGM book

**Roq** · February-06-12, 06:30 PM

Originally Posted by partystore

Oh yeah, Kid Rock wasn't "Made in Detroit," either.

His beer shouldn't be either.

**Downriviera** · February-06-12, 07:15 PM

In the early days of Made In Detroit the shirts were printed at Viking Graphics in the Russell Center. I don't think its a huge issue, but I do think it would be a nice gesture on his part to use American made shirts and move his printing operation to the city of Detroit.

**Wheels** · February-06-12, 07:40 PM

It wouldn't matter if he opened a Textile mill here in Detroit. Someone would complain that he didn't grow the cotton here!

**Gistok** · February-06-12, 08:34 PM

Originally Posted by Wheels

It wouldn't matter if he opened a Textile mill here in Detroit. Someone would complain that he didn't grow the cotton here!

Exactly, I get so sick and tired of all the sniveling that goes on this forum when people like Madonna, Jack White, Barry Gordy and the Motown folks all leave Detroit... and then they go "boo hoo" they left our city...." and when someone like Kid Rock [[for whatever reason) tries to take some pride into being from the area... all the armchair quarterbacks on this forum cry foul and whine "he's not really from here, but from someplace farther north..." Get a grip people... you make an accident of birth sound like the plague...

**Hamtragedy** · February-06-12, 09:28 PM

kid rock bought the line from the original creator, who endured his own decade of criticism.

**tvaspen** · February-06-12, 11:20 PM

Most of the shirts are American Apparel, The denim jackets are acually manufactured in Sterling Heights. The profits from the products are given to charities throughout Detroit and Michigan. I may not be a huge fan of his music, but his products have helped me stay in business for the last 5 years. Don't be such haters.

**Detroitrobert** · February-06-12, 11:52 PM

As pointed out above, the guy has done more to give back to Detroit than anyone that has posted on this thread. He bought out the Made In Detroit franchise so it wouldn't go out of business and has never taken a paycheck from the business so of course there's going to be a bunch of whiners crying about what he's not doing. Partystore, how much have you given to help Detroit and its people?

Sure, his beer sucks but at least he's employing people in Webberville, MI. How many people is Occurence signing the paycheck for? I'm going to go out on a limb and say the KR has donated more to the poor in the Detroit area than Occurence and Partystore combined.

**Gistok** · February-07-12, 12:26 AM

Well stated Detroitrobert... when celebrities actually stay to live here and try to help out, the mere act of helping out is going to cause "positive spin" for themselves... that goes with the territory.

Using celebrity status to help give back in some way to the community that helped make them famous should be appreciated, and not be prone to so much suspicion... especially when it is shown that charities and other worthy funded sources get the money.

P.S. Never tried his beer though....

**rjk** · February-07-12, 07:08 AM

Originally Posted by partystore

If Kid Rock's heart is in the right place like you insist, cramerro, I would expect the sentiment of his brand "Made in Detroit" to be reflected by business practice. Instead, it co-opts Detroit by "promoting" the City while not substantively giving back to it.

The above article is the exception to the rule of local media lauding Kid Rock... some of us are sick of this narrative.

When I read the above line in bold I thought of Paul McCartney having to be the one that payed for the refurblshment of the Steinway grand piano at the Motown Museum. The former Motown stars should be embarrassed by that.