Tops, which can range from casual to dressy, are an essential part of any woman’s wardrobe. However, it’s tough to find ones entirely made in the USA these days. We did the research to find all the American made women’s tops, which we listed below. We kept this list to casual and formal tops, excluding items like activewear and jackets, which we already have research on (I linked that research at the bottom of the article). We also included some material sourcing and labeling tips and some well-known brands that we came across in our research that aren’t made here. Let’s get started.
Complete List of Women’s Tops Made in the USA
JJwinks is a Los Angeles based brand that makes womenswear designed to be worn without a bra. They have a lot of tops, dresses, pajamas, and other clothing that looks really cute and fits well for a variety of women’s sizes.
Hackwith Design House is located in Minnesota and makes tons of cute women’s tops and other apparel. They got started in 2013 and have quickly grown their product catalog. Everything is handmade in the USA, although they source some materials internationally.
Loup is a women’s wear collection based and made in New York City. Their clothes are designed to fit all body types, but they are particularly popular with women with curves. Loup has a small but amazing selection of 100% cotton tops available to order online. They also have a store in Hudson, NY.
They offer a wide range of clothes, including women’s tops, focusing on modesty and comfort. Salaam Clothing is designed to be worn in any setting, whether at the mall, walking around your neighborhood, or at work. The cuts are stylish without being too revealing, and each piece is carefully crafted to provide you with the utmost comfort. Their clothes are made in Vermont. However, they do source some of their fabrics from Europe.
Hard Tail Forever is a family-owned business that makes great casual tops for women out of their headquarters in Chillicothe, Ohio. They have a great selection of pullovers, blouses, jackets, wraps, and other items to choose from.
LA Relaxed has a small selection of women’s tops that are staples in almost any closet. They keep most of their production steps very local around the Los Angeles area.
Rite of Passage is a small-batch producer of fashionable women’s clothing in Asheville, North Carolina. Their online store is filled with super cute women’s tops. Everything is made locally with domestically sourced materials and tons of care – these staple pieces will last you decades.
Allison Izu is a women’s clothing brand on the island of O’ahu that has a wonderful selection of women’s tops. Not all fabric is US-sourced, but they assemble everything locally and take a very conscious approach to design for longevity, style, and fit.
How to Find Women’s Tops Made in the USA
Finding the country of origin can be frustrating, especially when you’re shopping online and can’t look at the tag. So, here are some tips for finding U.S. made women’s tops.
For all our advice on shopping for American made products, make sure to head to our made in the USA labeling explainer guide.
Materials
If you’re after an American made product, you should look specifically at tops made from materials sourced in the USA. Since so much clothing manufacturing takes place overseas these days, finding tops 100% sourced in the United States may be difficult, so try to find something that is at least mostly sourced in the USA.
Cotton
If you want an American made top, something that’s 100% cotton is probably your best bet. The United States is the third-largest cotton producer globally, after India and China.
Rayon
Rayon, a semi-synthetic fiber often used as a substitute for cotton, is largely produced in India, Pakistan, Indonesia, and China. Some of it still comes from the United Kingdom.
Polyester
Synthetic polyester is often used in apparel, including women’s tops. It’s sometimes blended with other fibers, such as cotton. China, Taiwan, Korea, India, Japan, and Indonesia are the major manufacturers of polyester, but some production still takes place in the U.S.
Linen
Linen is made from the fibers of the flax plant. China is the largest manufacturer of linen nowadays, but some linen is still made in Ireland, Belgium, Italy, and the United States.
Silk
China is the world’s largest silk manufacturer by far, followed by India, Uzbekistan, and Thailand. Silk production is rare in the United States. American made silk is certified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Labeling
The U.S. has laws in place that help with some country-of-origin labeling transparency. Title 19 Chapter 4 Section 1304 of the United States Code requires all imported products to be labeled as such with their country of origin on the product or packaging. According to the Textile Fiber Products Identification Act and Wool Products Labeling Act, most clothing and other textile products made in the USA must be labeled as such on the tag.
However, the requirements for being able to label your products as “made in the USA” are about as clear as mud. To advertise a product as “made in the USA,” the FTC requires that the product be “all or virtually all” made in the U.S. The FTC also doesn’t require pre-approval for using “made in the USA” language and doesn’t have a good history of policing abuse.
Many companies use confusing jargon to trick consumers into thinking a particular product is made in the U.S. For example, some companies use phrases like “assembled in the USA” or “manufactured in the USA,” but that could mean most or even all of the materials for a product were sourced from overseas. It might even mean not all of the production was done in the U.S. Similarly, the “made in America” label means the product could have been made in Canada or Mexico.
Another thing to watch out for is the American flag. The usage of the American flag on labels is not protected, so just because a company uses the flag does not automatically mean that the product is made in the USA.
Most people who buy tops prefer to do so in a brick-and-mortar store to try them on to ensure a perfect fit without returning them. This also makes it easier to check the labeling to see exactly where they were made. However, if you can’t find what you want locally and have to search online, it’s much trickier to figure out if the top you are buying was really made here. In that case, it’s a good idea to call the company, email them, or chat with them online.
Women’s Tops Not Made in the USA
Here are some popular brands that are not made in the USA. We’ll keep updating this list as we find more.
- Abercrombie & Fitch – They are an “All-American lifestyle brand of clothing,” according to their website. However, when you check out their women’s tops on their website, you will see they are imported.
- American Apparel – Unfortunately, since American Apparel filed for bankruptcy in 2015, they no longer make their clothing in the USA. Most of their clothing is now made in Honduras and Nicaragua.
- American Eagle – Don’t be fooled by the name. When we clicked on examples of women’s tops on their website, they were listed as “imported.”
- Anthropologie – Their tops are imported, according to their website.
- Buckle – Their tops are imported, according to their website.
- J. Crew – Although a few of their T-shirts are made in the USA, the rest of their clothing comes from other counties, including Vietnam, China, and Turkey.
- Nine West – Their tops are imported, according to their website.
- Ralph Lauren – Although many of their vintage polos are still made in the USA, the rest of their clothing is not.
- Madewell – Mostly made in Indonesia, China, and India.
