The Cost of Quality.
At $35, some may consider our belts to be expensive. Rather than expecting our customers to accept that, we are going to get into the nitty-gritty and explain what goes into our belt pricing.
Before we jump into this head first, we want to share some interesting statistics.
- 70% of the clothing Americans bought in 1980 was made in the United States, whereas now it's about 2 percent. (In 1960 98% of our clothing was made in the U.S.)
- In 1960 10% of an average American's gross income went towards clothes, in 2017 that number was down to 3%.
- In 2016 the labor cost to manufacture a pair of jeans in Bangladesh was $1.80/hr. In America, it was $25.00/hr.
First things first, our goal is to make quality products that will last a lifetime. We get tired of hearing the phrase "they don't make things like they used to!" Our belt is designed to withstand everyday rigors for up to 30 years. We accomplish this by using the highest quality materials, entirely sourced from the USA.
At GRIP6 we have an amazing team of engineers that design and build a lot of the machines that make our belts. A key component of making a product that is designed to last 30 years is running exhaustive quality control checks on all of our products. Nothing leaves our shop without being individually checked for any faults, or defects.
It's challenging to make a product that will last a lifetime without being able to oversee its production. That's why we decided to make our belts in the USA. Not only are we able to maintain high production standards, but we are able to give back to the employees that make our products. We're a small business, but that doesn't mean we don't take care of our own. We pay competitive wages, offer health and dental insurance, and we are constantly ensuring that they have a safe work environment.
Speaking of the environment, we do all we can to utilize as much post-consumer product as possible. That includes everything from recycled paper packaging to soy-based inks for our dealer catalogs. There isn't a governing body that requires us to meet these standards. We set them ourselves and we do them because it's the right thing to do. They cost a little more money than using virgin materials but the long-term costs are too significant to ignore.
Every product at GRIP6 is backed by an unlimited lifetime guarantee. We refer to this is our A3 Guarandamntee. The A3 stands for Any Time, Any Reason, Any Condition. Whether you just don't like it or it was shredded while you were fighting off a bear (looking at you Leonardo DiCaprio) we'll take it back like a prodigal son.
Moral of the story?
Our craftsmanship is on trial with every belt we produce. We are responsible for making sure your belt works better and lasts longer than any other belt you've worn, and we do everything we can to ensure it will.
When you buy one of our belts you're not getting just a belt. You are getting our word that we have done everything we can to make this the finest, most functional belt you have ever owned. You are getting a promise from us that if your belt ever does fail, we will replace it, no questions asked. You are getting hours of research, design, and testing, along with our commitment that we will continue to responsibly produce quality products, right here in our own backyard.
96 comments
Gary Klimeck
Day 3 with my new Grip6 and and I convinced my Dad to buy one too.
I was wearing a 511 Tactical but then I saw the Grip6.
Zippo
I’ve been a huge supporter and aficionado of Grip6 products for well over a year. I’ve reviewed the belts, abused the belts and put them to the test. They are as claimed folks. They’re of the highest quality materials and workmanship, they flat out work, they are light weight, durable, stylish and they employ a once lost pride in MADE IN THE U.S.A.! This, to me, is very important. Having become a victim of NAFTA, and watching literally MILLIONS of jobs go over seas and beyond our borders, I would pay even more for these belts than the fine folks at Grip6 are asking of their lifetime warrantied belts and accessories. In closing….If you want to try this belt at a discount, you can use my personal Discount Code: ZIPPO20 for 20% off your order (Sale Items and Custom Buckles are not eligible for the discount) This IS the last belt you’ll ever buy. How do you put a price on something that’s built and designed to last a lifetime and that supports manufacturing in the USA? You can’t! Cheers! Zip~
Mike Oser
I was a manufacturers sales rep to the home furnishings industry! I watched all of my customers move business off shore. Hope we start slapping tariffs on imports! I own several of your belts! Hope u continue to mfg in USA!
Bill Grace
Interested in a belt
Dj
Love the belts but if you had one about 1/2 inch wider for my work pants it would be even better. Thanks!
Leave a comment
All comments are moderated before being published.
This site is protected by hCaptcha and the hCaptcha Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.