If you’ve followed Ebb N Flow Outdoors for any amount of time, you probably know one thing. We’re proud to make our products in the USA. That isn’t a marketing slogan. It’s how we started. And if I’m being honest… It’s how I’d love to stay. But somewhere along this journey, I realized something that made me uncomfortable. Wanting to manufacture in America… And being able to manufacture in America… Are two very different things.
The Easy Answer Isn’t the Honest Answer
People love simple opinions. “Everything should be made in America.” Or… “Everything should be made overseas because it’s cheaper.” Neither one tells the whole story. Business rarely does. The truth usually lives somewhere in the middle.
Why We Started Here
When you’re a small company, making products in the United States has some incredible advantages. You can pick up the phone. Drive to the manufacturer if you need to. Make changes quickly. Order smaller quantities. Test an idea without betting the entire company on one production run. Those things matter. Especially when you’re still learning. Especially when every new product is an experiment. The flexibility is worth real money. Even if it doesn’t show up on a balance sheet.
Then the Business Starts Growing
Growth changes everything. The order that used to feel big… Now barely keeps products in stock. The production run that once lasted a year… Now lasts a few months. Customers want more colors. More sizes. More options. Retailers want deeper inventory. Distributors want consistent supply. Suddenly, the same manufacturing model that helped you start… Begins making it harder to scale. Not because anyone is doing anything wrong. Because the business has changed.
The Conversation Nobody Likes to Have
Here’s the part entrepreneurs don’t always admit publicly. Sometimes the company outgrows the system that built it. That’s hard to say. Especially when you’re proud of where you started. I still believe American manufacturing offers incredible advantages. Quality. Communication. Speed. Relationships. Lower minimum orders. The ability to improve products quickly. Those aren’t small things. But neither is reality.
At a certain point, if you’re trying to compete nationally—or globally—you have to ask different questions. Can we keep products in stock? Can we stay price competitive? Can we generate enough margin to hire people, invest in innovation, and continue growing? Those questions aren’t about patriotism. They’re about survival.
This Isn’t About Cheap
One thing I’ve learned is that offshore manufacturing isn’t automatically better. And American manufacturing isn’t automatically perfect. I’ve seen incredible craftsmanship from both. I’ve also seen mistakes from both. The difference isn’t a map. It’s the people, the standards, and the relationships behind the product. If the day comes that Ebb N Flow manufactures some products overseas, it won’t be because we stopped believing in American manufacturing.
It’ll be because we believe in building a company that can still be here twenty years from now. Sometimes the most difficult business decisions aren’t choosing between right and wrong. They’re choosing between two good options with different consequences.
The Real Cost
People often ask why American-made products cost more. The answer isn’t simply labor. It’s everything. Smaller production runs. Higher wages. Different regulations. Different operating costs. Sometimes higher material costs. And often, lower margins for the business owner. Here’s the irony. Customers want innovation. Great customer service. Fast shipping. Products that never go out of stock. Competitive prices. American manufacturing.
Those are all worthwhile expectations. The challenge is that delivering every one of them at the same time isn’t always possible. Something has to give.
What I Hope Never Changes
Whether we manufacture in South Carolina… Or somewhere halfway around the world someday… There are a few things I never want to outsource. Listening to customers. Standing behind our products. Answering when people need help. Constantly improving. Treating people fairly. Those things don’t have a country of origin. They have a company culture. And that’s the part I intend to protect no matter where a product is made.
One Last Cast…
When I started Ebb N Flow Outdoors, I thought the biggest challenge would be designing better fishing products. Today I know that’s only part of the job. The harder challenge is building a company that can adapt without losing its identity. Maybe that’s what entrepreneurship really is. Holding onto your values… While being willing to change your methods.
Because sometimes the strongest companies aren’t the ones that refuse to evolve. They’re the ones that know exactly what should never change… And what eventually must.
Until next cast...
- Dave Erdly
Founder, Ebb N Flow Outdoors