Where every label reads, 'Made in USA'

Buying American can be tough.

The mass recalls of tainted toys from China have been a reminder of how much we buy that's made overseas.

A month ago, Manhattan native George Hanos made buying American products easier through usab2c.com, a Web site that sells products made only in the good ol' USA.

"I felt that because jobs were quickly evaporating from the manufacturing base in the U.S., what we're losing is that know-how," said Hanos, 53, who retired as an accountant from Pfizer in 2004.

Hanos, who grew up in Washington Heights and now lives in New City, N.Y., launched his site, America's Business to Consumers, to sell more than 6,000 American-made products ranging from sunglasses to wooden toy trains.

To make it onto the Web site, an item needs to be comprised of at least 80% of U.S.-produced materials, including its packaging. It also needs to be manufactured in the U.S. by Americans or documented workers, and the company that makes the product needs to be at least 51% American owned.

Hanos, whose father was a Greek immigrant and restaurateur, said that he's not against globalization, but wants to see traditions of American craftsmanship endure.

Being American-made doesn't eliminate the possibility an item could have safety issues. Still, But Hanos believes U.S.-produced products, while often more expensive because of higher labor
costs, are of better quality.

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