Founded in 1967 and headquartered in New York City, Ralph Lauren is one of the world’s biggest brands in the fashion industry today. It which produces almost any kind of clothes and accessories imaginable – from cheap shirts to some of the best suits that exist on the market.
But…where?
Are they (still) made in the US? Or did it outsource most (if not all) of its production to China, as many other American brands like Tommy Hilfiger and Brooks Brothers did?
In this QA article, we’ll find out the answer to that question (and to many others as well)!
Read: The ULTIMATE Guide to Ralph Lauren Lines in the Milky Way
#1 – Introduction
Before we begin our journey, it’s important … :
(1) … to know that most of information from this article is a result of me looking at hundreds of listings on eBay AND of my rich scavenging and bargain hunting careers.
(2) … to know that I’m not affiliated with Ralph Lauren in way whatsoever (and have never been).
(3) … that you become (more) familiar with various Ralph Lauren lines before you keep reading this article – I STRONGLY recommend that you read this one first (if you haven’t already) in order to avoid confusion.
Read: The ULTIMATE Guide to Giorgio Armani Lines on the Internet
#2 – Where are Ralph Lauren Clothes Made?
Are Ralph Lauren Clothes Made in the US?
Believe it or not, they are!
Ralph Lauren, unlike many other American fashion companies (Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger), didn’t outsource all of its production – around 5% of its products are still made in the US. Since labor costs in the US are some of the highest (if not the highest) in the world, US-made Ralph Lauren clothes are usually part of its more expensive lines – Ralph Lauren Purple Label, Ralph Lauren Black Label and Ralph Ralph Lauren (RRL) lines, that is. Also, it’s important to mention that in the past (before NAFTA and before China joined the WTO in 2001), some clothes from the the middle-end Polo Ralph Lauren line were also made in the US.
As of time of this writing, Ralph Lauren clothes that’re made in the US are Ralph Lauren Purple Label leather jackets, footwear and dresses of more unique designs (those of more basic designs are usually made in Italy) and more expensive models of RRL footwear, belts and denim products. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to find out where in the US Ralph Lauren makes its products – all I know is that RRL jeans are made in LA from Japanese denim (which is the best one in the world).
Read: The ULTIMATE Guide to Hugo Boss Lines on the Internet
Is Ralph Lauren Made In Italy?
Yes, a significant part of clothes from Ralph Lauren’s more expensive lines (Ralph Lauren Purple Label, Ralph Lauren Black Label and Ralph Ralph Lauren) are made in Italy.
Italy (in particular its northern part) has been producing some of the finest finished goods in the world since the Middle Ages, such as musical instruments ( the craftsmen from the city of Cremona are known for creating some of the finest musical instruments in history), weapons (almost every army and police force in the world uses pistols and rifles made by Beretta), cars (I’m pretty sure you sometime dreamed of owning and driving a Lamborghini), clothes (Gucci, Prada, Armani etc. ) and much more. Thus, it comes at no surprise that many fashion companies, despite high labor costs, produce some (if not all) of their high-end products in Italy. One of those companies is, of course, Ralph Lauren.
From what I’ve seen, the vast majority of Ralph Lauren Purple Label and Ralph Lauren Black Label clothes that’re made in Italy are various accessories and leather jackets for both genders (pocket squares, ties), men’s suits, blazers, coats sport coats and women’s dresses. All of those products are by very reputable companies – for example, men’s suits, blazers and jackets are made by Cantarelli and Sant’Andrea.
As far as clothes from the mid-end Polo Ralph Lauren line are concerned, some of its accessories, suits and blazers are also made in Italy, by Corneliani.
Read: Where is Armani Made? Is it in Italy?
Is Ralph Lauren Made In China?
Yes, a lot of Ralph Lauren clothes from its middle-end (Polo Ralph Lauren, Ralph Lauren, RLX, Pink Pony) and lower-end lines (Lauren Ralph Lauren) are made in China.
The main reasons why Ralph Lauren moved a significant part of its production to China (like many other companies did – including those that’re not involved in the fashion industry) is because … :
(1) … of low labor costs (which SIGNIFICANTLY lowers the cost of production).
(2) … it has a developed infrastructure (built over the last hundred years) that can support a large-scale production of (almost) every item imaginable – including clothes. Also, the Chinese government offers various tax breaks and subsidies to companies that do business there.
(3) … it has access to materials that’re needed for the production of clothes (China is the world’s biggest producer of cotton and raw textiles), which lowers the cost of production.
However, in the last few years, many companies (including Ralph Lauren) had begun moving production from China to other Asian countries such as Bangladesh, Vietnam and the Philippines because of increasing labor costs and due to political reasons (deterioration of relations with the collective West, especially the US). For Western companies like Ralph Lauren, these two reasons are huge, HUGE turn-offs because … :
(1) … higher labor cost means that they’d have to raise the price of their products in order to offset it. If they do that, products will be less competitive on the market compared to those that’re made in countries where the labor cost is lower – would you rather buy a Polo Ralph Lauren shirt that’s made in China for $40 OR a Tommy Hilfiger shirts that’s made in Bangladesh (of same quality) for $30? Many would buy the LATTER simply because they’d get a product of roughly the same quality for a cheaper price!
(2) … their profit margins will decrease – in other words, the owner(s) and shareholders of those companies will earn less money. Do you want to earn more money or less money?
(3) … there’s ALWAYS a chance that a “cold” war between China and the West will become, so to speak “warmer” or even “hot” – no company (including Ralph Lauren) wants to be caught on the wrong side of a global conflict! On the other hand, there’s almost zero chance that there’ll be any war, “cold” or “hot”, between the Philippines and the collective West.
Read: 5 Reasons to Shop at Thrift Stores
Is Ralph Lauren Made In Bangladesh?
Yes, a lot of Ralph Lauren clothes from its middle-end (Polo Ralph Lauren, Ralph Lauren, RLX, Pink Pony) and lower-end lines (Lauren Ralph Lauren) are made in Bangladesh.
Bangladesh is the world’s second largest clothing suppliers after China – according to the Exports Promotion Bureau of Bangladesh, it exported clothes worth $23 billion (yes, with a B) for the July 2022 and December 2023 period. This number will only increase in the following years because a lot of fashion companies (like Ralph Lauren) are moving their production from China to Bangladesh because … :
(1) … of low labor costs – they’re much lower than in China. As stated before, they SIGNIFICANTLY lower the cost of production and every company LOVES that – their products will be more competitive on the market and they’ll earn more, which will make their owners and/or shareholders VERY HAPPY!
(2) … it has a developed infrastructure that can support a large-scale production of clothing.
(3) … it has decent relations with most of the countries in the collective West despite being dependent and politically close with China and Russia (Bangladesh is a prospective member of BRICS).
A lot of Ralph Lauren clothes are also made in Sri Lanka, Philippines, Vietnam and Cambodia for the exact same reasons as in Bangladesh – low labor costs, an infrastructure that can handle large-scale production of clothes and decent relations with the collective West.
In the next (FAQ) section, you’ll learn where clothes from the most popular Ralph Lauren lines are made.
Read: The BEST Guide to Zegna Lines IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM (and Beyond)
#3 – Other Questions About Where Is Ralph Lauren Made
Where are Ralph Lauren Purple Label Clothes Made?
Ralph Lauren Purple Label clothes are mostly made in Europe, the US and Peru. From what I’ve seen, most of Ralph Lauren Purple Label … :
(1) … suits, sport coats and blazers are made in Italy. Some older ones are made in the UK.
(2) … jackets and coats are made in Italy. Some of more unique designs are made in the US.
(3) … footwear is made in Italy, the UK and Spain.
(4) … dress shirts are made in Italy. Shirts and polo shirts are made in Italy, Peru and Portugal.
(5) … dresses and skirts are made in Italy and the US.
Read: How to Get High-End Clothes FOR CHEAP
Where are Ralph Lauren Black Label Clothes Made?
Ralph Lauren Black Label clothes are mostly made in Europe, US and China. From what I’ve seen, Ralph Lauren Black Label … :
(1) … suits, sport coats and blazers (of which I own two and sold a dozen) are made in Italy.
(2) … jackets and coats are made in Italy, for the most part. Some that I’ve seen on Internet were made in the US and China.
(3) … footwear is made in Italy, the UK, Spain and China.
(4) … shirts and dress shirts are made in Italy, Peru, Portugal and China.
(5) … dresses and skirts are mostly made in China (and some in the Dominican Republic).
Read: The DEFINITE Guide to ALL Canali Lines
Where are Ralph Ralph Lauren Clothes Made?
Ralph Ralph Lauren (RRL) clothes are mostly made in Italy, Asia (mostly Turkey, India and China), Mexico and the US. From what I’ve seen, RRL … :
(1) … sport coats and blazers are made in Italy.
(2) … leather jackets are made in India, Turkey and China.
(3) … jeans and other denim products are made in the US, Mexico and China.
(4) … shirts, sweaters and dress shirts are mostly made in China.
Read: Are Giorgio Armani Suits REALLY That Good?
Where are Polo Ralph Lauren Clothes Made?
Polo Ralph Lauren clothes are mostly made in Italy, Asia and the US. From what I’ve seen, most Polo Ralph Lauren … :
(1) … suits, sport coats and blazers are made in Italy, Slovakia, China, the US and Japan (I once saw a vintage blazer that was made there).
(2) … jackets and coats are made in China and India.
(3) … footwear is made in Portugal, Spain and China.
(4) … shirts, polo shits and dress shirts are made in China, Bangladesh, Philippines and Cambodia.
Clothes from the Ralph Lauren line (a line that can many describe as “Polo Ralph Lauren for outlets”) are made mostly in various Asian countries.
Read: How to SPOT A FAKE Hugo Boss Suit/Blazer
Where are Lauren Ralph Lauren Clothes Made?
All clothes from the Lauren Ralph Lauren are made in various Asian countries – mostly in China, Bangladesh and Philippines. The only exception are some of the older suits, blazers and sport coats from this line which are made in Canada by Peerless.
It’s important to mention that ALL clothes from the Ralph Lauren RLX and Pink Pony lines are exclusively made in Asia.
Read: How to Spot a FAKE Emporio Armani Watch
Where are Ralph Lauren Suits Made?
The answer to that question depends on the Ralph Lauren label they belong to.
Ralph Lauren Purple Label suits are made in Italy by Cantarelli and Sant’Andrea. These suits are fully canvassed and are SOME OF THE BEST THAT MONEY CAN BUY – they’re on pair with Brioni, Kiton, Belvest and Isaia. Some of their older models were made in the United Kingdom by Chester Barrie, which went out of business years ago.
Ralph Lauren Black Label suits are made in Ital by Caruso and are fully canvassed as well. From what I’ve experienced, the main difference between a Ralph Lauren Black Label suit and its Ralph Lauren Purple Label counterpart is the fit – the former are slimmer.
Suits from the Polo Ralph Lauren and RRL lines are, for the most part, made in Italy and Slovakia by Corneliani (some cheaper models are made in China probably by other companies). Some vintage Polo Ralph Lauren suits (that I’ve seen on eBay) are made in the USA. They’re, depending on model, either half canvassed or fused.
And finally, Lauren Ralph Lauren suits are made in Canada (by Peerless Clothing when it had a license) and Asia (India, China, Vietnam…) and are fused.
Read: The MOST COMPREHENSIVE Guide to Corneliani Lines IN THE UNIVERSE
#4 – VERDICT: Is Ralph Lauren Made in the USA? Or in China?
If we take into account all the evidence presented in this article, it can be easily concluded that… :
(1) … some of the company’s higher-end and vintage middle-end offerings are made in the US.
(2) … most middle and lower-end clothes are made in China, but that most likely won’t be the case in the near future.
Thank you for reading. If you’ve liked this article and want to see more like them, make sure you bookmark this site and to follow me on Instagram!
Until next time.
Your man,
-Leon
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