Made In Anywhere: The Meaning of 'Made in Italy'

What does "Made in Italy" entail these days? Find a good explanation here.

"Each nation has its own distinctive brand that characterizes its products and makes them stand out from their own kind: Made in Germany has always been synonymous with robustness and reliability; Made in the U.S.A. is the sign of an innovative and avant garde product; Made in Japan symbolizes high tech and functionality; Made in Italy expresses excellence of creativity and craftsmanship."

"...Recently the Made in Italy label has unfortunately been the victim of much counterfeiting by those who, profiting shamefully from the brand's prestige, use it on various kinds of products that are in no way Italian, products of poor quality and manufacture made for only a few Euros apiece (often by exploiting innocent children, who are forced to work for many hours each day) and which are then sold in local markets at prices that are certainly much lower than a genuine Made in Italy article.



But what exactly does the 'Made in Italy' brand mean?


It means a product that is entirely made in Italy, from the design and working out on paper, up till the product is made, finished and ready for sale.


The Made in Italy name ought to denote the actual and total provenance and production in Italy of the article that bears its name; 'ought' because unfortunately in many cases this is not so.


In fact, many products can carry the Made in Italy name even when they are almost entirely made abroad!"


More on what constitutes being "Italian" or "American" or "Japanese?"