Americans are buying American again. Consumer trends after Sept. 11, 2001 show increased attention to domestic goods, and Americans are even reading books and visiting Web sites that tout the benefits of buying brands made in the U.S.A.

In an election-year dominated by disputes over lost jobs, overseas outsourcing, and a huge trade deficit, it makes sense that many Americans are seeking out homemade goods. Some consumers, fearing that globalization could erode the U.S. job market and economy, claim that a "buy American" movement can help remedy the situation.

What "Made in America" means, exactly, is unclear. Although the Federal Trade Commission requires that any product bearing a "Made in U.S.A." label be all (or virtually all) manufactured in the United States, many American-made manufacturers still use certain materials from overseas. Other American firms are unrelenting in their quest to maintain an all-American image, and have made it a badge of honor to deny the use of any nondomestic materials in their products.