Friday, November 15, 2024

Economy Ministry seeks to revive the ‘Hecho en México’ brand to boost Mexican-made goods

President Claudia Sheinbaum’s government is seeking to revive the brand Hecho en México to boost production and consumption of Mexican-made goods.  

Hecho en México, or Made in Mexico, is a brand managed by the Ministry of Economy that labels products made in the country. Any producer that manufactures products in Mexico can register to use the official label.

An assortment of Mexican products with the 'Hecho en México' emblem
“The goal [of the campaign] is to support the economic development of Mexico through the responsible consumption of products made in the country,” Ebrard said. (Gobierno de México)

Under the slogan “Lo que está hecho en México está bien hecho” — translated as “What’s made in Mexico is well-made” — the campaign was first created in the 1980s with the goal of boosting the quality of national products to make Mexico more competitive in the international market. It focused on industries like textile, automotive and manufacturing, among others. Now, the government is working on a strategy to revive the label. 

Hecho en México, a top priority for the Sheinbaum administration

 Earlier this week, Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard said during a press conference that the new Hecho en México campaign is a top priority for President Sheinbaum. 

“The goal [of the campaign] is to support the economic development of Mexico through the responsible consumption of products made in the country,” Ebrard said, adding that the government would support companies and businesses selling items with the official label during Buen Fin (akin to Black Friday in the United States), which is set to start Friday. 

The campaign’s director and former mayor of León, Guanajuato, Bárbara Botello, said on her official X account that the national branding plan will be adapted to current times to make the label once again “a symbol of pride for all Mexicans and an engine to boost the national economy.”

A Mexican artisan weaving with a traditional 'telar de cintura' in Santa María del Río.
The brand, and its goal of promoting Mexican-made goods, is a top priority for President Sheinbaum’s administration according to Ebrard. (Fernanda Méndez/Wikimedia Commons – Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0)

After Donald Trump took office as President of the U.S. in 2016, applications to use the Hecho en México label increased by 40, official figures from the Mexican Institute for Standardization and Certification (IMNC) show. Ahead of a new Trump administration, it is yet to be seen how this figure will fluctuate if the U.S. imposes tariffs on Mexican imports once Trump is back in office next year. 

“ORIGINAL” event showcases artisanal products made in Mexico

Strategies to boost and protect the production of Mexican products include ORIGINAL, a artisan showcase event launched by Mexico City’s Ministry of Culture that seeks to give visibility to national textile craftsmanship. 

Set at Los Pinos, the residence of Mexico’s heads of state in the years before former President López Obrador took office, the event exhibits over 3,000 artisans’ works from all over the country. 

“Since 2021, ORIGINAL celebrates those who create, preserve and transform the identity of our country, […] give life to unique and unrepeatable pieces,” Mexico City’s Culture Minister Claudia Curiel de Icaza said at the event’s opening ceremony.

Running through Nov. 17, the fourth edition of ORIGINAL features catwalks to showcase the work of 200 artisans specializing in textiles, accessories and shawls from all across Mexico, as well as keynote lectures panels on the visibility, dissemination and defense of the rights of creative communities across the country.

 With reports from Architectural Digest, Central, and El Financiero

Have something to say? Paid Subscribers get all access to make & read comments.
A U.S. farmer standing in front of a tractor and a pile of grain, holds up a handful of yellow corn

Mexico is now the biggest buyer of US food and ag exports

3
Despite an ongoing trade dispute over GM corn, Mexico is importing more and more U.S. agricultural products.
A delivery person from Mexican company Jüsto holds a pair of paper bags

Amazon México partners with online grocer Jüsto

1
Through Amazon, customers will have access to Jüsto’s 7,000 products, including the digital supermarket’s private-label products.
Hands grip the wheel of a Ford car as it drives down a highway

Mexican auto sector’s trade surplus with the US is bigger than ever

0
Though the sector's U.S. trade surplus already surpassed US $100 billion this year, American automakers don't appear worried.