Not long ago, I was browsing one of the 'Made in Canada' groups when I came across a post from a woman who had purchased a bag she believed was made in Canada. When it arrived, it turned out that it had been cheaply manufactured in China. Many of the comments came from people who said they were afraid to shop online for exactly this reason. It inspired me to write this post to help you shop with confidence and know what to look for.

As a Canadian designer who has been manufacturing my clothing in Canada for almost 20 years, I can tell you that authentic Canadian-made products are clearly identified.

Look for these exact phrases:

- Made in Canada

- Product of Canada

If you don't see one of these statements, it's not going to be Canadian made.

Don't be fooled by clever marketing

Just because a website has the word Canada in its name doesn't mean the products are made here. Anyone can register a domain name that includes 'Canada.'

There are also several marketing phrases that can give the impression that a product is Canadian-made when it isn't. Here are some of the most common:

- Distributed in Canada - The product may simply be warehoused or sold here

- Shipped from Canada - The item could have been imported and is only being mailed from a Canadian location.

- Canadian-owned or Owned and operated in Canada - The business owner may be Canadian, but the products can still be manufactured overseas.

- Based in Canada (or a city such as Vancouver or Toronto) - This tells you where the company is located, not where the product was made.

These statements are not the same as Made in Canada or Product of Canada.

Where should you find this information?

The country of manufacture should be easy to find. Look on:

- The product label

- The packaging

- The tag

- The product description on the company's website

If you can't find Made in Canada or Product of Canada in any of these places, it's reasonable to question where the item was actually manufactured.

Why it matters

Now more than ever, supporting companies that truly manufacture in Canada matters. When products are made here, more of your dollars stay in our economy, supporting Canadian workers, families and communities. This year, I've made a point of trying many new Canadian-made products, and I've been genuinely impressed. In almost every case, the quality has exceeded what I was buying before. We make incredible products in this country, and I think more Canadians are discovering that every day.

Thank you for taking the extra moment to check where a product is made before you buy it. It may seem like a small step, but it makes a real difference for Canadian manufacturers like myself and for so many other businesses that are committed to making products here at home.

From all of us who proudly manufacture in Canada, thank you, from the bottom of our hearts.