Why We Source Ingredients in the USA or Close to Home

At Klaralyte, we are committed to sourcing our ingredients in the USA or in North America, so all our ingredients come from close to home. However, this does lead some of our customers to ask us why that is the case. After all, wouldn’t it be cheaper for us to source from countries like China and India? If you’re wondering about the same question, keep reading. We’ll help you understand why we believe that sourcing close to home is better for both you and us and helps us ensure that Klaralyte’s salt capsules are of the highest quality possible.

Ingredients from the USA are Tested Thoroughly

The testing requirements^[1] for dietary supplements in the United States are extremely stringent and regulated by the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA)^[2] and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This means that you don’t need to worry about the safety standards of the ingredients and help ensure there are no unnecessary fillers added to your supplements. 

Many supplement ingredients are not only unnecessary, they’re also detrimental to a person’s health. By sourcing and manufacturing in the USA, our customers don’t just have to take our claims at face value – they know that, as we’re regulated by the FDA, they can trust that our products are designed only to help, not hurt.

Materials from the USA and Canada are High-Quality

Aside from FDA regulations, there are several other regulations that ensure that materials from the USA and Canada are checked for contaminants, metals, and quality at every part of the cultivation and harvesting process. Every country has differing regulations, and many other parts of the world have regulations that aren’t as stringent as those in the United States^[3].

While this means that those ingredients and materials are occasionally cheaper, it also means they aren’t as high-quality, which affects the quality of our final product. To ensure that Klaralyte salt capsules are as high-quality as possible, we use only those ingredients that are tested thoroughly – and that means sourcing from close to home.

Rising Prices

While supplement ingredients from other parts of the world are generally considered to be cheaper than those from the United States and Canada, that is slowly changing. For example, in China, labor costs have risen almost 69% in major cities over the past five years^[4].

Additionally, there is growing demand – and therefore competition – for the same ingredients from domestic and other international markets, such as China and India. 

Finally, there’s also concern about currency rates and the risk of fluctuation therein. All of these factors are resulting in rising prices of internationally sourced ingredients, with the possibility that, in the future, sourcing internationally will actually be more expensive than sourcing at home.

Thus, by sourcing from close to home, companies can actually regulate prices better than they would be importing ingredients.

Additional Testing of Ingredients

Aside from following legal regulations, supplement ingredients generally go through additional third-party testing before making their way to supplement manufacturers in the United States. 

 For example, at Klaralyte, we test each batch of product using not only our manufacturing facility but also an independent third party so that you can be sure of the quality. By sourcing from ingredient manufacturers that follow different regulations, this testing becomes much more challenging, which can affect both quality and customers’ trust in our products.

Research Investments

Buying from international suppliers means that prices are so low that further research and development is difficult on the side of ingredient suppliers. This means that going forward, customers are unable to benefit from modern research and better ingredients. 

By sourcing from closer to home, we know that our dollars are going towards further research investments – research investments that will be beneficial for both our customers and us in the future.

Environmental Concerns

As a manufacturer of vegan and non-GMO products, the environment is important to use.

It’s impossible to overlook the fact that international transport of ingredients is resource-intensive. Non-renewable resources are used up not only in the production and harvesting of ingredients but also in the long-distance transport of these ingredients to the United States.

By manufacturing at home, we can reduce our carbon footprint^[5]. Ingredients do not have as far a route to travel, allowing us to minimize the use of resources and protect the environment. 

Consumer Trust and Pride

We understand that many of our consumers trust ingredients sourced from close to home. As a brand, we care about our customers – and that means incorporating their voices into our operations by sourcing locally as much as possible.

Additionally, sourcing from close to home is often a case of pride and supporting the communities that support us. We support local communities by buying from them, many of whom include people who are our customers themselves. 

Conclusion: 

We understand that our decision to source close to the United States can sometimes be a confusing and even a more costly one. However, we believe in the benefits of sourcing close to home and are committed to doing so in the future as well as the present.

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