Where Are Longaberger Baskets Made 2024? – (Revealed)

/ Household

If you frequently buy baskets and love to collect them, you must have heard about Longaberger. Why not? It is the most renowned maple wood basket producer in the United States.

Longaberger maple wood basket is manufactured in Dresden, Ohio, United States. Before that, Newark’s basket building was the production centre of Longaberger.

Where Are Longaberger Baskets Made

But baskets are not the only product of Longaberger. This brand’s other decor products are made in local communities in the United States and foreign regions, such as China.

It has been around fifty years since Longaberger started its business journey. In recent years, it has made a strong base in the basket and home decor market. But the most famous work of Longaberger is its basket building in Ohio. It is now a landmark of that region.

Oh. You are still with us then. Read the following text below to know more about this lifestyle products brand and many more.

Was Longaberger made in China?

Yes, once upon a time, Longaberger used to make its pottery items in China. But on 20 May 2013, the brand conducted a project named Project Eagle to move all the production to the United States.

In 1992, Longaberger’s production went under East Liverpool’s Sterling China Company. Besides, Hall China Company also took the production control of Longaberger at the same time.

In that way, Longaberger’s production went under Chinese brands for the first time. In the early 2000s, these Chinese companies shifted Longaberger’s manufacturing operations to China.

By 2005, the United States had to import Longaberger to sell its products in America. As the situation was going reverse in terms of import and export, Longaberger began returning its brand’s glory tag, Made In America.

After years of working, Longaberger finally took its manufacturing back to the United States in 2013. To take the production back inside the USA, the brand had to run Project Eagle.

However, Longaberger is an international brand. According to the company, besides the USA, it produces dinnerware, home decor, etc., regionally in other countries as well, including China.

Are Longaberger baskets still in business?

Longaberger baskets are still made. However, Longaberger employees are not the ones to make it. As of this writing, Xcel Brands manufactures Longaberger’s handmade baskets.

Though the Longaberger company’s journey began in 1973, its story started in 1919. J. W. Longaberger started a basket factory in Dresden, The Dresden Basket Factory. There, the workers made baskets without any machine’s aid.

The Longaberger handmade baskets became widely famous in a short time. Thus, J. W. Longaberger had to purchase another basket factory to meet the market demand.

In 1973, Longaberger officially became a private limited company. In these business years, this basket and lifestyle brand had to go under several companies to keep going.

However, the basket was the only product the brand handmade using its employees. But for the other products, the parent company took responsibility for the production.

In 2019, Xcel Brands acquired Longaberger when Longaberger filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy. This time, the handmade basket production went under the Xcel Brands.

Currently, Xcel Brands handcrafts baskets for Longaberger in its production facility in Dresden, Ohio, United States. Except for the handmade basket, Xcel makes other Longaberger products locally in various states and countries.

What caused Longaberger to go out of business?

Longaberger was going out of business and had to file for bankruptcy in 2019. Employees are accusing Tami Longaberger of her mismanagement and overspending.

From 1973 to the early 2000s, Longaberger thrived in the lifestyle, basket, etc., market. However, after the 2000s, its profit started to decline and eventually had to go under Chinese brands.

To return Longaberger’s former glory tag, Made In America, the company’s president had to spend money heavily. Besides, the management of this company was not perfect enough.

And then comes the famous basket building in Ohio. Longaberger spent 32 million dollars to build this now-landmark. In 2016, the brand tried to sell the building but still could not because its current price is around 8 million dollars.

All this money mismanagement and factory mismanagement led Longaberger to this state. But no worries.

Now, Longaberger is in good hands. Xcel Brands is doing an excellent job of lifting this brand upward, and the improvement is visible.

Where was the basket building built?

Longaberger built the famous basket building in Newark, Ohio, United States. This building has become a visiting site and a local landmark.

In 1997, the construction of the basket building was completed. This building is built on a 180 thousand square feet area. When the company constructed this building, it had to spend around 32 million dollars.

The basket building is of seven floors and has an excellent design for natural light. The basket’s handles are made of steel, each weighing 70 tons.

The building has been advertised since 2016. But now, Longaberger is not giving any thought to selling the Basket Building. The reason is that if the company sells this building, it will be at a loss.

Longaberger spent 32 million, but the present value is around 8 million. This is a four times loss if you don’t count the inflation.

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