Zebralight - Origin

I keep reading in these forums that Zebralight is an American company and that the flashlights are made in the US.

However for those of us living outside the US, if we order from Zebralight, the lights are posted using China post.

I found this curious. Can anyone that has some knowledge on the subject shed some light on it if you would pardon the pun?

Re: Zebralight - Question

Zebralight is an American company but their lights are currently made in China. Some new models, however, will be manufactured in the US. Also, for many US buyers their purchases are shipped from China too.

Even more strange, i recently ordered a couple sc51s, got a chinapost tracking link, and my lights were shipped from texas!?... but only the older model on their website, the closeout ones, have the disclaimer that they are shipped from china. In fact i dont mind if they are made in china, most of the best lights are... and i appreciate even more if the revenue stays in the states.

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Re: Zebralight - Question

The owner and designer is based in the US. Manufacturing is based in China. Sometimes they ship from the US, sometimes they ship from China.

Re: Zebralight - Question

If you order them from Going Gear they are shipped from the US. I hope

Re: Zebralight - Question

easilyled said:

I keep reading in these forums that Zebralight is an American company and that the flashlights are made in the US.

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You can rest assured that ZebraLights are originated right here in the good ol' US of A:

Known Preliminary Information:

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.
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Country of Origin: U.S.A.

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http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...-Clicky-XM-L&p=3677264&viewfull=1#post3677264

Re: Zebralight - Question

leon2245 said:

You can rest assured that ZebraLights are originated right here in the good ol' US of A:



http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...-Clicky-XM-L&p=3677264&viewfull=1#post3677264

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That is just for the proposed new models T5 & T3.

All of the currently produced Zebralights are made in China.

Check the Zebralight Product Comparison table from the Zebralight homepage for more info.

Re: Zebralight - Question

Thanks for all the responses.

It seems to me to be fairly conclusive that Zebralights are made/manufactured in China currently.

With this knowledge, do you (ie my fellow CPFers) truly regard Zebralight as an American company, in the same way as Surefire, Malkoff or Peak for example?

Re: Zebralight - Question

easilyled said:

Thanks for all the responses.

It seems to me to be fairly conclusive that Zebralights are made/manufactured in China currently.

With this knowledge, do you (ie my fellow CPFers) truly regard Zebralight as an American company, in the same way as Surefire, Malkoff or Peak for example?

Click to expand...

For me i would have to say no until some are actually made in the USA although i do enjoy their lights and headlamps (very useful)...Hope your summer in the UK is not as hot as it is here....Robert.

Re: Zebralight - Question

easilyled said:

Thanks for all the responses.

It seems to me to be fairly conclusive that Zebralights are made/manufactured in China currently.

With this knowledge, do you (ie my fellow CPFers) truly regard Zebralight as an American company, in the same way as Surefire, Malkoff or Peak for example?

Click to expand...

To me the most important factor in this equation is that the profit stays here. If an American company can outsource some of its manufacturing to get higher quality at a lower cost, thereby making more profit in the USA, then more power to them. Especially in tech/electronic goodies, "Made in America" doesn't mean better. And it doesn't mean its profits stay in America either... Consider all the Japanese car manufacturers with plants here. Sure, they employ thousands of Americans, but the bulk of the revenue from your "American Made" car is being spent and/or invested overseas. I'd rather have it the other way around, as in Zebralight's model.

Re: Zebralight - Question

easilyled said:

With this knowledge, do you (ie my fellow CPFers) truly regard Zebralight as an American company, in the same way as Surefire, Malkoff or Peak for example?

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No, I regard it as an American company like 4Sevens.

Re: Zebralight - Question

treek13 said:

No, I regard it as an American company like 4Sevens.

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I agree, but I find myself thinking of 4Sevens and Zebralight as Chinese companies. I also view Armytek in the same way. I lump HDS in with Surefire, Malkoff, and Peak as American companies. Guess I tend to think along the lines of where the light is assembled?

Re: Zebralight - Question

Based on where the company is based, Zebra, Surefire, etc. are American companies.

Based on where the parts are manufactured, Zebra and Surefire are NOT American companies, but Malkoff and HDS are.

Based on where the parts are assembled into products, Zebra is not currently an American company, but Surefire, Malkoff, and HDS are.

Re: Zebralight - Question

B0wz3r said:

Based on where the company is based, Zebra, Surefire, etc. are American companies.

Based on where the parts are manufactured, Zebra and Surefire are NOT American companies, but Malkoff and HDS are.

Based on where the parts are assembled into products, Zebra is not currently an American company, but Surefire, Malkoff, and HDS are.

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But what about based on where the light originated?

And are you not aware that many Chinese Designs are inspired by that very same standard of American Quality anyway?





I'm far more interested in performance, not pedigrees. After purchasing 6 s.f.'s, 3 mags, & an innova (u.s.a. brands) since having bought my one & only fenix, guess which one remains pretty much the only one i use? Trick question. I haven't given up on USA made, but I'd also buy from a 3rd world toddler sweat shop if they ever started making tighten-for-off l.e.d.'s that tailstood.

Re: Zebralight - Question

leon2245 said:

But what about based on where the light originated?

And are you not aware that many Chinese Designs are inspired by that very same standard of American Quality anyway?





I'm far more interested in performance, not pedigrees. After purchasing 6 s.f.'s, 3 mags, & an innova (u.s.a. brands) since having bought my one & only fenix, guess which one remains pretty much the only one i use? Trick question. I haven't given up on USA made, but I'd also buy from a 3rd world toddler sweat shop if they ever started making tighten-for-off l.e.d.'s that tailstood.

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Define originated.

I care about where a light is made and what company it is that makes it. At the same time, I also care about getting a tool that meets my needs, rather than just buying because of where it might be made, etc.

I certainly prefer American based companies, even if they outsource their manufacturing.

I also prefer lights that are manufactured and assembled in America, but at the same time, something like a Surefire is not a light that meets my needs, either in terms of price or features, so I don't own any. Not that I don't know that they're not great lights, on the contrary; I simply have no need for a light that I can drive a truck over, like a Surefire, nor do I have the income to purchase such lights either.

And I do care what the labor practices of an outsourcing manufacturer are. If I were to find that the Chinese manufacturing of Zebras did involve some kind of child or sweat shop labor, I would stop buying their products until they changed their manufacturer to one that did not engage in such practices.

Yes, performance is important, but where my money goes is important to me too... we vote with our dollars, so that's why I try to be conscientious about it.

Re: Zebralight - Question

B0wz3r said:

Define originated.

I care about where a light is made and what company it is that makes it. At the same time, I also care about getting a tool that meets my needs, rather than just buying because of where it might be made, etc.

I certainly prefer American based companies, even if they outsource their manufacturing.

I also prefer lights that are manufactured and assembled in America, but at the same time, something like a Surefire is not a light that meets my needs, either in terms of price or features, so I don't own any. Not that I don't know that they're not great lights, on the contrary; I simply have no need for a light that I can drive a truck over, like a Surefire, nor do I have the income to purchase such lights either.

And I do care what the labor practices of an outsourcing manufacturer are. If I were to find that the Chinese manufacturing of Zebras did involve some kind of child or sweat shop labor, I would stop buying their products until they changed their manufacturer to one that did not engage in such practices.

Yes, performance is important, but where my money goes is important to me too... we vote with our dollars, so that's why I try to be conscientious about it.

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+1. My thoughts exactly!

Re: Zebralight - Question

B0wz3r said:

Define originated.

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You'd have to ask ZebraLight what they meant by it in that context. Perhaps the company or someone related to the company in some way has an office or P.O. box here- or first came up with the the very idea of selling flashlights while in the USA, or flying through US airspace?

Re: Zebralight - Question

Welcome to globalization.Where does Apple have all their IPhones and IPads manufactured?

Re: Zebralight - Question

I think I should mention at this point that although I asked the question, I would have no hesitation in buying Zebralight products if they meet my expectations. I have recently bought a SC600, and am impressed with it so far.

The reason why I asked the question in the first place is because, as I said, I read in many threads that Zebralight was a US company and even that the lights were made there.

I think that its important to have the facts clear regardless of whether the facts impact on our purchasing decisions.

Re: Zebralight - Question

leon2245 said:

But what about based on where the light originated?

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leon2245 said:

You'd have to ask ZebraLight what they meant by it in that context.

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You do realize that Zebralight lists China as the country of origin for every one of their models currently in production. I'm guessing this means that they consider country of origin to mean where the light is manufactured.

Again, check the Zebralight Product Comparison table from the Zebralight homepage for more info.