[allisthemoist]

The recent move of Adidas back to Germany seems to contradict your assertion: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/may/25/adidas-to-sell-...

[MBCook]

Adidas doesn't need tons of customized and specially produced screws, fasteners, metal cases, and other such things that smartphones and laptops and other consumer electronics do.

The supply chain to support making shoes seems like it would be MUCH smaller.

[Kadin]

There is a huge supply chain in the US for very complicated goods due to defense procurement. It is not cost optimized (even close...) but it exists. It is a falsehood that "we don't make that stuff here anymore" for virtually any value of "stuff".

It would take a relatively small tweak to import duties to make most types of outsourcing uneconomical.

[kuschku]

Yet you can build those supply chains easily in Germany – all the factories to produce the parts you need are already there.

Germany, in fact, is in the business of producing the machinery that is then used in other countries to produce your phones, tanks, ice cream cones.

[imtringued]

Supply chains for simple products such as a yoghurt can actually be quite complex.

https://erdbeerjoghurt150g.files.wordpress.com/2008/06/joghu...