The "imperialist" model can still work fine if we want to stick with it.

We can keep production in poorer countries with poor worker and environmental protections so long as those countries will clearly side with us and aren't all concentrated in China's sphere of influence. No one's doing a naval blockade of the entire US coastline. And even if they did, we also have some long land borders with allies.

The problem is that US needs to find responsible governments other than the ones close to China. There are not many in the world. They are poor for some reasons.

BTW when I say responsible governments I don't mean democratic, but mean they care about people's education, can keep long term policies and build good infrastructures.