My very-elderly parents have a house full of stuff, from appliances to towels, that they bought as a young couple on a tight budget. They were always the type to buy the cheapest thing that would do the job. Even that stuff, though, would last practically indefinitely if you didn't abuse it. Except for some cameras, all the old items I can think of there were made in USA. My own view on this is that manufacturers didn't necessarily have more integrity, they just hadn't yet figured out how to make things more cheaply.