50 Made In America Gift Ideas From Every State

There’s no place like home for the holidays, but if you can’t get there, you can still support a business in a state that is special to you or someone on your list. Below are some small businesses you can support on Small Business Saturday or Cyber Monday. Starting any business requires creativity and bravery. Every business must produce something that customers want.

The American Dream – that if you work hard, anyone can get ahead— is fulfilled by the risk takers who start businesses.

Before reading this list, make sure you’re wearing a loose shirt, so your buttons don’t burst off when your chest swells with pride at these Americans who are producing interesting and iconic items. Some ideas represent things states are well known for— like Wisconsin and a cheese box. Others are producers of products that make great gifts. They were chosen at random, and there are similar makers out there working hard for their slice of the market too. Everything here is made in America.

1. Alabama

The Alabama Sawyer company makes furniture from reclaimed urban wood. This hexagon bread box is the perfect size for round loaves. That’s the thing with homemade bread: you need someplace to store it. When not holding bread, it makes a pretty storage box.  

2. Alaska

Savory Alaska can hook you up five salmon species, including King, sockeye, coho, pink, and keta. Get it smoked or ready for you to cook. The company also offers halibut, cod, smoked herring, and octopus, and a subscription box to keep it coming. Fresh frozen salmon could elevate the Christmas Eve night of fishes for those who celebrate.

3. Arizona

Singing Tree Flutes makes American Indian flutes that look and sound like art. They are made of cherry wood, aromatic cedar, and other woods. Each flute is displayed with photos and a video explaining the specific instrument, and a sample of the haunting music it produces. Once you start watching videos, it’s tough to stop.

4. Arkansas

Some musicians love to collect instruments. The dulcimer is so approachable that a child can play it, and with practice can master it. If not, it sure looks pretty hanging on the wall. McSpadden Mountain Dulcimer has been crafting dulcimers since 1962 and offers everything you need to get started.

5. California

When did you last have a date? California grows this sweet treat that is sometimes forgotten in the Midwest and the eastern U.S. where dates are more often seen as a sweetener in baked goods. These Medjool dates from Del Rey Farms are an affordable and unexpected gift.

6. Colorado

Buena Goods mesh bags manage to be vibrantly colored without being obnoxious. They are bright enough to satisfy the bold fashionista without making her taupe-loving friend cringe. Heck, Taupe Girl secretly wants a Buena Goods bag, with its texture begging for fingertips to be dragged over its durable ridges. The sewing studio for these bags is in Salida, Colorado. Perfect for whatever needs toting: groceries, beachy things, or a really big lunch.

7. Connecticut

The Hartford Artisans Weaving Center teaches large loom weaving to local people who are visually impaired, blind, or over 55 years old. They make woven towels, napkins, scarves, wraps and bags. This means everything in their online store is one-of-a-kind. It would not take long for their store to sell out, which would be a neat problem for them to have.

8. Delaware

Scrapple is a controversial gift sure to get some kind of reaction from everyone in the room. Folks either love it, (they were probably raised on the weird breakfast mystery meat) or like me, they haven’t tried it. The Delaware company Rapa Scrapple says it was “founded in 1926 and has since become the leading-selling scrapple producer in the United States.” Rapa generally sells wholesale, so the company’s website goes to a Pennsylvania distributer for those wishing to buy the Delaware product online.

9. Florida

No one would be sad to receive a sweet box of Florida citrus fruits at peak freshness. The Orange Shop in, get this, North Citra, Florida, has been growing for 89 years. They offer Meyer lemons, grapefruit, and several juicy orange varieties. The Orange Shop’s website tells you what citrus is ripening next.

10. Georgia

Ellis Bros. Pecans is a grower with a store in Vienna, Georgia, and an online business. Get pecans halved, crushed, or covered in chocolate. Or get a frisky pecan pie spiked with 13th Colony Southern Bourbon Whiskey.

11. Hawaii

Hawaii has so many giftable items: Ukuleles, pineapples, SPAM. But the classic Hilo Hattie Hawaiian shirt is a closet workhorse that says, “I’m fun!” or, “I’ve been somewhere.” Just wearing one is a mental vacation. Imagine receiving a Hilo Hattie shirt with a note announcing a trip to Hawaii. That would be unforgettable.

12. Idaho

The Teton Hammock Company makes colorful, light-weight hammocks in Idaho Falls. Swinging between trees eliminates sleeping on sharp rocks and lumpy sticks. For added comfort, you can get a bug screen topper, and for cold camping, cozy custom quilts for over and under the hammock for a total cocoon effect.

13. Illinois

Pilot Knob Farm near Oneida, Illinois, is a fifth generation popcorn farm that grows varieties of red and blue kernel corn that they say has a softer hull. The farm advertises it as being easier on the teeth. Pilot Knob’s website sells popcorn by the jar, but for an eating adventure, check out their 12-pack of microwave popcobs, that is, dried kernels still on the cob. Jut stick the cob in an (included) paper bag and let the microwave pop it off. The website has video instructions. Break up a 12-pack and put one in everyone’s stocking.

14. Indiana

Guardian Bikes in Seymour, Indiana, is focused on helping kids learn to ride bikes. It’s smallest bike frame is recommended for children ages 1.5-4 years old. This bike starts with no peddles and, although you could put training wheels on the bike, they suggest kids learn to balance better with out them. Instead, the child pushes off with their feet and gains confidence. The smallest model has no crank or chain. Larger frames have removable pedals. Once a child is balancing confidently, add the pedals on larger frames. The bikes come in a bunch of snazzy colors and, for now, are mostly made in the U.S. But Guardian’s website says it taking steps to bring the entire process to the U.S.

15. Iowa

Iowa is the top pork producing state in the U.S. so, yes, they have bacon. It’s a problem for The Edgewood Locker in Edgewood, Iowa; the small meat processor is running out of room on its walls for all the awards its bacon has won at the Iowa State Fair. If you want to try what state fair judges say is some of the best bacon, in the best bacon makin’ state, the Edgewood Locker can ship you a bacon bundle with these flavors included: smoked; smoked apple cinnamon; smoked pepper; and smoked jalapeño, plus some bacon and cheddar brats.

16. Kansas

Say “Kansas” and the word “barbecue” is never far behind. Joe’s is made in Kansas City, Kansas. This sauce was invented not long after Joe bought his first smoker in the 1990s. He started cooking, and winning, competitively on the barbecue circuit, which resulted in a restaurant and this boss sauce.

17. Kentucky

Mary Alice Hadley was a Kentucky potter who wanted some sturdy plates for use on her houseboat on the Ohio River. Her friends loved them, and soon she was making stoneware pottery with quirky drawings for them. That was some 86 years ago. Today M.A. Hadley‘s pottery continues with Kentucky artists adding to her collection of dinnerware, staying within her folk art aesthetic. Collectors can build a mixed or matched set one piece at a time, and provide their own dinner parties with instant conversation as guests compare plates or argue over who gets the cow plate. Potters can also personalize plates, perhaps with your family name.

18. Louisiana

We could have gone a lot of ways with Louisiana, where they know how to eat and don’t fear the heat. There are hot sauces, dirty rice, jambalaya, and beignets. But pralines are such a rare treat. Get a box of 10 and share.

19. Maine

More sweetness. These chocolate sardines are a scream. Bixby Chocolate’s chocolate sardines are a nod to Maine’s sardine industry before it floundered. The tin will be a talker.

20. Maryland

A lot of coastal states will want to claim this Old Bay gift box, but its maker, McCormick Spice, makes the stuff in Maryland, so that state gets the beach cred. It comes with a handy mallet to beat people who get too close to your plate.

21. Massachusetts

I went looking for belts and found these heavy duty leather aprons from Moonshine Leather in Hyannis, Massachusetts. Seems like they would be useful in many messy or sparky situations like blacksmithing or welding.

22. Michigan

Pickleball paddle maker Revolin has a great founding story. Hugh Davis kept breaking what were supposed to be premium paddles. Frequent replacements were getting expensive. According to Revolin’s website, he and his sister, Greta Davis, were engineering students at the University of Michigan, and they developed a lightweight paddle that they say works better and is made of natural materials. 

23. Minnesota

For a farmer, or anyone who loves open space, you can support an artist and bring home the flavor of Minnesota with art works from Bonnie Mohr. Mohr started by painting pictures of the cows she saw on her farm, and that is what she is most known for. In recent years, Mohr has expanded from cows, to household art and Biblical verses. Her website offers affordable wall prints, greeting cards, and some of her beautiful original work. She has painted seemingly every variety of cow. You can click through and see her works depicting almost any farm animal.

24. Mississippi

Lots of restaurants serve catfish in Mississippi. Not so in some regions of the U.S. If your missus misses Mississippi, get her some Simmons farm raised catfish. They will send it on ice, cleaned, and cut to your liking.

25. Missouri

Red Rooster Trading Company is making precision coffee grinders that are cute enough to stay on the counter top. The grinder is made and marketed by a husband and wife team in a shop on their farm. Red Rooster also uses old wood from fallen barns to make chopping blocks. They show their craftsmanship with videos on their website.

26. Montana

Give a man a fish, and he’ll eat it. Teach a man to fish, and he’ll eat more often. Give a man a cool fly fishing rod, and you have won Christmas. Support a man’s fishing hobby by giving him new toys, and everyone will be happy. Winston Fly Rods are made in Twin Bridges, Montana, and each rod is hand numbered.

27. Nebraska

It says right on the package that Nebraska chocolate meltaways are “sinfully delicious.” Might be worth a try anyway. They’re made by Bakers Candies in Greenwood, population 531, according to the Bakers’ website.

28. Nevada

Pine nuts are a key ingredient in pesto, but they are not always in the store, so cooks may substitute other nuts. But here is your chance to give a chef pine nuts harvested and packaged without the middle man. It makes for a fresher product and supports Nevada agriculture. The Pinon Pine Nuts company has been harvesting pine nuts from the wild for more than 80 years.

29. New Hampshire

The Bowl and Board company in Contoocook makes giant wooden bowls. One extra large bowl holds salad for 20. The company will personalize the bottom of the bowl with a message.

30. New Jersey

New Jersey is so far north that they don’t eat grits. It means they don’t know what to do with cornmeal. Maybe that is why the Cape May Soap Company put it in soap. The company has a number of innovative varieties, like coastal pine, beer, and don’t you wonder what “good old dog” soap smells like?

31. New Mexico

The Hatch chile is grown in New Mexico’s Hatch region, and people are passionate about their love for them. Apparently, it makes pepper people sad to be separated from them. Enter the Hatch Chile Store, which sends fresh ones only when in season, July-October. Sorry. Be ready next year. However, they are pretty great frozen or jarred, and Hatch Chile Store can make your pepper dreams come true in time for Christmas.

32. New York

The Saratoga Candy Company is perpetuating a charming regional tradition, the peppermint pig, made only at Christmastime. The pig comes with the story of the unique candy, a drawstring bag to place the piggy in, all warm and cozy, and a little mallet to bludgeon the poor thing until it shatters into sharable-sized pieces. It’s kind of alarming how many times food items come with their own mallet on this list.

33. North Carolina

Cheerwine, the cherry flavored soda, may not be a big deal if it is in your grocery store, but it is rare in many regions of the U.S. The Carolina Beverage Corporation in Salisbury, N.C., will send you some for your holiday party.

34. North Dakota

Who do you know who has always wanted to try bison meat? North American Bison will send cuts of bison right to your door.

35. Ohio

Give the gift of music, and hint that the chores need doing, with a washboard from the Columbus Washboard Company. The company has been making washboards since 1895, and although few people wash sheets in a tub anymore, the washboard lives on as that ratchet rhythm machine, best played with metal thimbles on your fingers. If your bluegrass band has a mandolin but no washboard, you’re doing it wrong.

36. Oklahoma

When it comes to beef, there are many options, but have you tried Oklahoma Angus? A box of beef will keep a family full of protein for a long time. The Didier Ranch, located near the village of Fay, offers a few hearty options, including steak burgers and steak cuts. You might know the Didiers from their funny and often heartfelt social media posts featuring “Granny” Kay Didier and her grandson Garlin.

37. Oregon

Primecut Bags makes leather bags for every taste: like a more conservative smooth, two-tone brown leather purse, or this colorful backpack purse made from sheepskin scraps. Everything is distinctive and begs to be touched.

38. Pennsylvania

In Pennsylvania, gourds are still in style after Thanksgiving. With artists like Meadowbrooke Gourds in Carlisle, gourds are an all-season decorative piece that fits in with country decor and sleek modern looks. Many folks make birdhouses with dried and hollowed gourds, but Meadowbrooke does so much more.

39. Rhode Island

Dave’s Coffee Syrup is used to make coffee milk, the official state drink of Rhode Island. Just mix it into milk to get a sweet coffee flavored drink. But it is also recommended on vanilla ice cream, roasted carrots, pancakes, or in mixed drinks.

40. South Carolina

Boil in the Bag peanuts wants South Carolinians to feel at home wherever they are, so they will ship this controversial snack to your home, even if it is north of the Mason-Dixon Line. (Full disclosure, we’ve had an internal struggle session over the merits of boiled peanuts at The Federalist. But they are making the list anyway.) And Boil in the Bag, located in Gilbert, S.C., has some cute packaging for these snacks. Let’s just say there are some strong feelings, and some folks just have to have them.

41. South Dakota

Delicate and distinctive Black Hills Gold always has three tones, silver or a deep yellow gold, a lighter greenish gold, and pink gold, which are alloyed with other materials to change the colors. Many South Dakota jewelers sell it, and anyone from the region recognizes it instantly.

42. Tennessee

Oh Just Dandy is a small operation in Nashville. It is just one mom with two young children, a sewing machine, and a dream. She makes adorable stuffed animals and baby items like outfits and burp cloths.

43. Texas

Austin Pretzel Company has cooked up some intriguing flavors. Sweet maple bourbon seems to be the “It” flavor right now, but on a pretzel? Yeah, it probably works. Austin Pretzel also offers Korean BBQ, pumpkin pie, jalapeño queso, and more.

44. Utah

You know when you tilt the salt shaker but you can’t see the salt come out? That doesn’t happen with Redmond’s Real Salt. You can see where it lands, and it somehow tastes purer than the white stuff we were raised on. Redmond is mined from an ancient seabed in Utah, and it moves from mine to table with no additives.

45. Vermont

The heel and toe land in just the right place in Darn Tough Socks, and the fun designs don’t get covered up by shoes. Instead, they stick out from the top of hiking boots. They may be the only socks in the world that come with a lifetime guarantee. Darn Toughs are performance socks for hiking, running, snowboarding, or hunting.

46. Virginia

Pork lands on the list again, in the form of a decedent Virginia Ham from Kite’s Country Hams in Madison, Virginia. They’re cured and aged for 5-8 months.

47. Washington

For the hands-on learner, the PuzzlePeople, now based in Edison, Washington, makes educational puzzles, like this map of the United States, offered in bright colors or wood tones. The Puzzle People also have a few maps of states with counties, and other images. Check out their Sasquatch puzzle.

48. West Virginia

Newell, West Virginia, has been in the pottery business a long time, first home to the Homer Laughlin China Works in 1877. The company introduced Fiestaware in 1936. Today, it is known as the Fiesta Tableware Company, and it still makes the iconic dishes in cheery colors in West Virginia. If someone on your list is a Fiesta fan, adding jut one piece to an existing collection would be a great gift. Or, start a new collection, perhaps with a butter dish or a bread pan.

49. Wisconsin

Burnett Dairy Cooperative is a cheese maker that takes milk from its own farm and from surrounding dairy farms near Grantsburg, Wisconsin, and makes cheeses. The co-op offers individual cheese blocks, shredded cheese, and cheese boxes loaded with cheddar, Pepperoni Pizza Monterey Jack, colby bacon, original cheddar gruyere, and more.

50. Wyoming

A lot of the garlic in U.S. grocery stores is grown in China. It makes sense to intentionally buy from U.S. growers. Garlic Fete in the Teton Valley of Wyoming has grown many garlic varieties this season: red, white, purple, and of different sizes and intensities. Like a wine tasting, it could be fun to get several types and compare. Use it to make a garlic gift, or give to the chef in your life.

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Beth Brelje is an elections correspondent for The Federalist. She is an award-winning investigative journalist with decades of media experience.

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