January sure seems to be special for us Michiganders. Earlier in the month we celebrated National Michigan Day, and now today is Michigan’s birthday. On this day back in 1837, Michigan became a state. What better way to celebrate the mitten state than by sharing some of our favorite Michigan-made items?
Trying to think of the most creative way for our team to share some mitten state love with our readers, I thought about all of those Michiganders who have moved away. I asked our team this question: If you were to put together a Michigan-made basket (maybe for someone who moved away from Michigan, or someone you just want to send some local love to), what items would you include?
I think we can all think of at least one person who we wish still lived in Michigan. For me, it’s my siblings and my best friend. I miss them so much! If there’s someone you’re missing who’s no longer local, or you just really love all things Michigan, you’re going to LOVE this post. We will walk you through all the Michigan-made items that we recommend to include in a Michigan-themed gift basket (or, to treat yourself with!).
Here are some of our favorite Michigan-made items:
Clothing + Accessories
Okay, so the first thing you’ll want to add to your Michigan-made items basket (for a friend, or yourself, because, why not!) is some clothing. Just one or two pieces of comfy clothing will do. You just want something that either screams, “I love Michigan!” or is made in the mitten state but only you know that. And it’s your little secret to share with the world anytime someone asks where you got your cozy socks from (keep reading).
Some Michigan-made clothing and accessories we love include:
- Carhartt beanie
- Chaco Chillos slide
- Object Apparel clothing (organic, natural, and handmade clothing. Made in Detroit!)
- Rebel Nell jewelry
- Socks Kick socks (one of our contributors, Sofia, swears by these socks. She says they are the most amazing comfy socks and that she buys new ones as soon as her old ones get holes. They’re made in East Jordan!)
Drinks
I know the logistics of shipping liquids can be a headache to figure out. While this might be better suited for a local get-together or hostess gift, it’s still always good to keep your gift options open!
Some Michigan-made drinks that we love include:
- Blake’s hard cider
- Faygo pop
- Frankenmuth Brewery
- Mawby wine
- McClure’s bloody mary mix (throw in a jar of their pickles, too!)
- Rochester Mills beer
- Shorts Brewing Company
- Traverse City wines (while it would be wonderful to drive up north to purchase it in-person, a lot of “up north” wines are available at local stores)
Food
Food is usually a little easier to ship long distance. There are so many brands that we automatically think of when we think of our state. It’s hard to narrow down the list of what we recommend! We did our best, but forgive us if your favorite was left out.
Some Michigan-made foods that we love include:
- Bees in the D honey
- Better Made chips
- Dobber’s Pasties
- Germack Pistachio
- Meal kits from National Coney Island and Olga’s (one of our contributors, Stacy, has sent both to her California family, and she said they were well-received!)
- Sanders chocolate or bumpy cake
- Shatila Bakery baklawa (one of our contributors, Tumkeen, says that this is the single-most Michigan thing she gets requested for by out of towners!)
- Srodek’s (the best, authentic pierogies and kielbasa shipped anywhere)
Home Decor
It’s always fun to throw in something small for the home when you’re putting together a gift basket. Each time they look at the item, you know they’ll think of you! Just like with clothing, it’s fun to have items that clearly show your mitten state love OR are simply made here, locally.
Some Michigan-made home decor items that we love include:
- Liv a Little at home (a whole shop FULL of Michigan-made handmade items!)
- Luna Rose Candle Co.
- One of our contributors, Tumkeen, also said that she once sent her out-of-town daughter a Michigan mitten wall-hanging shadow box with an attachable heart sticker where they lived. She said that her daughter keeps it near her bedside table!
Unique Extras
If there’s still room in your Michigan-themed gift basket, or the limit simply does not exist so you’re not even questioning adding more items, you’ll want to check out some of these fun extras. They don’t fit neatly into any of the above categories, but they deserve a spot on our list, so here they are.
Some unique Michigan-made items we love include:
- Gift card from Jit Masters, LLC for Detroit Jit dancing lessons
- Lake- or spots-related items (one of our contributors, Antonette, recommends checking out City Bird for this)
- Shinola notebook (a symbol of our great city that is recognized nationwide!)
It goes without saying that as Michiganders, we sure do love where we live. While the roads in the winter aren’t ideal, we get to experience all four seasons, and sometimes, the sun shines even on the coldest winter day. When our friends and family move out of state, it can be hard on us. Sending them a little bit of Michigan-made love can help them feel not so far away.
