A Few of Our Favorite Things

Since starting The Awesome Mitten, I have been overwhelmed with the amount of products out there celebrating the Mitten State. I’ve come across everything from the standard apparel, to cutting boards, bottle openers, and jewelry. The sense of pride Michiganders have for this state is insane, and its great to see so many local entrepreneurs and artisans create products that allow us to wear our love for the Great Lakes State on our sleeves. This will be the first in a series of posts bringing awareness to cool Michigan products. Have you found an awesome Michigan item, or does your company make something that showcases Michigan? Email me, alex@awesomemitten.com, for consideration in a future post! Stay tuned for my next “Things We Love” post featuring Michigan foods!

1.) Sibling

Sibling is a design studio and Etsy shop featuring the stylings of Alisa Bobzien. She does a little bit of everything including print, surface, and web design. While not all of her items are Michigan-centric, she has several popular tshirts that prominently feature the Mitten State. They have been so popular in fact, that she has started offering print items with the same designs. Check out her “Hell Yeah” Michigan shirt and postcard, and her Michigan Constellation shirt and print. Connect with Sibling on Facebook & Twitter.

2.) Martens Printworks

This guy makes really cool vintage Michigan posters. From our previous feature on him: “Most people love Michigan for its beautiful lake shores, seasonal variety, Midwest spirit, amazing natural landscapes, and other specialties of the great Mitten State. Petrus Martens is no different. However, he found a different method of sharing that love. He creates aesthetically-vintage travel posters of various locations in Michigan that are reminiscent of the colors and composition employed by early 20th century printmaking. They are an exercise in the “man’s eye view” of Michigan landscapes, architecture, and versatility.”

3.) The Mighty Mitten

Laptop & iPad skins, iPhone cases, tote bags, tshirts- you name it – The Mighty Mitten probably has it. Designs feature Ann Arbor, Detroit, Charlevoix, Detroit Tigers, and Michigan as a whole. Products are designed by Brian Walline for “passionate Mitten enthusiasts”. Connect with The Mighty Mitten on Facebook.

4.) High Five Threads

We’ve featured them many times, and while we still love their tshirt designs, its the “this & that” category on their website that we’re geeked about this week. A Michigan keychain that doubles as a bottle opener, “Brewed in Michigan” stickers, and a “Grown in Michigan” tote bag that would be ideal for the farmer’s market top the list of favorites. Connect with them on Facebook & Twitter.

5.) Michigan Awesome

Although under new ownership, this Grand Rapids tshirt company is still bringing the awesome. Their tshirts feature slogans such as “Home is Where The Hand is” and “Smitten with the Mitten“. We’re particularly a fan of their onesies, so even the newest Michiganders can rock their state pride. Also, they have a shirt that says “Michigangster” – need I say more? Connect with them on Facebook & Twitter.

~Alex Beaton, Founder

What is your favorite Michigan product? Leave a comment and let us know!

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Alex Beaton

Founder at The Awesome Mitten

The Awesome Mitten was born when I moved back to Michigan from Nashville, TN in September 2010. Almost immediately, I became frustrated. I couldn’t figure out why there weren’t more Michigan residents singing our states praises! I was so irritated, I wrote a Letter to the Editor. Three weeks later, I had started a Facebook page, a Twitter account, and a landing page for the website, determined to do something to make Michigan residents aware of all the cool things going on in their own state. Email me: alex@awesomemitten.com

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