Life as we know it is entirely different, and I think we all know why *ahem* the virus which must not be named. If this last year has taught me anything, it’s that I spend way more money during a pandemic than I do in my everyday life. I am not proud to say, but at the beginning of the pandemic, most of my money went to Amazon…
Darn, you, Amazon, and your convenient two-day shipping!
I have put it upon myself to do better. I won’t lie. I do still shop on Amazon, but I want to do better. I want to start supporting more local businesses when I can. That is why I am starting a series called “Locally Made.”
In this series, I want to showcase local products worldwide, and every post will feature either a specific state or country and a link to where you can purchase each product. Small businesses have really suffered during the pandemic, and many have had to close their doors for good. That is why I started this series.
This month my focus is on Washington State. I just moved here, so it is only fitting that this is where I start my series.
Happy Shopping!
Planning a trip to Washington State? Check out these articles!
9 Festive Things to do in Leavenworth, WA: Washington State’s Premier Christmas Town
11 Epic Things to Do On Whidbey Island, Washington: A Perfect Weekend Getaway
11 Beautiful Mt Rainier Tours from Seattle
7 Amazing Snoqualmie Falls Tours from Seattle
30 Magical Things to do for Christmas in Seattle
Table of Contents
Washington State Gift Boxes
Washington Local Box
I couldn’t think of a better way to start off this guide than with a box containing local Washington State products. Washington Local was started by two women who believed local products should be easily and readily available to everyone.
You can purchase products ranging from food, soaps, teas, candles and much more. You can either build your own box or choose a custom already built box such as “Norse Peak Box“, “Bath Box” or “Friday Harbor Box“.
Washington State Made Food and Drinks
Chocolate
Harvey’s Butter Rum Hot Chocolate
Harvey first created his signature butter rum while bartending at a local bar in Bremerton, WA and people loved it so much it became one of his signature drinks.
People started asking him to sell tubs of the stuff so they could make drinks at home – along with Harvey’s famous rum flavour and spices, this hot chocolate mix was born.
Fran’s Chocolate
These chocolates are out of this world! Fran’s chocolates were created by a woman with a passion and love for the art of making chocolate. Everything is made by hand, even the gorgeous chocolate boxes.
They are best known for their truffles and caramels but sell hot chocolate powder, dessert sauces & lots more deliciousness. Fran’s has a brick and mortar shop, but you can also order all her delicious concoctions online.
Pictured:
Mixed Gold Bars
Dark Hot Chocolate
Gray & Smoked Salt Caramels
Dark Chocolate Sauce
Theo’s Chocolate
Theo’s chocolate is one of the biggest chocolate brands in Washington. Their factory is located in Seattle, where they offer tours and cooking classes. If you visit any store in Washington, you will most likely find Theo’s Chocolates on the shelf.
If you are looking for something unconventional, Theo makes an array of unique flavors like root beer, cinnamon horchata, and bread & chocolate.
Pictured:
Salted Cashew Chocolate Bar
Almond Butter Cups
Peppermint Polly
Mint Chocolate Cookie Bites
Chocolati
If truffles are what you are looking for, then Chocolati has you covered. Their flagship store is located in Seattle. They have truffle flavors I am sure you have never heard of, like sea salt vanilla, breakfast truffles and champagne truffles, and ordinary but delicious hazelnut truffles.
Pictured:
Strawberries n Cream Truffle
Hazelnut Truffle
Breakfast Truffle
Champagne Truffle
Indie Chocolate
Indi chocolate has a small hidden shop in Pike Place Market, and every time I visit, it takes me ages to find, but it’s worth it when I do. They make all their chocolates in their shop, which you can buy online. They also sell chocolate body lotion, chocolate spices, and chocolate teas.
Pictured:
Indi Chip Cookie
A Variety Truffle Box
Chocolate Tea
Chocolate Bar – Single Origin
Whimsy Chocolate
Can we just take a moment to appreciate the cuteness of the name? Whimsy Chocolate is a family run business located in Battle Ground, WA. They sell interesting truffle flavors like Habanero (I don’t know if I am brave enough for that one), lavender shortbread, and even wine truffles (yes, please!). They all sound so delicious that I think I need to put in an order right now.
Breakfast
JP Trodden Barrel Aged Maple Syrup
JP Trodden is a distillery in Matley, WA, and along with distilling whiskey and bourbon, they make this syrup. It’s made using 100% Vermont syrup and then placed in used bourbon barrels for 60 days, so the rich maple taste of the syrup, along with notes of bourbon, are perfectly combined.
Salish Lodge Pancake Mix
The Salish Lodge was initially built as an inn for travellers to rest in 1916 and quickly became famous for their multi-course country breakfast, which of course, included these scrumptious pancakes. Currently, Salish Lodge is one of my favourite places for brunch. Everything they serve is so good, including their pancakes which are essentially fluffy pillows of deliciousness.
Now, Salish Lodge is a beautiful hotel overlooking Snoqualmie falls and has been featured on the show Twin Peaks.
Girls Meet Dirt Preserves
What started as way to use up fruit that was being wasted has grown into a thriving business. Unlike the overly sweet jams and preserves you find in grocery stores Girl Meets Dirt focuses on the taste of the fruit, rather than the sugar content.
These preserves taste great on toast, ice cream, paired with cheese or just a spoon. There are sweet and savory options so you have endless choice when it comes to pairing.
3 Generation Jam
A small family-run company located in Anacortes, WA whips up some of the best jams in Washington State. They have over 20 different flavors and I am speaking from experience when I say, you will absolutely want to get a jar. I got the strawberry rhubarb and it was gone within 3 days.
Pictured:
Heavenly Fig
Strawberry Jam
Coffee & Tea
Caffe Appassionato Coffee
You probably already know this but Seattle has great coffee. In fact, it’s the #1 coffee city in America which is partly thanks to Starbucks, but mostly all the small coffee shop owners that flocked to Seattle to partake in Seattles coffee craze.
Appassionato coffee was started by a Seattle Native who made it his mission to sell high quality gourmet coffee and currently they are one of the premier coffee brands in the Pacific Northwest. They have had such success that their coffees are enjoyed all over the world.
Pictured:
Roasted in Seattle Rainy Day Roast Coffee
Roasted In Seattle Evergreen Roast Coffee
Raven’s Brew House
To be honest, I would buy Ravens Brew purely because of the epic artwork. but also because the coffee is really good. Raven’s brew originally began producing coffee out of a garage in Alaska September of 1992, and eventually made its way to Tumwater, Washington where they opened a roastery.
Pictured:
Raven’s Brew House Blend Dark Roast Coffee – Whole Bean
Raven’s Brew Deadman’s Reach Coffee – Ground
Whidbey Island Tea
Who would have thought that pesky nettles would be the start of a thriving tea business. Delaine, the owner of Whidbey Tea, is an avid gardener and discovered that nettles are traditionally used as herbal remedies. She bought a couple of dehydrators, and the rest is history. Since then, she has been blending dry nettle leaves with other ingredients to make delicious tea blends.
The animal artwork on each tea tin is quite extraordinary. A local native American artist named Martine E Oliver was commissioned to draw a totem animal whose meaning represents each blend’s flavour profile and essence.
Pictured:
English Breakfast Tea
Earl Gray Tea
Jasmine Green Tea
Flying Bird Botanicals
A wide selection of tea and drinking chocolate are hand crafted at Flying Bird Botanicals in Bellingham, WA. They create each flavor using organic ingredients and a combination of spices and herbs that complement each other perfectly. I have personally tried their Lavender Mint Hot Chocolate which is good and I can’t wait to try their their other flavors!
Pictured:
Cacao Chocolada
Ancient Sunrise Tea Bags
Golden Coconut Chai Matcha
Lavender Mint Hot Chocolate
Spices, Sauces, and Condiments
Tom Douglas Rubs
Thomas Douglas is one of the most famous chefs in Washington. He owns over 4 restaurants in Seattle, all serving vastly different cuisines and all equally as delicious. His rubs add that extra bit of spice to your meal that you didn’t think you’d need. He sells about 19 different rubs for various dishes such as Chicken, Salmon, Vegetables and some more exotic rubs such as African Peri Peri, Chinese Five Spice and Exotic Mushroom.
Pictured:
African Peri Peri Rub
Chicken Rub
Veggie Rub
Spicy Tokyo
The Bread Dip Company
The Bread Dip Company has been around since 1994. The bread dip recipes are passed down from Jim McCaslin’s (the founder of the company) mother. She would hold dinner parties serving her delicious homemade bread dips. Her guests loved them so much that they would beg her to bottle them up so they could take them home. Today, her bread dips travel all over Washington and the country so that people can enjoy them at home.
Pictured:
Artichoke & Caper
Feta & Pink Peppercorn
Peppers & Spice
Pomegranate & Walnut
Seattle Caviar Company
Ahhh caviar! That fancy unattainable food so many of us wish we could be fancy enough to divulge in has made its way to Seattle. Seattle Caviar company sells primarily to restaurants, but they take orders online, and not all of their caviar is expensive. Their cheapest option is $13. They make their caviar with the highest quality ingredients gathered worldwide, and they carry a full assortment of caviars.
Pictured:
Israeli Osetra
Paddlefish
Ikura
Golden Whitefish
San Juan Island Salt Company
What started as an experiment of casually making salt for friends and family has turned into a thriving business that produces 5000 pounds of salt a year. The salt is created by boiling seawater until tiny crystals form.
Today, their process is a lot more practical. They own and operate several evaporation houses that allow them to make salt in bulk. They have 30 unique products available, and if you can’t make it to Washington, you can order online!
Pictured:
San Juan Island Sea Salt Steak Blend
San Juan Island Sea Salt – Scorpion Salt
San Juan Island Sea Salt – Everything But The Bagel Salt
San Juan Island Sea Salt – Chili Lime Salt
Walden Lane Gourmet Balsamic Vinegar and Spices
Walden Lane has been selling gourmet vinegars, oils and spices for over a decade. When the original owners passed away, a long time customer decided to purchase the company. She has continued the Walden Lane legacy to this day. If you purchase Walden Lane products just know you will get the highest quality ingredients, and they make their products in small batches so that all the flavors are combined equally.
Pictured:
Citrus White Balsamic Vinegar
Smuggler Cove Seafood Blend
Double Bluff BBQ Blend
Mandarin & Fig Balsamic Vinegar
Silagy Sauce
If you are a fan of hot sauces with lots of flavor than you will want to check out Silagy Sauce. Silagy was started by a father and his two sons who have a passion for creating delicious food. They wanted to create a sauce that would make their food pop and that is how Silagy sauce was born.
Spiceology
Spiceology has some of the most unique spices I have ever seen. They hire chefs to create the spice combinations and each one is completly made from scratch including the grinding of ingredients. I have a mission to try every single one.
Pictured:
Black Truffle Sriracha Blend
Nashville Hot Chicken
Bleu Cheese Buffalo Blend
Spicy Italian
Mitch’s Best Buffalo Sauce
I am a big fan of buffalo sauce and just recently purchased a bottle of Mitch’s Buffalo Sauce and I am obsessed. Mitch created his sauce in 1990 after working as a chef for 35 years. His family and friends loved it so much he started bottling up the stuff to give as gifts which soon turned into a lucrative business.
Snacks
Harvey’s popcorn
Popcorn is one of the best snacks! Harvey’s popcorn in particular packs so much flavor in one bag. They have 4 flavors and they are all worth trying.
Pictured:
Butter Toffee Popcorn
Big Cheese Popcorn
Buffalo & Blue Cheese Popcorn
Truffle & Sea Salt Popcorn
Recipe 33 Almonds
With 20 years of food industry experience, Recipe 33 was a born as a way to create good food without all the artificial colorings and flavors. They have created a way to infuse their almonds with fresh and natural ingredients AND they won’t get your hands messy no matter how many you eat.
Pictured:
Black Truffle Infused Almonds
Smoky Serrano Infused Almonds
Moon Cheese
Here is a snack that is high protein, low carb, gluten free and still tastes amazing? It’s true! Moon cheese are crunchy pieces of heavenly dehydrated cheese. and yes. It’s 100% cheese and no sketchy ingredients.
Pictured:
Moon Cheese Cheddar
Pepper Jack Moon Cheese
Gouda Moon Cheese
Killian Korn
Killian Korn makes over 20 unique popcorn flavors. Everything from Frosted Knickerdoodle & Peanut Butter to Cinnamon & Strawberry.
Pictured:
Huckleberry Popcorn
Caramel Apple Popcorn
Chukar Cherries
Chukar Cherries is one of the more popular snacks in Washington State. They have a shop at Pike Place Market that’s always busy. Their cherries come all the way from Eastern Washington and are picked fresh off the vine and then dehydrated to. make their famous snacks.
Pictured:
Nuts Over Bings
Dried Cherry Medley Mix
Beecher’s Cheese
Beecher is by far the most famous small business to come from Seattle. They have the best Mac & Cheese and it’s even Oprah approved. Luckily, Beecher’s Cheese ships all their delicious goodies nationwide, so you don’t have to travel all the way to Seattle to try them.
Pictured:
World’s Best Mac N Cheese
Bell’s Cookies
Bell’s Cookies was created by Seattle Native, Brooke Perez. After she attended culinary school she decided to open her own catering company which became widely popular and because of Covid They had to pivot and that is when Bell’s Cookies was born.
She bakes her cookies daily and offers an array of unique flavors like Coffee and Toffee Potato Chip. My mouth is watering just thinking about them!
A La Mode Pie
Home of the famous Blue Hawaiian Pie, A La Mode Pies takes the prize for being one of the best pie shops in the nation. It was even featured on an PBS special “A Few Good Pie Places“. The pies are made completely from scratch, so you know they are going to be good.
Washington State Made Gifts
Candles
Snoqualmie Valley Candle Company
Now you can bring the fragrant smells of the Pacific Northwest home with you in the form of these candles. You can smell the warmth and earthiness of the PNW, the greenery and wetness and a dollop of sweetness that the Olympic Mountains provide and the warmth and sweetness of a cascade sunrise.
Thea Candle Company
Thea is a fairly new company started in 2020 by undergraduate students studying entrepreneurship. Thea is an aromatherapy candle company meant to inspire Self-Care and provide support for social causes.
They were determined to differentiate themselves from most mainstream candle companies by using all natural ingredients and use ethically sourced coconut wax.
Pictured:
Grateful (Moroccan Rose & Vanilla)
Thank You (Spearmint & Vanilla)
Into The Woods (Sandalwood, French Vanilla, Jasmine, Cinnamon, Clove)
Comfort (Lavender & Orange)
Seattle Candle Company
Seattle Candle Company is a small business with a focus on making candles with only the best and local ingredients. Each candle is hand poured and made in small batches, so that every ingredient is evenly distributed. The candles burn for 80+hours which is more than most candles burn.
Pictured:
Seattle Candle Company Scent No. 3 [Fig + Jasmine]
Seattle Candle Company Scent No. 2 [Coffee + Cream]
Seattle Candle Company Scent No. 7 [Vanilla + Sandalwood]
Seattle Candle Company Scent No. 8 [Violet + Orchid]
Northwest Sparks
One of my favorite parts about these candles is the artwork on the packaging. Each candle has an adorable painting showcasing the beauty of the Pacific Northwest. Oh and they smell absolutely amazing. You will feel like you are actually experiencing the Pacific Northwest without leaving your home.
Pictured:
Mt Rainier
Seattle
Washington
Mt Si
Bath & Body
Washington Soap Company
It’s about time we start taking care of our bodies and washing ourselves with soaps that have good ingredients. Washington Soap Company gets all their soap ingredients in Washington state and then hand makes them with the finest quality essential oils, goats milk, shea butter and glycerin
Riverdance Soapworks
Riverdance Soap Works started in 1991 and is one of the longest running hand craft soap manufacturers in the US. The owner grew up on a farm so she has been hand crafting her own soaps with ingredients from her farm way before she started this soap company.
Pictured:
Cocoa Rose Soap
Ceder Whisky Soap
Rosemary Scrub Soap
Lavender Zest
Bright Day Bath & Body
Now here is a company with a mission that I can stand by. “To brighten your day with a self care routine that nourishes your skin and spirit.” Their brighly colored products along with quality ingredients you can trust, and uplifting and positive collections make these skin care products unique and one of a kind!
Puzzles, Stationary, and everything else
Lantern Press
I came across Lantern Press when I was looking for puzzles and I fell in love with the unique images. I was ecstatic when I found out they are based in Washington State. They also sell posters, mugs, maps and heaps of other uniquely designed items.
Pictured:
Olympic National Park, Washington
Great Wall of China
California, Route 66
Muir Woods
Washington State Made Apparel and Gear
Product of the North
Okay, Parents! This line of sustainable diaper bags is for you! I love the reason behind starting Product of the North. The husband-wife duo behind the company was tired of seeing feminine diaper bags in all the stores.
The industry’s message was saying it’s a female’s job to change nappies, so they did something about it and started a line of gender-neutral diaper bags.
From the Ground Up
A company focused on sustainable comfort in the form of socks was started because one hiker was annoyed at the lack of high-quality and comfortable hiking socks. He changed that by creating a company that sells hiking socks.
They have even partnered with Washington Trails Association which is a non-profit, and together they encourage people to experience the beauty of Washington. I am not a hiker, but I would absolutely buy a pair regardless.
Beedlebug
I think the concept of Beedle bug is fantastic! Beedle bug creates adaptive clothing for kids with sensory issues who may need more help getting dressed. They are known for their socks which have a pulley.
A pulley is a small opening in the sock so that the wearer can loop their fingers through it and pull them up. I think this is such an excellent business.
I hope you enjoyed my very first local shopping guide! I did hours of research to find the products listed on this post and am quite happy with outcome. Let me know what you think of this guide in the comments and let me know what state or country I should focus on next.
Planning a trip to Washington State? Check out these articles!
9 Festive Things to do in Leavenworth, WA: Washington State’s Premier Christmas Town
11 Epic Things to Do On Whidbey Island, Washington: A Perfect Weekend Getaway
11 Beautiful Mt Rainier Tours from Seattle
7 Amazing Snoqualmie Falls Tours from Seattle
30 Magical Things to do for Christmas in Seattle
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I absolutely love supporting local businesses when I travel, so I really enjoyed your post about things that are made in Washington state! I might look into ordering some of those chocolates for myself!
Thanks so much, Krista!
I love this idea! Supporting local businesses while visiting a location is probably the best thing we can do to help support tourism and small businesses! I’m so inspired to start a similar thread for local businesses in Ontario, Canada!
OMG! I hope you do! That would be amazing!