Ditch the big brands: 12 Iowa-made swaps for everyday essentials

From spices to socks, here are some Iowa-made goods you should check out if you want to support local producers and boost your local economy.

Whether you’re looking for the best local restaurants in Des Moines or the best locally owned BBQ joints loved by Iowans, supporting small businesses is a net positive. You put money directly back into your state and community, and you can feel good knowing that the business owners can keep the lights on a little longer and—who knows—maybe send little Timmy to that summer camp he’s always wanted to attend. 

Of course, restaurants aren’t the only small businesses you can support in Iowa. Makers across the state have specialized in everyday essentials that range from soap and honey to spices and lotions. These are things we often pick up from big-box stores or order on Amazon because we don’t even realize we can get them locally. However, the good news is that you can, and many of these small businesses will even ship these everyday essentials directly to your doorstep, making choosing them an even more intuitive choice than you might’ve thought.

With that established, let’s break down 12 Iowa-made essentials you may want to stop purchasing at large store chains. 

Iowa-made sauces take your BBQ up a notch

Whether you’re hosting a full gathering with friends, family, and other community members or simply making yourself a hot pulled-pork sammy for dinner, you need the perfect sauce—and you’re in luck, as Iowa-made sauces are within perfect reach. Wilson & Sons Sauce and Spice Company is a family-run business that offers a variety of—you guessed it—sauces and spices that will leave you and your guests happy and your taste buds dancing. Owner Donny Wilson has been mixing up magic in the kitchen for over two decades, and to this day, every product from this brand is made from scratch with love in his kitchen.

When shopping on the Wilson & Sons website, you’ll find the brand’s signature Bomb Sauce, Barbecue Sauce, and a smattering of hot sauces, including varieties like Cherry Pepper Hot Sauce and Lemondrop Hot Sauce. These hot sauces even come in mild and hot versions, so you can customize your own flavor journey. With these sauces, you can’t go wrong, and your dishes will taste brighter and bolder than ever.

Containers of Wilson & Sons Sauce and Spice Company sauces and spices arranged on a wooden display. (Wilson & Sons Sauce and Spice Company)

These Iowa-made spices can make your dishes sizzle

Sauces are only half of the battle in the kitchen, and while Wilson & Sons Sauce and Spice Company also offers spices, we couldn’t proceed without including GW Spice Co. Based in Monticello, GW Spice Co. is a one-stop shop for high-quality seasoning mixes that can aid in making the best-tasting meats, dips, and more.

Flavors here include Salsa Bacon, Taco Seasoning, and Southwestern Ranch Dip. If you ask us, though, it’s all about the Piggy Dip, a tantalizing mix of spices intended to be mixed with sour cream and mayo and enjoyed with tortilla chips, vegetables, and more. And, really, who could resist something called Piggy Dip, which is charming and doesn’t take itself too seriously?

Three packets of GW Spice Co.’s Piggy Dip sit on a cutting board with assorted vegetables, tortilla chips, and a bowl of prepared dip. (GW Spice Co.)

Nourish your hair with Iowa-made shampoo and conditioner

Shampoo and conditioner might not be everyday essentials that you thought you could get anywhere but big-box stores, whether you’re grabbing them with your groceries at Kroger or popping into beauty stores like Ulta. As it turns out, this couldn’t be further from the truth, and the Des Moines-based small business Morning Sun Handmade Soaps and Lotions is hand-crafting hair-care options that can nourish your tresses while smelling great.

Morning Sun’s shampoo bars come in four varieties: the tropical-scented Queen Dee, the honey-scented Curl Kind, the fruity-scented Clarify, and the citrus-scented Rice Rice Baby. Each shampoo bar has its own unique ingredients and benefits, so be sure to read each description thoroughly before selecting the one that best suits your needs. Meanwhile, Morning Sun has three conditioner varieties: the Coconut & Argan Oil Conditioner Bar, The “In Between” Conditioner Bar, and Argan Oil & Mango Deep Conditioner Bar. Again, these have different intended uses, including some that work more effectively during colder weather, so be sure to read up before purchasing any.

Nourish your skin with Iowa-made lotions, too

Morning Sun Handmade Soaps and Lotions is anything but a one-trick pony. In addition to refreshing shampoo and conditioner bars, the business is selling some great Iowa-made lotions that come in delicious-sounding scents and seemingly boast excellent hydrating properties.

For example, the All Natural Coffee Cocoa Butter Lotion is made to smell like chocolate and coffee, and it includes cocoa butter and aloe vera extract to keep your skin soft and supple. If a thick cream lotion isn’t your style, you’re not out of luck here. Morning Sun also sells Fragrance Oil Lotions that can keep your skin in tip-top condition without making you look or feel slippery.

Just remember: As with any other skincare routine, consistency is key to seeing long-term hydrating results. Lastly, if you’re in the market for a new beard oil, Morning Sun can help you there, too!

A bottle of Morning Sun Handmade Soap and Lotions’ Lavender Orange All Natural Lotion sits with a halved orange and small purple flowers. (Morning Sun Handmade Soap and Lotions)

Did you know you could buy Iowa-made dessert mixes?

Let’s be real: Most of us have a box of Betty Crocker or Duncan Hines cake or brownie mix in the back of our cupboard, stashed away for a rainy day. If not now, you certainly have in the past—it’s a universal experience, especially in the Midwest. But now you can support a small business and purchase an Iowa-made mix thanks to The Dessert Mixologist.

Based out of Ottumwa, this brand crafts mixes that require only three ingredients—oil, water, and a drink of your choice, ranging from beer to non-alcoholic options—and don’t contain artificial colors or flavors. Even better, the mixes come with microwave ingredients, allowing you to have a fresh, wholesome cake in a matter of minutes.

At the time of writing, the mixes come in chocolate and vanilla, but you’re not limited when it comes to creativity. The drink you add is all up to you. The brand’s website recommends bevvies like coffee and cherry juice for the chocolate mix and lemonade and apple cider for the vanilla mix. Just have fun with it!

This Iowa company has been selling honey for over two decades

We’ve all heard that locally sourced honey is nature’s medicine, and if you’re in Iowa, look no further than Meadow BlazingStar Honey. Operating out of the Beaverdale neighborhood of Des Moines, Meadow BlazingStar Honey has been keeping bees for 22 years. Come fall each year, the company’s 100% raw, unfiltered honey is harvested from its hives, which range from 150 to 270 at a time, to be sold throughout the year.

On Meadow BlazingStar’s website, you can find honey in four formats: Honey Sticks, Chuck Honey, Pure Raw Liquid Honey, and Creamed Honey. But while you’re there, take a gander around the beeswax candles and even apple butter—there’s more to Meadow BlazingStar Honey than meets the eye. You might even find bees for sale!

: Andy from Meadow BlazingStar Honey holding a slat from a beehive covering in honeycomb while bees flutter around him. (Brian Powers/Meadow BlazingStar Honey)

Freshly roasted coffee beans have long been an Iowa staple (if you know where to look)

Fresh coffee is a true delicacy. The flavor of freshly roasted coffee beans is unmatched, and the owner of The Blue Strawberry Coffee Company knows that all too well. Located in Marion, the shop was opened in 2003, but it changed owners in 2018 due to the original owner’s retirement. Still, the shop’s mission continues unfettered, and everyone in the Marion area knows how special the coffee here really is.

Happily for your taste buds, you can get regular coffee or flavored coffee here, so there’s something for everyone. There’s even a great variety among the flavors. The S’mores Coffee might catch your eye, or are you more of a Blueberries and Cream person? These are just a sample of the many flavors of coffee produced at The Blue Strawberry Coffee Company. If you find yourself in the area, definitely stop by; the shop has a cafe in addition to selling roasted coffee, so you can get a yummy drink without committing to a full bag. But we bet you’ll want a full bag of coffee after tasting your drink. 

The Iowa-made initiative also extends to beef

Most people grab beef from their local grocery store, but the common big-beef names aren’t their only options. There’s also Purple Ribbon Beef, a family-owned farm that’s been bringing fresh meat to the local masses since 2016. The crew at Purple Ribbon Beef take great care of their animals, and they also run a shop in Britt, though folks can, of course, also order beef online.

Just what can you order, you wonder? Well, you can sink your teeth into everything from burger patties and summer sausages to New York strips and ground beef. You can even get some extra-tasty beef jerky—because who doesn’t like keeping beef jerky around for late-night hankerings or road trips? Plus, by supporting a local farm, you’re putting money directly in the hands of your fellow community members, not the CEO of a megacorporation. 

Purple Ribbon Beef also supplies cheese and butter made in Iowa

Meat isn’t the only everyday essential you can acquire from Purple Ribbon Beef. Thanks to the farms’ jovial cows, everyone can indulge in super-fresh Iowa-made salted butter and cheese, which you can get in block or curd form. Even more fun, both types of cheese come in several varieties, including fun and scrumptious flavors.

For example, you can give a more traditional block of Medium Cheddar Cheese a try, or you can opt for Onion Chive Cheddar Cheese. Or, on the curd side of things, you could test-drive Garlic and Dill or cook up some Frozen Battered Cheese Curds that will taste better than any restaurant appetizer. 

Iowa-made soap is always within reach, thanks to this local business

By now, you know where to get Iowa-made shampoo, conditioner, and lotion, and while some companies on this list also offer soap, we wanted to highlight another small business where you can buy ultra-colorful ones to spice up your bathroom counter. Based in Bettendorf, Allison of Ember Tree Artisan Soap brings whimsy to her soap creations, with each bar having stunning swirls, layers, or specks. The scents are also to die for, with current offerings including Coconut Milk & Rose, Lavender Rain, and Rosemary & Mint.

Allison’s journey began in 2017, and since then, the brand has expanded to include not only these standard soaps but also ones embedded with extra hydrating properties, some specially formulated for men, and some specially formulated for children. Take one look at the brand’s website, and you’ll see that there are no duds in these suds!

Three bars of Ember Tree Artisan Soap’s Coconut Milk & Rose soap standing with dried rose petals around them and a cream pitcher behind them. (Ember Tree Artisan Soap)

Locally made bath salts are perfect at the end of a long day

Bath salts offer numerous benefits, including lowering stress levels, relieving aches, and promoting better sleep. These make bath salts a powerful tool in any self-care routine, and we in the Hawkeye State can get local, Iowa-made ones from none other than Ember Tree Artisan Soap.

Ember Tree’s bath salts come in five varieties, with each aiming to induce a different effect on the user. In this way, they’re very similar to Bath & Body Works’ wellness line, but here, you get the satisfaction of supporting a small business. Just take the Cucumber Mint Bath Salts, which aim to refresh your body and bring you back to life after a long day. Then, there’s the Lavender Chamomile option, whose goal is to calm you. This would be the best option right before bed—thank us later!

Two containers of Ember Tree Artisan Soap’s Enchant Foaming Bath Salts positioned next to a rolled towel and a container of fake plants. (Ember Tree Artisan Soap)

These Iowa-made socks are knit completely from sustainable materials

Socks are as “everyday essential” as you can get, and Iowa is home to one brand that knits them entirely from sustainable materials: Fox River.

The Fox socks come from Osage and have been keeping Iowans’ feet warm since 1900. What’s more, these socks are meant to be worn by everyone, including those with incredibly active lifestyles. Because of this, Fox River crafts the socks with the highest quality and promises top-notch endurance. Moreover, you can find specialty socks for hunting, skiing, running, and more here, as well as those that are particularly helpful for folks who have diabetes. 

This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

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