Made in Minnesota, Made with Love
Why local production matters
Every hope&plum carrier is sewn within 15 miles of our Minneapolis headquarters. Yeah, you read that right. Not "designed in USA, made somewhere else." Actually sewn here, by people who live here, in facilities we can visit any time.
We could triple our profits tomorrow by moving production overseas. We'd join the race to the bottom that most of the industry is running.
But here's the thing: we actually give a damn about more than margins.
The real story (not the marketing version)
Let's be honest about what "Sewn in USA" means for us:
All cutting and sewing happens right here in Minnesota. Every quality check is done by our team, in person. Everyone touching your carrier earns fair wages. Not minimum wage, not "competitive" wages, but actually fair wages they can live on. We have direct relationships with our sewers; we know their names, their stories.
But let's be real: some of our materials are still imported because we prioritize quality over a perfect "100% made in USA" label. We're definitely not carbon neutral, though we're doing way better than brands shipping fully finished goods from overseas.
And perfect? Hell no. We're not perfect, but at least we're transparent about it.
The people behind your carrier
Our manufacturing partner: woman-owned production, less than 15 miles away. Small team, big expertise. They've sewn every hope&plum carrier since we started. No massive factory, no anonymous workers. Just skilled people doing quality work for fair pay.
Our at-home contractors: work when it works for them. Early morning, late night, school hours, whatever fits their life. Fair pay, flexible schedule, actual respect for their craft.
15-mile production, 10,000-mile difference 🌎
Your carrier's journey (the honest version)
Yes, our fabric and hardware are from quality suppliers overseas. We're not gonna lie and say we grew the cotton in Minnesota (it would freeze its ass off). But here's what IS local:
Every cut of fabric happens here
Every stitch sewn by Minnesota hands
Every quality check done by our team
Carefully boxed before shipping to you
While other brands ship completed carriers tens of thousands of miles, we're shipping raw materials once, then keeping everything else local.
It's not perfect, but it's a hell of a lot better than the alternative.
Community economics that actually work 💜
Your purchase supports:
- 30+ Minnesota families directly through wages
- Local businesses
- Tax revenue that funds our schools and roads (not offshore accounts)
- Skill preservation in an industry that's nearly extinct in America
This isn't abstract economic theory. The people who sewed your carrier might be at your farmers market on Saturday. Their kids might go to school with yours.