The Coolest Thing Made in Oregon competition is back for a third year! Join Oregon Business & Industry (OBI), Oregon’s statewide chamber of commerce and state affiliate of the National Association of Manufacturers, and Here is Oregon on a journey to find the Coolest Thing Made in Oregon.
Anyone can nominate a product, and we encourage manufacturers to nominate their own. Few people know how cool a product is more than the people who make it.
Nominations are open now. For updates, follow OBI on LinkedIn or Here is Oregon on Instagram.
To be eligible for the contest, products must be manufactured in Oregon and be legal to buy in all 50 states. Hand-made products do not qualify.
What’s next?
When the nomination window closes in July, a panel of judges will review all nominated products and pick the 16 coolest. These will be featured in a bracket-style competition that will begin in September.
Members of the public will have an opportunity to vote for their favorite products then. Oregonians will continue to vote as the bracket is halved each week, ultimately choosing the Coolest Thing Made in Oregon.
Why nominate?
Products that make it to the top 16 bracket will be featured in an email asking the public to vote, on HereisOregon.com, OregonBusinessIndustry.com and through our social media accounts @HereisOregon & @TheOregonian. This is an opportunity for OBI and the Here is Oregon team to shine a light on what makes your chosen product stand out.
Why celebrate manufacturing?
Developing a list of finalists won’t be easy. Oregon’s manufacturing sector employs more than 214,000 people and contributes $33 billion annually to the state’s gross domestic product, according to a 2021 ECONorthwest study funded by OBI. You don’t get numbers like this without manufacturing a lot of things, in terms of both volume and variety.
Oregon’s manufacturing sector has helped make the state an export powerhouse. As noted in OBI’s inaugural Oregon Competitiveness Book, the per-capita value of Oregon’s exports was the nation’s third highest in 2022. Oregon exports more than $8,000 in goods for every one of the state’s residents. The value of Oregon’s exports topped $34 billion in 2022.