These Are The Coolest Things Made In New York In 2026
The nominees for the 2026 Coolest Thing Made in New York competition are in!
The Coolest Thing Made in New York competition started in 2023; it highlights the state's vibrant manufacturing industry and its products, as well as the many career opportunities available in the manufacturing sector.
"The Coolest Thing Made in New York contest is an annual, bracket-style tournament that celebrates local manufacturing. Organized by The Business Council of New York State, the event highlights the state's diverse manufacturing sector and its impact on the economy," The Business Council of New York states.
These Are Some Of The Coolest Things Made Right Here In New York State
Here are the 2026 nominees. New Yorkers are encouraged to vote for their favorites, which will then narrow the field to 16 contestants.
New York Pilsner, Kingston
Blue Duck Brewing Company created what it calls the first true New York Pilsner, made entirely from New York-grown barley, corn, and hops. Every dollar spent making the beer stays right here in the state.
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Blind-Made Copy Paper, Binghamton
The Association for Vision Rehabilitation and Employment manufactures copy paper using state-of-the-art equipment adapted specifically for blind and low-vision operators. The organization just celebrated its 100th anniversary and recently completed a $2.4 million expansion to boost production capacity.
SuperStar Bags, Brooklyn
Every one of these distinctive star-shaped quilted bags is made entirely by hand in a small Brooklyn studio, taking between 10 and 20 hours to complete. Made from cotton inside and out, they're roomy, machine washable, and built for real life.
Cocoa Fiber, Brooklyn
This Brooklyn company is turning the waste byproduct of the chocolate industry into textile fibers and packaging materials. It's sustainability and innovation wrapped into one unexpected product.
Aluminum Nitride Substrate, Green Island
Crystal IS Materials is manufacturing a next-generation semiconductor platform in Green Island that powers advanced optoelectronics, radio frequency devices, and power electronics. It's cutting-edge technology being built quietly in the Capital Region.
Remanufactured Office Furniture, Albany
Davies Office takes existing furniture and remanufactures it to like-new condition using advanced powder coating technology that produces near-zero harmful emissions. The process saves clients potentially millions of dollars while keeping waste out of landfills.
Counterfeit Detector Pen, Bethpage
Dri Mark Products has been manufacturing the gold standard of counterfeit detection pens at its Long Island facility for over 30 years. A simple mark on a bill tells you instantly whether you're holding the real thing.
Sabre Armored Snowplow Blade, Elmira
Evolution Edges manufactures snowplow blades in Elmira that last dramatically longer than standard blades, using carbide technology to keep roads clear through North America's harshest winters. Every pass of a Sabre blade helps first responders reach emergencies and keeps school buses running on schedule.
Arctic Gear Hats, Waterloo
Finger Lakes Textiles manufactures a full line of hats from newborn to adult size using an inclusive workforce that includes people with disabilities and veterans working side by side. Every purchase supports meaningful employment in a rural New York community.
Sweet Cider, Fly Creek
Fly Creek Cider Mill has been making fresh apple cider for 170 seasons using a water-powered press originally built in 1889. Visitors can watch the entire cider-making process unfold in real time at the historic Central New York mill.
Pasteurized Grape Juice, Dundee
Fulkerson Winery and Farm produces 16 varieties of cold-pressed, shelf-stable grape juice in the Finger Lakes region, ranging from classic Concord and Niagara to Riesling and Cabernet Sauvignon. The variety is unlike anything else you'll find on a store shelf.
Cheerios, Buffalo
Yes, those Cheerios. General Mills manufactures the most iconic breakfast cereal in America right in Buffalo, using 100% whole grain oats with no artificial flavors or colors. The little O has been a staple of American mornings for generations.
Sauvignon Blanc, Ovid
Hosmer Winery is one of just a handful of producers growing Sauvignon Blanc in New York State, and they're doing it exceptionally well, with their latest vintage scoring 92 points from James Suckling. It opens with lemongrass and white peach and finishes with mango and lemon curd.
Space Force Cravat, Albany
The Northeastern Association of the Blind manufactures the official cravat worn by members of the United States Space Force as part of their formal dress uniform, under a U.S. government contract. Every piece is produced by an integrated workforce of blind and sighted employees using specially adapted sewing and packaging equipment.
PFAS Filtration Media, Watertown
Knowlton Technologies manufactures a proprietary filtration media at what is reportedly the oldest continuously operating manufacturing site in New York State, in operation since 1808, designed to remove forever chemicals from drinking water and groundwater. The Watertown facility is applying more than two centuries of industrial heritage to one of the most urgent public health crises of our time.
Linear Actuator System, Elma
Moog Inc. manufactures the precision actuator system at the heart of NASA's docking mechanism, enabling spacecraft traveling at 14,000 miles per hour to connect safely in orbit. Six precision-engineered actuators work in concert to make what seems impossible look routine.
Indulgent Premium Ice Cream, Akron
Perry's Ice Cream has been making ice cream the slow-cooked way in Akron since 1918, guided by founder H. Morton Perry's original philosophy: make sure you put in enough of the good stuff. The family-owned company is still following that recipe more than a century later.
Italian Style Meatball, Buffalo
Rosina Food Products' Italian Style Meatball is the number one retail branded meatball in the entire country, with Americans buying 230 million of them over the past year alone. Made by a third-generation Italian family-owned company since 1963, every meatball honors the legacy of founder James Corigliano's wife Rose, the original Nonna behind the recipe.
NORYL GTX, Selkirk
SABIC Specialties manufactures a high-performance thermoplastic resin in Selkirk used in automotive body panels that weighs significantly less than steel while reducing carbon dioxide emissions by up to 42% over the product's lifecycle. It's a material most drivers have never heard of, but it's quietly making cars better.
Custom Boat Building, Albany
Scarano Boat Building is a locally owned family business designing and constructing one-of-a-kind custom boats from wood, steel, fiberglass, and composites. Their completed vessels are currently operating across the country from California to Florida.
KustomFlo Pipes, Saratoga Springs
Soleno LLC manufactures a highly customizable HDPE pipe system in Saratoga Springs with a design life exceeding 100 years and internal diameters ranging from 24 to 136 inches. It's infrastructure that communities can count on for generations.
Ice Cream Flavoring Ingredients, Congers
Star Kay White has been making the caramels, fruits, syrups, chocolates, and extracts that make ice cream taste great since 1890, still family-owned and still operating in New York. If you've eaten ice cream almost anywhere in the world, there's a very good chance their ingredients were in it.
Custom Stickers, Amsterdam
Sticker Mule manufactures custom stickers of every shape, size, and design in Amsterdam, using a fleet of roughly 250 in-house-built robots to handle an endlessly changing mix of customer artwork. The company is keeping manufacturing alive in a city that was once known for carpets and has since seen much of its industrial base disappear.
Lenticular Printing, Cortlandt Manor
The Mines Press manufactures lenticular products that flip between images, animate, or appear three-dimensional, and their installations can be found in corporate offices, airports, museums, and the Baseball Hall of Fame. They are the nation's leading manufacturer of lenticular products.
Prism Iridescent Cowhide, Johnstown
Townsend Leather crafts a one-of-a-kind iridescent leather in Johnstown using a proprietary coloring technique that produces subtle, captivating tones unlike anything else on the market. The hand-crafted material is used in the most luxurious spaces around the world.
Check-Set Data Logger, Rochester
Tel-Tru Manufacturing produces a digital thermometer calibration system in Rochester that is transforming food safety verification with laboratory-grade accuracy and a full digital audit trail. It's replacing outdated ice bath and handwritten log methods with a standardized system built for modern food production.
Once the field of 16 is selected, a single-elimination, tournament-style bracket will be created.
Past Champions
2025: The Hudson Whiskey Bright Lights, Big Bourbon (Produced by Tuthilltown Spirits in Gardiner)
2024: The Empire State Carousel (A historic, hand-carved piece of moving art located in Cooperstown
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