5 Local Product Picks for Spring

These local goods honor the beauty of the sun, the joys of cleaning, the richness of soil, and the bounties of the fresh season
Sol Soils
Sol Soils

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1. Sol Soils

Founders Travis Thein and John Porter have crafted an award-winning line of potting mixes and decorative soil toppers. These plant enthusiasts know that better soil makes for healthier, happier plants. Sol Soils has worked to perfect a gritty mixture that provides an ideal soil system for plant success. Toppers in a variety of finishes, $10, solsoils.com

Golden Hour Glass Co.
Golden Hour Glass Co.

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2. Golden Hour Glass Co.

As a working photographer turned stained-glass artist, Meredith Baird knows all about the golden hour when the light is at its best. Her glass goods and suncatchers are inspired by blossoms, birds, and the dance of light to reflect beauty on the other side of the glass. Free Bird suncatcher, $120, goldenhourglass.co 

Lulu + Co.
Lulu + Co.

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3. Lulu + Co

Mandy Stringer elevates simple mud and water to gilded goodness. Her business is split between ceramic goods and graphic design, and her signature aesthetic marries the two, pairing bold graphics with handcrafted vessels. Two cornerstones of her pottery are sustainability and multipurpose use. Plate with test tubes, $72, luluandcomsp.com 

The Clean Nest
The Clean Nest

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4. The Clean Nest

When professional house-cleaning sisters Katie Lother and Angela Ducklinsky noticed frequent headaches from the cleaning solutions they were using, they developed The Clean Nest, a line of biodegradable cleaning formulas that combine the power of essential oils in sustainable packaging. All-purpose cleaner, $15, thecleannest.com

Sharab Shrubs
Sharab Shrubs

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5. Sharab Shrubs

Alex Zweber has taken his artisanal, vinegar-based shrub cocktail mixers to the next level with a line of ready-to-drink beverages named Shrub n’ Bub. Masterfully blended with all the nuances of the original bottled concentrate shrubs, these canned refreshers have the added effervescence of light seltzer water. Four packs start at $15, sharabshrubs.com

Jerrod Sumner is Minnesota Monthly’s aesthetic editor. His work covers all things local in the maker community. He is sought after for his understanding and promotion of the modern, American-made maker movement, and is a contributor on FOX 9 Good Day, sharing stories and goods. Follow him on Instagram @mrjerrodscott.