(Des Moines) Public voting is now underway in the 2026 “Coolest Thing Made in Iowa” contest, and several southwest Iowa products are in the running.
The Iowa Association of Business and Industry (ABI) announced this year’s competition, which highlights manufacturing — the state’s largest industry, supporting more than 215,000 jobs and contributing over $44 billion annually to Iowa’s economy.
Local nominees include Schwig’s Floating Garden Box from Atlantic, Agri Drain’s Smart Drainage System from Adair, Marie Callender’s Pot Pie from Council Bluffs, and a Potato Peeler from Creston.
Voting is open now through April 15 at coolestthingia.com. Voters can select up to four products in the first round, with the top 16 advancing to a bracket-style tournament.
The winner will be announced in early June at ABI’s annual Taking Care of Business Conference.
Click here to view the full list of 2026 nominees. For more information about the contest, visit www.coolestthingia.com.
