There's a version of this story where we just put a badge on our website and move on.
That's not the version we're telling.
Recently, Burgeon Outdoor was invited to present at the State of New Hampshire's Made in NH program launch event alongside the Governor, State Officials, and a room full of NH businesses who are building things here, on purpose.
We talked about what we do: design, manufacture, and test technical outdoor apparel in Lincoln and Gorham, NH. We talked about the people who trust our Tuckerman Hardshells on the summit of Mt. Washington in winter. The SAR teams across NH who use our gear. And we talked about what that choice actually means for the people who work at Burgeon, for the communities we're based in, and for the mountains we all share.
What Made in NH is
The Made in NH program is the State of New Hampshire's mark of origin. It signals that what you're buying was created here by businesses that are invested in this state, accountable to these communities, and building something with more intention than the cheapest possible supply chain.
What it means for Burgeon
Our mission is to build a better tomorrow for mountain communities. Not as a tagline, but as a business decision made every day.
That means manufacturing jobs in Lincoln and Gorham. It means revenue sharing with the people who make the product. It means 5% of every sale going back to local organizations, like search and rescue teams, trail maintenance crews, the groups keeping the White Mountains safe and open. To date, that's tens of thousands of dollars donated to partners including AMC, PemiSAR, Lakes Region SAR, NEDS, and others.
It also means this isn't the easy way to do it. Keeping the entire process in New Hampshire is more complicated and more expensive than the alternative. We think it's worth it. Because the product is better, and the impact is real.
Why the mark matters
When you see the Made in NH mark on a Burgeon product, on our site, in your inbox, or on our door, it's not decoration. It's a statement that what you're holding was made by people who live here, in a facility that's part of a community, connected to the places where you'll use it.
We carry the mark because it says something true about how we operate.
And in a world where most gear is made far from where it's designed, far from where it's tested, and far from where it's worn, it matters.
