Patriot Crates spotlight American-made products from small businesses across US
Metal Art of Wisconsin founder Shane Henderson debuts new Patriot Crates gift bundles.
A company based in the Badger State called Patriot Crates is redefining all-American gift-giving.
The company in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, is providing gift boxes filled to the brim with 100% American-made products.
Each crate has a different theme — including foodie, campfire, cocktail crates and more — and incorporates themed items from small businesses and brands all across the country.
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Patriotcrates.com president Shane Henderson revealed his curated creations in an on-camera interview with Fox News Digital. (SEE Henderson talk about his Patriot Crates and their USA-made offerings in the video at the top of this article.)
Since Henderson also owns and operates a popular manufacturing company, he knows the struggle of "competing with imported products," he said.
"That’s a daily battle that we fight to keep customers happy," he also said.
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Henderson began the Patriot Crates "movement" to spotlight some of America’s small businesses and artisans such as welders, woodworkers, chefs, blacksmiths and farmers.
"It started just as maybe a couple of crates, but it’s unintentionally turned into this movement of American-made stuff," he said.
Metal Art of Wisconsin founder and Patriot Crates president Shane Henderson holding samples of his wood and steel crates. (Patriot Crates)
Patriot Crates has been only three months in the making, but Henderson said the feedback and involvement from about 75 small businesses nationwide has been "overwhelming."
"They’re so thankful that someone is doing something like this," he said of the small businesses.
"I’m also like a pied piper of all these small businesses, and kind of getting them all in one spot and putting a name to it. It’s an awesome feeling," he added.
"I put a ton of love and passion into my work … and I know my fellow American craftsmen do the same."
The nearly 30 different crates have a "little something for everybody," Henderson said.
A few items include handmade knives and other utensils, Jack Daniel's coffee, cookbooks, recycled glass bottles, stainless steel cookware, charcuterie boards, cocktail infusion kits and patriotic signage.
The crates includes everything "from family-friendly stuff all the way up to the man cave … bourbon making and aging whiskey and all that fun stuff," he said of the variety of offerings.
While most gift bundles come in wooden crates, the patriotic packages are also available in steel crates designed by Metal Art of Wisconsin.
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These steel boxes, nicknamed "The Boss," have a biometric design that opens via fingerprint and can be reused as a vault.
"There’s no one out there doing these [steel crates] right now, so it sets us apart," Henderson said.
"The Boss," a steel crate made by Metal Art of Wisconsin, opens with fingerprint technology. (Patriot Crates)
And for all the jokesters in the family, Patriot Crates offers "diabolical wrapping options," such as wrapping the crates in duct tape and adding sawdust or glitter to the inside.
Each wood crate, nicknamed "the Woody," is "so well-built and sealed," Henderson said, that it is sent with its own crowbar to open it.
"It’s a gifting experience," he said. "You’re all sitting around the Christmas tree in your pajamas and Dad is trying to open his Patriot Crate for 25 minutes — and you’re filming it. It’s fun stuff," he added.
"Patriot Crates is a concept that this country truly needs at this time."
He added, "Aside from supporting America’s small businesses and being patriotic, you’re giving a gift that is hilarious to watch them open."
Henderson said he hopes his Patriot Crates venture will bring more business to American manufacturing.
"This empowers the American worker and celebrates the American small business and the American spirit," he also said.
"The Woody" crates come with a crowbar to aid people in opening them. (Patriot Crates)
Mike and Amber Wall, owners of bottle opener company Bottle Breacher in Tucson, Arizona, shared with Fox News Digital in a statement that they "couldn't be more excited to be a part of this great collaboration."
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They also said, "Patriot Crates is a concept that this country truly needs at this time, and needed [given] our current state of the union."
The Walls also said, "It means more than the product itself (which happens to be an amazing gift!) but rather exemplifies what this country is all about … working, living, collaborating with our fellow patriots and succeeding."
"Americans are tired of cheap garbage made overseas."
Wayne Meligan, a bladesmith and owner of Pirate Forge, a Pensacola, Florida-based business that sells handmade and forged knives, blades and swords, expressed his excitement to be teaming up with Patriot Crates.
"Americans are tired of cheap garbage made overseas," he wrote in a statement to Fox News Digital.
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"When you buy American handmade, you are not only supporting your fellow countrymen, you are getting high-quality, one-of-a-kind products that actually have a soul."
He added, "I put a ton of love and passion into my work … and I know my fellow American craftsmen do the same. Super excited to get a piece of my work into the hands of fellow hardworking Americans!"
Patriot Crates are available for purchase and monthly subscriptions at patriotcrates.com.
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