Southern Pine based business R. Riveter is being acknowledged as a member of North Carolina’s thriving manufacturing industry. The business was nominated for its handbags and totes in the NC Chamber’s third annual “Coolest Thing Made in NC'' contest and is one of 80 nominated businesses across the state competing for the top spot.

The contest spotlights North Carolina’s cutting-edge manufacturing industry which generates more than 17 percent of the gross state product and employs more than 10 percent of the state’s workforce.

“Congratulations to our 2022 nominees; each product tells a special story of the impact and innovation manufacturers have on our great state,” said NC Chamber President and CEO Gary Salamido in a press release. “As we always say at the NC Chamber: what’s made in North Carolina makes North Carolina.”

According to their website, R. Riveter is a company that specializes in handbags and totes made by a network of military spouses across the United States. It was created by Lisa Bradley and Cameron Cruse, both of whom are military spouses. The two ladies shared on their website that they were inspired to create this business after experiencing first-hand the challenges that accompany finding employment as a military spouse who is required to relocate frequently. 

“We are so thrilled to have been nominated for the first time and acknowledged as one of the coolest things made in NC," said R. Riveter Co-founder and CCO Cameron Cruse in a statement to the Greater Fayetteville Business Journal. "It helps validate that what we are doing is important – that it is necessary to foster community in military, it’s more important now than ever to make goods here in the USA and when you put your mind to it – you can do anything! We want to extend a special thank you to our customers and our Riveter Nation across the country for being our life-blood and our reason for being.” 

Ten semi-finalists will be announced on September 8. The winning product will be announced on October 6, the day before National Manufacturing Day. The NC Chamber website shared that the winners will receive a trophy as well as have their company and product featured in NC Chamber and Business North Carolina publications, podcasts, social and digital media, among additional statewide publicity efforts.