Looking to rep your love of the North? There's a toque for that.

From Sudbury's Stack Brewing flannels to Moonbeam's UFO tees to TBay's Persian Man pins, shop this round-up of Northern Ontario's best merch and show your fav spots some love during lockdown.

“Merch”  is of course is a handy shorthand for branded merchandise—hoodies and T-shirts, water bottles and hats—that shows your love for a particular product, business, or region. Wearing the styles from your favourite spot is a great way to show your support, with a wink to being in the know about a local favourite, too.

We've rounded up the best merch from all your favourite Northern Ontario spots, and we're calling the style Northcore.

Northcore is most certainly a vibe. And you know it when you see it. It's the slouchy toque from Haven Hostel. The Kilo tee from Moonbeam. The hoodie from Full Beard Brewing in Timmins or the "wolf pilot" tee from the Soo bushplane museum. It's comfortable, stylish, and most often, warm. But we've got some great warm weather tees and pool floaties, too!

Read on for the ultimate Northern Ontario gift guide!

Manitoulin Island

Running on Island Time Tee from Manitoulin Brewing

Manitoulin Brewing serves up tasty brews on the beautiful island. This graphic tee showcases some of the great activities Manitoulin has to offer. They have other tees, hats and glasses too

Running on Island Time Tee, $25

Endless Summer Tie Dye Tee, $27

Peace Of Providence Black Camo Hoodie

The Mutchmor is another Manitoulin Island gem, with modern loft accommodations based in a former general store. Their fun coffee shop is the Peace of Providence. Choose from a curated selection of hip tees and hoodies, like this Peace of Providence hoodie.

Peace Of Providence Black Camo Hoodie, $55

Kearny

Edgewater Park Lodge Salt and Pepper Hoodie

Kearny’s Edgewater Park Lodge on Sand Lake has been creating warm memories for guests since 1942. Keep those warm memories coming with these classic hoodies. 

Edgewater Park Lodge Salt and Pepper Hoodie, $54

Sudbury

Plaid Flannel button-down from Stack Brewing

Stack Brewing in Sudbury has an impressive lineup of craft beers. Represent with a logo tee or toque, or keep cozy in one of these classic plaid flannel shirts. 

Plaid Flannel Button-Down from Stack Brewing, $50

Salute Coffee Camping kit

Salute Coffee is beloved for its fresh food and quality coffee. An insulated logo mug is always a good idea, or you can take that love of coffee on the road with their Camping Kit, featuring an enamel Salute-branded camp coffee mug, a press, filters, and of course a bag of coffee, all in a cool zippered Canada bag. 

Salute Coffee Camping Kit, $145

Old Rock Camping Mugs

Sudbury coffee lovers love their Old Rock coffee. A solid mug in your primary colour of choice is a fine addition to your cupboard, cottage, or camper. 

$19.95 Old Rock Camping Mugs

Up Here Festival Merch: The Jeopardy Crewneck

While Sudbury's Up Here Festival has plenty of great logo merch, we're partial to this new release that's even more of a Northern Ontario deep dive: The "Who is Homeboy" crewneck. Based on Jeopardy episode #6517, the category was Best "Boy" and the clue read: "You're from Sudbury? I'm from Sudbury! You're my this."

Up Here Festival Merch: The Jeopardy Crewneck, $45

Science North water bottle

Let’s hear it for science! Science North has made science come alive for a zillion locals and visitors over the years. Give your #1 scientist a Science North stuffy, hoody, multitool or how about one of these sleek and handy water bottles?

Science North water bottle, $22.98

Myth and Mirrors Tee or Tote

Myths and Mirrors has been celebrating the northern community arts scene for 25 years. Why not mark the occasion with a long-sleeved T or tote bag, featuring both retro and romantic linocut illustrations by local artists and printed by @jhsilkscreens

Myth and Mirrors Tee or Totes, $20

North Bay

Ontario Northland Hoodie for railway lovers

Trains and buses are an integral part of northern history. This vintage-look Temiskaming & Northern Ontario Railway long-sleeved hooded T from Ontario Northland celebrates that history in style. 

$34.99 Ontario Northland Hoodie

New Ontario Brewing Snapback

The New Ontario Brewing Co. is a new interpretation of a brewery that started in the city in 1907. Salute its popular craft beer with a snapback hat, available in several classic colours. 

New Ontario Brewing Snapback, $25

Sault Ste. Marie

A logo keg from Northern Superior Brewing Company

Northern Superior Brewing Company serves up a variety of refreshing craft beers, and they’ve got a variety of logo tees, toques, hats, and hoodies too. For the ultimate craft beer aficionado gift, consider the Kegerator, a refrigerated draft beer dispenser for a 20L keg of the brew of your choice. Does it get more Northern Ontario than this?

A branded keg from Northern Superior Brewing Company, $750

Outspoken Brewing Tee

With a name like Outspoken Brewing you know they’ve got bold brews and merch to match. For the person on your list who says what’s on their mind, how about an Outspoken T-shirt?

Outspoken Brewing Tee, $29.50

Canadian Bushplane Museum Wolf Tee

The Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre pays tribute to the bushplanes that are such an essential part of northern history. What better souvenir of the museum and the area than a T-shirt of a wolf pilot? (Well, there’s one of a moose pilot too!)

Canadian Bushplane Museum Wolf Tee, $29.95

A cities and oceans pink hype hoodie

This woman-owned company run by Connie Carello is a local beachwear and comfort wear shop that celebrates Northern Ontario landscapes—offering wearers a chance to rep the north. These warm hoodies come in a bunch of bright colours perfect for brightening up your work-from-home vibe. Let your wanderlust spirit live on while staying glam cozy and safe at home! The shop also offers menswear, branded gifts and home goods, as well as swimwear (like this Athena one-piece) in sizes 0-16. 

Cities and Oceans hoodie, $60

Batchawana Bay

17 North Highway Necklace

If you can’t narrow your love of the north down to one area, how about a salute to Highway 17? At River Rock Gifts, you can get a Hwy 17 hoodie, socks or T-shirt, or this stainless steel necklace with a simple round charm. 

17 North Highway Necklace, $39.99

Timmins

Full Beard Brewing Hoodie

Timmins is home to Full Beard Brewing Co. and a lively selection of homegrown craft brews (and excellent bites). We like these well-priced northern chic hoodies, available in a variety of sizes and colours. 

$39.99 Full Beard Brewing Hoodie

Kapuskasing

Circle C Tee

Circle Confectionery (aka Circle C) is a friendly Kaspuskasing favourite, featuring all the usual corner store items plus a lot of extras too, including local produce, grocery items, and amazing ice cream. And now they have classic T-shirts with a bit of an "I'm with the band" vibe too! These are only available in person, so if you live in Kap or are planning a visit, be sure to check out their apparel offerings when you stop by. 

Shop in-store, Circle Confectionary Tee, $29.99

Tie-Dyed Kap Shirt from Moonbeam Country Store

Like all great country stores, Moonbeam Country Store carries a little bit of everything, including items you had no idea you needed. Case in point: a tie-dye campus-style Kapuskasing T-shirt or an aluminum cuff bracelet featuring a map of Hwy 11. 

Tie-Dyed Kap Shirt from Moonbeam Country Store, $24.99

Highway 17 cuff bracelet, $25.99

Kilo Alien Mascot Tee from Moonbeam 

Home of one of Ontario's coolest roadside attractions, Moonbeam's visitor centre is a great spot to shop for local alien merch featuring Kilo, the town's mascot. Pick up a mug, stuffie, backpack, hoodie, or pin for your favourite X-Files (or town of Moonbeam) fanatic. We also love this UFO-themed toque honouring Moonbeam's 100th anniversary as a municipality.

Kilo Alien Mascot Tee from Moonbeam, $25.00

UFO Moonbeam toque, $25.00

Red Rock and Nipigon

Sweatsuit set from Sweet Bush

Established in 2021, the Sweet Bush Adventure Society celebrates the beauty of the northwest through hiking and other outdoor adventures. Keep the lake ‘n’ mountain breezes off with one of their hoodies or sweatpants.

Get the set from Sweet Bush:

Hoodie, $90  

Sweatpants, $65

Thunder Bay

A Pin celebrating TBay's Best Sweet Treat: The Persian

It’s practically mandatory to eat a Persian (a cinnamon sweet bun topped with pink icing) when you live in or visit Thunder Bay. If you know someone who’s a huge fan, this cute new pin by local artist boy Roland is the perfect way to dress up a backpack or lapel. There's even a glow-in-the-dark version.

Persian pin, $10

Hoito Pancake Merch, Er, Mix

The Hoito’s world-famous Finnish pancakes have delighted locals and visitors alike for decades. The historic building housing the Hoito recently suffered a devastating fire, and while the community is working to determine the next steps for the building and the restaurant, it's hoped they will be able to go ahead with their plans to reopen—hopefully with a new space for branded Hoito merch. For now, you can help support those efforts by buying your own authentic pancake mix to whip up your own pancakes at home. 

$9 locally, $15.99 via amazon.ca (Currently out of stock online but check back for updates)

Heartbeat Hotsauce Decals

Heartbeat Hot Sauce has fans around the world. Surprise your hot sauce fanatic with a toque, T, hoody, or ball cap, or for a stocking stuffer, how about this variety pack of die-cut stickers that can go on a laptop, car window, or snowboard?

Heartbeat Hotsauce Decals, $10 

Sleeping Giant Mr. Canoehead Fishing Lure

Sleeping Giant Brewing Co. is a local fan favourite, known for its beers and innovative events. Pick up a T-shirt like Prime Minister Trudeau did, or choose from big range of other merch including stickers, a fanny pack, retro-style posters, camp mugs, dog bandanas and flannel shirts. Originality points go to this upcycled bottle cap fishing lure, recommended for walleye, perch, trout and bass. Non-fishing types can choose to rock a vintage-feeling Mr. Canoehead tee instead.

Sleeping Giant Mr. Canoehead Fishing Lure, $8.99

Haven Hostel Toque

The Haven Hostel serves up friendly boho-style accommodations, local adventure packages and a courtyard firepit, right in downtown Thunder Bay’s hip waterfront district. Keep those good travel vibes going with merch that includes camper mugs, hoodies, ball caps and this cozy toque.

Haven Hostel Toque, $22.50 

Red Lake

Red Lake Float Plane Hoodie

The sight of a float plane spells adventure and exploration, and it’s an integral part of Red Lake history. At the Red Lake Regional Heritage Centre, you can pick up a variety of gift items, and we like the simplicity of this comfy hoody. 

Red Lake Float Plane Hoodie, $55 

Ignace

Lone Pine inn Flip Flops

The Lone Pine Inn on Ignace’s Agimak Lake is a hidden treasure that those in the know appreciate its incredible sunset views. Now you can remember those colourful skies all year round with either flip flops or a 500-piece puzzle

Lone Pine Inn Flip Flops, $22 

Lone Pine Inn Sunset Puzzle, $34.99

Kenora

Lake of the Woods Brewing Company Floatie

Lake of the Woods Brewing Co. is a northwestern go-to, with plenty of unique and delicious brews on tap in three taproom locations. The merch is unique too: in addition to fun hoodies, quilted jackets, tees and hats, they have candles, stickers, socks, soaps and bar mats. For sheer summery fun though, you can’t beat this two-person floatie

Lake of the Woods Brewing Company Floatie, $39

Fort Frances

807 & Co. Rainy Lake Crewneck

“807” is a mysterious telephone area code to many, but not northwesterners! 807 & Co. carries a big selection of northern-style gifts, including a “Heart of the 807 Collection” that is designed by the owner, and includes gear like this 807 trucker cap. We think this Rainy Lake-themed crewneck says it all about living your best northern life (and it comes in a LOTW version too).

807 & Co. Rainy Lake Crewneck, $60

Bonus merch from Northern Ontario's favourite social media account: Earrings from Lake Superior Rocks

The popular rock hunting account known for its mesmerizing images and videos of rocks found along the shores of Lake Superior now offers these amazing sets of stud earrings made from hand-selected, complementary stones.

Message the account through Instagram for details, pricing, and to place your order.

Shop local, support your favourite shops, and look great

Northern Ontario is huge—that’s one of the reasons we love it! This gift guide is only a sampling of the cool merch out there. If there’s a place or organization that’s close to your heart and isn’t represented here, be sure to check with them yourself to see what’s available. 

What's your favourite Northern Ontario merch? If we missed yours, let us know at info@northernontario.travel.

About Bonnie Schiedel

Bonnie Schiedel is the founder of www.tbaywithkids.ca, which covers fun family-friendly attractions, events and restaurants in Thunder Bay. She enjoys canoeing, hiking, snowshoeing and travel, and you can read more of her award-winning work at www.northstarwriting.ca.

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