Made in Iowa markets are curated events, not first-come, first-served vendor shows. Our goal is to create a balanced, high-quality shopping experience for customers while also protecting vendor success.
If you’ve ever wondered how vendors are selected—or why a market may not be the right fit—here’s a transparent look at how the process works.
Start With the Basics: Tips to Get Approved
Before applying, vendors should review the “Tips to Get Approved” section on our Made in Iowa vending page.
That page exists because it answers many of the most common questions about:
Application completeness, Product photos, Booth presentation, Professional expectations
The strongest applications almost always come from vendors who take the time to review that information first.
Photos Matter (More Than You Think)
Photos are one of the most important parts of your application.
They help us understand: What you sell & the quality and craftsmanship of your work
And how your booth will visually fit into the market.
Clear product photos and at least one booth photo (if available) go a long way. Blurry images, screenshots, stock photos, or photos that don’t match your product description make it difficult to accurately evaluate an application.
This isn’t about perfection—it’s about clarity and professionalism.
We Limit the Number of Certain Product Types
To protect vendors and keep the market interesting for customers, we limit the number of vendors in specific product categories. This helps-Prevent oversaturation, reduces direct vendor-to-vendor competition, and creates a better overall shopping experience for customers.
Even strong vendors may be declined if a category is already full for that particular event. A “no” for one market does not mean a “no” forever.
Welcoming Variety (With Thoughtful Limits)
While Made in Iowa focuses on local and handmade businesses, we also believe variety benefits customers.
To create a well-rounded market experience, we allow:
Up to 3% of vendors from neighboring states & Up to 3% MLM vendors
These limited exceptions are intentional and carefully considered. They help expand product variety without overwhelming the core mission of supporting local makers.
We Attend Markets Too — Accuracy Matters
The Made in Iowa team attends a lot of markets throughout the year—as organizers, vendors, shoppers, and observers. We pay attention to:Who is showing up consistently, Booth presentation and professionalism. Vendor interaction with customers and other vendors. Because of this, accuracy on your application matters.
Listing participation in events you were not actually part of doesn’t strengthen your application. In fact, it can raise concerns.
Consider this a red flag, not a bonus.
We are not looking for inflated resumes. We value honesty, transparency, and realistic expectations. If you’re new, say you’re new. If you’re still building experience, that’s okay.
Curated and Voted On
Vendor selection is not decided by one person.
Applications are .reviewed for quality, fit, and category balance, Curated to build a strong overall market layout and voted on when necessary to finalize selections. This layered process helps ensure fairness, consistency, and intention.
