On February 3, 2021

Vermont Teddybear Company to produce mittens inspired by Bernie

Jen Ellis

By Brooke Geery

Second-grade teacher Jen Ellis’s handmade, upcycled mittens set the Internet ablaze after they were worn by Sen. Bernie Sanders at the 2021 inauguration. Since she is busy and satisfied with her current career, Ellis has opted against going into full-time mitten production.

But for those who would love to get a pair of their own, good news: Vermont Teddybear Company has announced its partnership with Jen Ellis to produce Vermont Swittens, a portion of the proceeds to benefit Make a Wish Vermont.

Each set of mittens is unique, as they are made from retired wool sweaters and finished with a warm fleece lining made from recycled plastic (similar to the stuffing in VTC’s bears!)

Sign up to receive updates on when they will be available at vermontteddybear.com/aboutberniemittens.html.

Do you want to submit feedback to the editor?

Send Us An Email!

Related Posts

A new law opens up unpaid leave for Vermont workers 

June 18, 2025
By Charlotte Oliver/VTDigger Starting July 1, a new law is set to expand unpaid parental leave for Vermonters — and for the first time, guarantee employees can take off work after the death of a family member. It also defines family relationships more broadly under the law, naming its intention to equitably include LGBTQ+ Vermonters.  The law is…

Scott signs Vermonters Feeding Vermonters program into law

June 18, 2025
Vermont Foodbank applauded the work of the Legislature and Governor Phil Scott for the passage and signing of bill H.167, into law on May 27 creating Act 34 of 2025 to establish a Vermonters Feeding Vermonters grant program at the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets. With food and economic insecurity increasing in recent years, this commitment will help…

Amphibian road mortality drops by over 80% due to wildlife underpasses

June 18, 2025
By Joshua Brown, UVM Editor’s note: This story is via Community News Service in partnership with Vermont State University Castleton. A new UVM-led study shows that wildlife underpass tunnels dramatically reduce deaths of frog, salamanders and other amphibians migrating across roads. Frogs, salamanders, and other amphibians around the world face mounting threats from a devastating fungus,…

Vermont-NEA wants to get more educators into politics

June 18, 2025
As lawmakers and the governor continue to insist on “doing something” about education before the end of next week, the state’s largest union will begin training educators to become elected officials. “Nobody knows the needs of students and those who work in our schools better than my fellow educators,” said Don Tinney, a high school English teacher…