Sialkot, Pakistan produces most of the world's footballs, but only a select group of manufacturers hold FIFA licenses. To earn certification, factories must pass a series of demanding performance tests and pay high licensing fees.
Blueberries have grown wild in Maine for 10,000 years. These aren't your typical grocery store blueberries. They're smaller, sweeter, and healthier. They're the backbone of a valuable industry in Maine, especially for Indigenous groups who've returned for generations to hand-harvest the fields.
Bodegas are one of New York City's oldest and largest neighborhood institutions, with more than 10,000 spread across the city's five boroughs. But this century-old industry is fighting to stay alive under rising rents, cutthroat competition, and Zohran Mamdani's city-run grocery initiative.
Glass Half Full started in a backyard in 2020, and now it's Louisiana's biggest glass recycler. The team makes both crushed glass for recycled bottles and sand to rebuild the state's disappearing wetlands.