‘Canada is not for sale’ hat makers want to share domestic manufacturing tips

OTTAWA — One of the people behind the viral “Canada is not for sale” hat says he wants to help other companies get on board the made-in-Canada train.

Liam Mooney told The Canadian Press he and his fiancée and business partner Emma Cochrane felt distraught watching Ontario Premier Doug Ford tell U.S. President Donald Trump and American media in early January that — the president’s musings about annexation notwithstanding — Canada would never be for sale.

A few days later the Ottawa-based pair, now married, stitched together a hat bearing the premier’s message. Mooney called it a “creative rebuttal” in a form familiar to Trump.

But after a year of learning the ins and outs of domestic manufacturing — and seeing the lengths Canadian firms have to go just to get their products on local store shelves — Mooney said his goal in 2026 is to spread the “Canada is not for sale” ethos.

“It started as a way for everyday Canadians to stand up for our nation’s sovereignty at a very critical moment. But for us, at least, it’s becoming more of a mission about strengthening Canadian supply chains,” he said.

Starting with hats embroidered with text and a Canadian flag, the “Canada is not for sale” storefront evolved over 2025 to feature tuques, shirts, sweaters and even a maple leaf tree topper.

Mooney and Cochrane have spent much of the past year getting familiar with Canada’s manufacturing landscape to meet the demand for the hats.

That’s come with some hard-won lessons about how difficult it can be to make clothes and other products entirely — or even mostly — in Canada.

Before entering the apparel industry, the couple ran the Jackpine creative agency. That business is still running; Mooney said the firm will now also function as a consultancy for other domestic manufacturers trying to make and sell their products in Canada.

“Our service business has really become about big ideas, made in Canada,” he said.

Mooney said helping firms find partners, cut costs and shorten manufacturing cycles at home will be critical if Canada is to build up its industrial capacity and stop relying so heavily on the United States and China.

Mooney said retail demand has remained steady for the “Canada is not for sale” merch throughout the year.

While the company was launched in response to Trump’s trade aggression, Mooney said he does not believe the business relies on threats to Canada’s sovereignty in order to thrive. The firm is planning to roll out products linked to events like the World Cup and the Olympics in 2026.

“This has been about bringing work back to Canada’s manufacturing sector, regardless of what President Trump does or doesn’t do,” Mooney said.

The metrics that Mooney uses to measure success go beyond sales figures and profit margins.

He said seeing the company’s hats in frame next to each of the federal leaders during the spring election campaign showed that the “Canada is not for sale” message resonated with Canadians at a stressful time.

“We are so motivated to be a part of this made-in-Canada story going forward. We are honoured to have been a part of Canada in this way this year,” Mooney said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 30, 2025.

Craig Lord, The Canadian Press