Your WOC-owned Small Business Holiday Shopping List!

rubywankenoobie:

The holiday shopping season is fast upon us! For the past few years, I’ve supported the business ventures of many of my friends (all women of color), and have gone on to purchase from WOC-owned small businesses that I came across on the Interwebs (also recommended to me by other women of color). I thought, in light of the season, it would be great to curate a small list of such WOC-owned small businesses that I’ve shopped from, or that members of the Twitter community have come across, and make it more widely available.

Large corporations — or startups that get huge rounds of investment — tend to dominate the media’s holiday picks during the holiday season. I think it’s time for us to change that.

Here’s a (not-at-all-exhaustive-so-please-don’t-@-me) list of WOC-owned small businesses that you should buy your next round of gifts from during this (and all other festive) seasons! I’ve personally shopped from quite a few businesses on this list, and the rest were sourced from very helpful folks in the Twitter community — thank you all for graciously sending your recommendations!*

*Note: I’m aware that there are many, many businesses not on this list. This list is not meant to be definitive, and I am not taking any other recommendations at this time. Thank you!

**Baked Goods/Food & Catering **

  1. Lick Your Lips Cakes: specializes in cheesecakes-in-a-jar, available in over 40 flavors.
  2. Brown Girls Flavor: dessert catering.
  3. Patty Bakes Cake: specializes in Dominican cakes, cake pops, and tres leches cakes-in-a-jar.
  4. Sam Tan’s Kitchen: LA-based Malaysian food caterer; also sells Malaysian baked goods (available for shipping).
  5. Sheena’s Pickles: homemade pickles in an assortment of flavors.
  6. Rice Paper Scissors: SF-based Vietnamese eatery.
  7. Ariston’s Eatery: made-to-order meal prep company in the Bay Area.
  8. Kitchens of Africa: West African marinades and sauces.

Jewelry & Accessories

  1. Eclectique Collection: handcrafted, vintage-inspired jewelry.
  2. Tinsel: bold, beautiful jewelry pieces with fully functional headphones.
  3. TistiK: handcrafted jewelry, accessories, and home decor made by artisans from Latin America.
  4. Celestial Comforter: sleeping bonnets, shower caps, and hair treatment caps.
  5. Boutique de Bandeaux: hair accessories for thick, curly, and kinky hair.
  6. Rachel Stewart Jewelry: handcrafted art and jewelry by artist Rachel Stewart.
  7. SaLone Starr: fashionable, homemade West African accessories.

Beauty

  1. WHIPPED Goods: handmade luxury skin and haircare.
  2. Belle Butters: high-quality natural products for skin and hair.
  3. La Bella Body Care: full service skincare line with products for men and women.
  4. Zandra Beauty: artisan, natural skin care products.
  5. Bubble Bistro: handmade soaps.
  6. ME Natural: natural skincare products.
  7. Ixora Botanical Beauty: affordable line of natural body butters, creams, and more.

Clothing & Fashion

  1. Miss Mahogany: lifestyle brand specializing in accessories, home decor, and apparel.
  2. November Culture: independent Malaysian lifestyle store, owned by singer-songwriter Yuna.
  3. B.Yellowtail: authentic indigenous design through wearable art.
  4. Trendy Confessions: stylish clothing for plus-size women.
  5. Hollywood Ave 1 Boutique: unique clothing pieces.
  6. Terese Sydonna: contemporary ready-to-wear clothing & accessories from fashion designer, Terese Sydonna.
  7. Samantha Rei: bespoke fashion, based in Minneapolis.
  8. JIBRI: plus size contemporary women’s label.

Home Decor

  1. Tactile Matter: stoneware ceramics.

Kids & Baby

  1. The Cradle Company: baby clothing and accessories.
  2. Daisy Baby & Kids: well-priced and well-made furniture furniture, bedding, window treatments, and more for babies and kids.
  3. The Baby Cot Shop: luxury furniture for babies and children.
  4. MyKindaThing: one-of-a-kind crochet dolls.
  5. Healthy Roots Dolls: toy company that teaches natural hair care to young girls of color.
  6. Eco Sthlm: eco-friendly, fair-trade wooden toys (note: site is in Swedish).
  7. Amedee: African-inspired parent and baby accessories.

Intimates/Lingerie

  1. Voluptuous Secrets: lingerie boutique that focuses on the needs of full-figured women.
  2. SheTHINX: period-proof underwear.
  3. Nubian Skin: nude bra and skin tone hosiery for women of color.

Nutrition

  1. Dr. Knights: naturopathic medicine and nutrition.

Art & More

  1. Nadia J Art: original, handmade pieces and reprints by artist Nadia Janjua.
  2. BubbleSort Zines: a monthly computer science zine series with handmade art and diagrams.
  3. 7 Generation Games: educational games for children.
  4. The Hoodwitch: “everyday magic for the modern mystic”: including crystals, herbs, and books on the esoteric.
  5. Kelly’s Dolls: art and miniature crafts.
randomWalks @randomWalks