Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on February 1, 2022 and was updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness on February 2, 2024.
February kicks off Black History Month, and one place to support Black entrepreneurs is to buy from Black-owned brands. Not only are you supporting a small business owner’s dream, but by shopping from Black-owned stores, you directly and sustainably support a community of entrepreneurs. According to the latest stats from the United States Small Business Administration, Black business owners own over three million businesses and employ almost 1.2 million people in the United States alone.
We have compiled a list of 24 Black-owned small businesses to support in 2024 from four different categories—fashion and accessories, beauty and skincare, haircare, home and lifestyle, and food and beverage.
This list only scratches the surface of the millions of amazing Black-owned businesses online across the globe. According to the 2021 Annual Business Survey from the U.S. Census Bureau, there were an estimated 140,918 Black or African American-owned businesses with $141.1 billion in annual receipts, 1.3 million employees, and about $42.2 billion in annual payroll. We encourage you to keep exploring these brands, shop around for more great finds, and share them with your own community.
Fashion and accessories
1. The Wrap Life
From turbans to head wraps to headbands and scrunchies, The Wrap Life is on a mission to become the world's “most inclusive hair accessory brand, offering products that are beautiful, functional, and intentionally designed.” Inspired by West African traditions of wearing headwraps for colorful self-expression, The Wrap Life offers a variety of products in various collections, including solid, handprinted, and non-traditional, for all types of customers. Its VIP loyalty program, Unwrap Rewards, was recently on our list of the top customer loyalty programs of 2023 for its success in creating a successful multi-tiered VIP program.
2. Ade + Ayo
Ade + Ayo can be summarized in one statement, “introducing kids to the beauty of African design.” The kids' apparel brand launched when founder Temidayo Odusolu, a Nigerian Canadian, was pregnant with her first child. After seeing a gap in baby products that are colorful or have a pattern, Ade + Ayo was born.
“I could not find clothes in my traditional colors and patterns that would be comfortable enough for daily wear, and any “African-inspired” nursery decor I could find either equated African design with a “safari” theme or was too expensive. I was saddened to see this but also motivated to provide a solution. So, Ade + Ayo was born,” Temidayo explains. Its rewards program is generous and rewards customers with 10 points for every $1 spent.
3. Dare to Roam
Dare to Roam was founded as a result of spending so much time indoors during the pandemic. Their line of everyday backpacks and gear are designed with Antimicrobial Technology to protect them from any type of weather or outdoor conditions wherever their customers dare to roam. As a certified B-corp, all of their products are ethically sourced and produced. Dare to Roam also donates 3% of proceeds to the Why Not You Foundation, which is “dedicated to education, children’s health and fighting poverty, empowering youth to lead with a why not you attitude.” Oh yeah–did we mention this Black-owned brand is founded by music superstar Ciara? You’re going to want to be 1-2 steppin’ to get your hands on these goodies.
Jonathan Roque
4. Roam Loud
Roam Loud is an activewear and athleisure apparel brand founded by Toyin Omisore, a Liberian-Nigerian American born and raised in Rhode Island. “I wanted to unapologetically create a lifestyle where brown skin is at the forefront and not an afterthought. There are so many women, like myself, that value health and wellness in every aspect of their lives.” Roam Loud has apparel for every type of workout, inspiring women to navigate the world boldly.
5. Ubuntu Life
Ubuntu Life is an accessories brand that sells shoes, jewelry, and bags created and sourced in Maai Mahiu, Kenya. Co-founders Zane Wilemon and Jeremiah Kuria had this idea and have since provided 150 jobs in Maai Mahiu. “What started twenty years ago as nine women learning to sew on manual sewing machines has now transformed into a thriving social enterprise employing over 150 full-time Makers that are changing their lives and the world,” its website explains.
Haircare
6. Mielle Organics
Hair is such an important aspect of a Black woman’s identity, and Mielle Organics is a brand that understands and celebrates that fact. Mielle Organics is a brand founded and created by Monique Rodriguez, “a registered nurse, wife, and mother of two girls, who desired to share her healthy hair journey using products with healthy ingredients to achieve amazing results.” Mielle Organics uses natural ingredients to have an “approach to healthy hair and scalp preservation.”
7. Camille Rose Naturals
Camille Rose Naturals is a hair care brand founded by Janell Stephens in her kitchen in 2011. The hair brand was initially “created as a means of curing the eczema of her five young children, which started on their skin and also resulted in severe dryness of their hair.” It has since become a major brand, with its products sold across stores in the United States. With products for every hair texture, Camille Rose Naturals does a great job of letting customers shop by hair type or concern.
8. Adwoa Beauty
Adwoa Beauty is a hair and beauty brand that is “elevating the textured hair experience one wash day at a time.” From leave-in conditioner to scalp treatments, Adwoa Beauty has it all. The beauty brand was founded by Julian Addo, who came to the United States at the age of 2. Julian eventually opened up her own hair salon before going into banking. Now, she runs Adwoa Beauty, where she has built up a community of followers who love Adwoa Beauty products.
9. Oyin Handmade
Oyin Handmade is an artisanal beauty brand for dry hair and dry skin. Founded by Jamyla Bennu, Oyin Handmade has been a leader in the market for a long time and an early leader in the natural hair movement. According to its website, “Jamyla started making moisture-rich products for her highly textured natural hair in 2001— a time when nearly every ‘ethnic’ product on the market was focused on straightening or relaxing.” Oyin’s key to success is products made with natural ingredients manufactured by Oyin Handmade.
Beauty and Skincare
10. Black Girl Sunscreen
Shontay Lundy founded Black Girl Sunscreen by creating a sunscreen brand that caters exclusively to women of color. Traditional sunscreen would leave a visible white residue on darker skin. That is when Shontay created “a non-white cast formula infused with nurturing avocado and jojoba oils, cacao, and carrot juice.” In 2016, Shontay Lundy created Black Girl Sunscreen, a 30 SPF lotion formulated for women of color. Made with melanated skin in mind, BGS dries completely clear and protects melanin without the white-cast. Today, Black Girl Sunscreen is available across stores such as Ulta and Target and has grown its brand community.
11. That Smoooth
The skincare and cosmetics industry tends to be heavily targeted towards women, but as it turns out, men have skin too! Shocking revelation, we know. That’s why this next brand is aimed at providing “grooming products for men of color who own their energy”. That Smoooth sells shaving and beard grooming products for men of color with coils, waves, and textured hair. They’ve even got a blog packed full of helpful tips and tricks for customers. Their products are formulated with all natural ingredients–free from parabens, phthalates, sulfates, and synthetic fragrances. They’ll leave your skin feeling so smooth that you’ll have to add an extra ‘o’. Yup, that smoooth.
12. Frederick Benjamin Grooming
The grooming brand Frederick Benjamin was founded by Michael James, a former brand manager for other beauty brands, who “watched Black men lose hope in the grooming department. They felt powerless fighting their dry scalps and unsightly razor bumps and held on to the belief that harmful, ineffective chemicals were their only option.” That is when Michael launched his own brand, Frederick Benjamin, inspired by his grandfather. Products range for every hair type and are available across Target and Walmart in the U.S.
13. Organic Bath Co.
Organic Bath Co. is a wellness brand founded by Gianne L. Doherty and her husband Jay. Its products range from skincare to bath products and are all made from organic ingredients. It all stemmed from a reaction Gianne had to conventional beauty products. “Inspired by Gianne’s globe-trotting childhood and the home remedies used by her Belizean mother. Jay turned to shea butter from Ghana, argan oil from Morocco, and almond and jojoba oils, formulating a decadent body butter safe for Gianne’s newly sensitive skin.”
Home and Lifestyle
14. Weed for Black Women
The cannabis industry is estimated to be worth over 400 billion dollars by the year 2030. A major industry for entrepreneurs in this space. Weed for Black Women is a media and culture hub on a mission to educate Black women on the power of cannabis and destigmatize cannabis use. The brand recently launched its apparel line of merch, including tote bags, socks, sweatshirts, t-shirts, and caps. By creating a space of learning and empowerment, Weed for Black Women is on its way to becoming a major hub for the cannabis industry.
15. Kobi Co.
Candles are a must when it comes to self-care. Add a curated playlist, and you’re now in a luxurious state of relaxation. Kobi Co. is a candle company that curates playlists to go with your candle. Kobi Co. was founded in 2020 by then-17-year-old Kobi Gregory to help cope with the stress of remote learning during the Pandemic. It has since become a mother-daughter business, with mom Tasha Harris helping grow the brand by securing partnerships and retail spots throughout Minneapolis. Proceeds from the business are put into a fund to award an annual scholarship to young BIPOC women.
16. Jungalow
From the second you arrive on Jungalow’s site you’re greeted with creative and colorful designs that are sure to transform any space and a branded ecommerce experience that matches. This home decor brand was founded by designer Justina Blakeney and invites customers to “tap into your own creativity, foster the human/nature connection, and bring good vibes home.” With jungle-inspired artwork, customers can breathe life into their homes with Jungalow’s line of rugs, wallpaper, art prints, decor and more. Not only is this brand inspired by the jungles, but it contributes to them as well by planting 2 trees for every purchase made bringing the entire experience full circle.
17. Posh Candle Co.
Posh Candle Co. is a Los Angeles-made candle brand founded by Tay Watts. Inspired by a Target trip one day, Tay couldn’t find the right candle and realized there was a gap in the market for something new and fresh. Enter Posh Candle Co, which was launched in 2016. The brand has since grown with various scents. Each candle is earth-friendly, vegan, and cruelty-free, with 100% soy and hand-poured in Los Angeles.
18. Clare
Looking to renovate your home? Or painting something soon? Clare is an online paint and home design brand founded by Nicole Gibbons in 2018. Nicole has been featured on HGTV, The Today Show, and many more outlets. Her passion behind design was to reinvent the outdated experience of paint shopping. Its rewards program, Cash Rewards, is also enticing and gives customers cash back by earning up to 2 points for every dollar spent.
19. We Ball Sports
We Ball Sports is a sports media platform and athletic apparel company.
Most dedicated athletes not only enjoy playing their sport, but watching it too. This is the opportunity We Ball Sports is capitalizing on. As a sports media platform and athletic apparel brand, customers are able to get everything they need in one location from viral sports content to affordable, high-performance gear. As former D1 athletes, the founders wanted to provide trending athletic gear to the next generation of athletes. Their social media channels are full of valuable content that addresses both their football products and trending high school football content from across the United States. This type of content marketing has allowed We Ball Sports to build a loyal brand community who either come for the content and stay for the great products, or vice versa.
20. Black & Scholared
HBCU grad and Howard University alumna Kamirria Wallace founded Black & Scholared to encourage and help Black students and alums proudly celebrate and represent their HBCU school or alma mater. “Through the sale of our empowering collections and licensed collegiate apparel, we are on a mission to celebrate, support, and encourage higher education within the Black Community,” its website explains. With a growing community nationwide, Black & Scholared has collections available at Footlocker, Barnes and Noble, and Amazon.
Food and Beverage
21. Adjourn Teahouse
Adjourn Teahouse is built on the belief of pausing and rest. It is an artisanal loose-leaf tea company founded by LaTonia Smith Cokely, specializing in organic, hand-crafted, full-leaf tea blends. “Adjourn is rooted in love and the quest for collective liberation through pausing and rest practices.” Its hand-crafted tea blends range from various flavors, such as a comforting black tea with vanilla or a steamed green tea with strawberry, among other flavors.
22. Capital City Wing Sauce
A city with an official wing sauce? Yup, that is Capital City, the official wing sauce for Washington DC. Its mission is to “provide a delicious alternative to ketchup, share a taste of Washington, D.C. with consumers, and be the first choice for kitchens across America that want to spice up their dishes.” Capital City was founded in 2011 by Charles and Arsha Jones when Arsha missed the savory taste of her childhood.
According to Capital City, “Arsha Jones was born and raised in Washington, D.C., and began to miss this sauce she grew up with when she moved to the suburbs and wanted to give her family a real taste of D.C. She regularly made mambo sauce in her kitchen for her boys and decided that it was good enough to market and sell.” Capital City is now sold in retailers across the United States.
23. CHIKAS
CHIKAS is a snack brand that is 100% natural, vegan, and gluten-free. Its product range includes nuts such as cashews and almonds, plantains, and rice crisps. CHIKAS was founded by Chika Russell and inspired by her Nigerian family. CHIKA’s website explains, “Born in the UK as the youngest of seven children, from an early age, Chika was inspired by her African family who loved to cook and create recipes using wholesome and natural ingredients that brought immense joy. CHIKA believes that snacks should be a joyful, flavorful, and crunchful experience.
24. Funky Mello
Marshmallows made healthy? Funky Mello is a snack brand creating a healthy alternative to marshmallows, made from chickpeas and with less sugar than normal brands. Founded by Delisa and Zach Harper, Funky Mello is the answer to snacking healthier. “As unapologetic foodies navigating the world of allergies, we stumbled upon the idea of Funky Mello – a delicious rebellion against bland snacks,” explains its website.
Jonathan Roque
Buy and support Black-owned businesses
Black-owned businesses are growing in every industry. Whether you’re looking for new natural hair care products or apparel brands for every occasion, this list is a great place to start shopping. Happy shopping!
