In honor of Black History Month, I wanted to feature some Black-Owned and Black centered businesses which have strong commitments to sustainability and ethical practices.
As a disclaimer, I do not have personal experience with the businesses in this list, but in my research I did find some great items I plan on purchasing in the future. Additionally, this is, by no means, a comprehensive list, so if you have a favorite Black-Owned brand that was not mentioned here, I’d love for you to share it in the comments!
Goodee is a curated online marketplace for Home, Garden, Decor, Household, Furniture and Lifestyle items. They have a strong commitment to sustainability, and all products on the site are vetted for their sustainability. “We carefully select each material, ensuring that they are either natural, recycled, or exceptionally durable.” Their website also lists a materials glossary so that you can read more about the materials used in their products.
Goodee also has a strong commitment to preserving heritage and endangered crafts and features products from artisans who are working to preserve these skills.
They have a detailed impact report on their website which details the impact of their work. Goodee is a certified B Corporation and is certified climate-neutral.
Aya Paper Co. sells greeting cards and stationery that feature “illustrations and messages that reflect the diversity of the Black experience…” They have a strong commitment to sustainability and utilize low-waste packaging, carbon offset shipping, use local manufacturers, and responsibly sourced materials.
Our Commonplace is a woman-owned ethical and sustainable marketplace that features a variety of vendors all of which meet the company’s values of being Ethical, Sustainable, Cruelty-Free, Woman-Owned, BIPOC-Owned, and/or Toxic Free.
The shopping experience on the website allows you to search for products by any of their values, as well as by the products themselves.
Their Eco Academy blog features lots of information covering a variety of topics on sustainability and conscious living.
“Our marketplace connects Black people with natural lifestyles to high-quality, toxic-free brands that share in our mission of health, wellness and community cultivation.” BLK + GRN sells wellness, hair and beauty products, and features over 130 Black artisans from around the world. All their products are sustainably made, plant-based, and/or cruelty-free. They also have an extensive “Toxic Twenty List” which details the chemicals never found in their products, where these chemicals are commonly used, and why they have chosen to exclude them from their products.
BLK + GRN also hosts a podcast where they speak to Black women business owners, experts and entrepreneurs about their businesses and areas of expertise.
“SOKO is a Black-owned ethical jewelry brand built to connect artisans in Kenya with the global marketplace.” They support local Kenyan artists by connecting them with a worldwide market and are contributing to financial inclusion and economic sovereignty for their artisans.
They use recycled materials, reclaimed horn and bone, recycled glass, and sustainably farmed teak wood discards that would be otherwise unused due to small or oddly shaped cutting, to make a wide variety of high-quality jewelry.
SOKO is also a Certified B Corp.
“A A K S was founded by Akosua Afriyie-Kumi with the goal of introducing the world to her favourite weaving techniques by the women of Ghana, increasing awareness around ethical production processes and encouraging sustainable consumption in the fashion world.”
A A K S handbags are handcrafted in Ghana, with special attention to high quality, ethical and sustainable values in the production cycle, and a commitment to never mass-produce their products.
The bags are primarily made from raffia (a fiber derived from palm trees), the leather used for bag handles is sourced from local shoemakers, and they use organic cotton (when possible) for the bag linings. By using sustainable and natural materials, the bags, even at the end of their lifecycle, will not contribute to further pollution or environmental damage after they are discarded.
Additionally, (and one of my favorite things) is they only launch one collection each year to fight the waste and discourage the overconsumption that comes with fast fashion.
If you have ever purchased anything from any of these brands, I’d love to know how your experience, and if there is a brand I did not cover that you would like to see featured, please leave a comment below!
ModMango 
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