18 Queer-Owned Sustainable and Conscious Businesses You Need to Know and Support
We have all witnessed the unfortunate capitalization of Pride all over the country, which has taken away from the real history behind pride—a time to celebrate the perseverance of the queer community and to acknowledge the continued suffering of LGBTQIA2S+ people worldwide. Don’t get us wrong, when pride rolls around, you can bet that we’ll be working a little ROY G. BIV (original) design. If you want to spend a little cash this month to snag some pride-forward pieces, consider shopping from small, low-waste, and sustainable queer-owned brands. Because in the end, giving your money to massive corporations isn’t really supporting queerness. But when we use our dollars to support queer people directly, well now, that is pride.
Clothing, accessories, and beauty!
1. Hecha is a handpainted garment brand designing gender-flexible pieces in New York. The collections are inspired by the intersection of natural and artificial, making them perfect for your next fashion era.
2. Automic Gold makes gender-fluid jewelry and accessories from reclaimed gold. Their pieces range from everyday jewelry to piercing jewelry and statement pieces. They are intentionally made to be worn and loved by everyone.
3. Noto Botanics is a queer-owned beauty and cosmetics brand making vegan and cruelty-free products using low-energy means.
4. Brujita Skin Care makes skincare products that are intended to connect us back to the earth through natural ingredients sourced from mercados (traditional mixed markets) in Mexico.
5. Phlemuns is a slow fashion brand making gender-fluid pieces in patchwork styles and flowing silhouettes.
6. Leila Jinnah is a non-binary designer who makes headpieces and hair accessories ethically and sustainably. With ethereal headbands, hair nets, scrunchies, and hats, Leila Jinnah accessories will set any outfit apart from the rest.
7. Custom Land is an airbrush and embroidery studio based in LA that makes one-of-a-kind pieces incorporating nostalgic airbrush styles (think 2008 family trip to Disney World) and other mediums like patchwork, dyeing, and more.
Home, Art, and Lifestyle!
8. Boy Smells candles are meant to be enjoyed outside the gender binary (everyone loves candles), and they’re made with natural, and refreshing scents for every type of person.
9. Couplet Coffee is a coffee brand selling prideful beans and fun n’ flirty coffee accessories from a heart-shaped French press to a cow print moka pot to rainbow packaged beans
10. Yeah Dawg!!! vegan meats is a vegan sausage and alternative meat brand for all our plant-based baddies out there. Their products are made using vegetables, mushrooms, and more yummy earth finds.
11. Prints from Inciardi - Anastasia Inicardi is an independent artist designing linocut prints for the heirloom tomato lover in all of us, featuring your favorite snacks and food products.
13. Zoe Schlater makes textiles and home decor products that quite literally show your pride; their designs are categorically colorful, maximalist, and eccentric.
Services/Useful Products!
14. Hidden Opulence is a queer-owned alterations service and upcycled goods brand based in Portland, Oregon. If you are outside of Portland, check out their upcycled goods that can be shopped online!
15. Give and Take Project is an artwork recycling depository based in Brooklyn. They are an all-in-one resource for locating fabric scraps and art scraps for your next project and connecting artists in the community.
16. Alexa Kari is the brains behind the self-named brand and online community material grrrlz. On Alexa’s website, you can find sewing and knitting patterns for upcycling or beginning your own sewing journey & build your textile community through material grrrlz (free patterns too)!
17. Xula Period Products makes non-gendered period products for anyone with a womb and offers helpful education-based resources as well.
18. Curve Conscious is a Philly-based resale shop for plus-sized clothing. You can shop their collection of curated curvy clothes online, in person at their events, and even sell your own pieces via mail.
