5 Products to Buy Now to Support Black-Women-Led, Purpose-Driven Businesses

In this historic era of not only the COVID-19 pandemic but also the momentous Black Lives Matter movement, it’s more important now than ever before to support social enterprises, purpose-driven entrepreneurs, and businesses that are founded and led by — as well as serve and support — under-represented and marginalized groups of people.

If you are fortunate enough to be able to show your support of this historic Civil Rights Movement with your wallet, then, in addition to donating to organizations like Black Lives Matter and Equal Justice Initiative, consider replenishing your stay-at-home supply with incredible products made by companies who were founded, are owned, or are led by Black women. (Also, please continue to seek more comprehensive lists of ways you can contribute to the Black Lives Matter movement with your dollars. Here and here are great sources.)

The following list of Black-women-led businesses could be miles long, but in the interest of time, here are just a handful of my favorite conscious businesses founded or led by Black women around the globe. From body balm to popcorn, these are high-quality products you can buy today to support Black entrepreneurs (and in some cases entire communities) who belong to one of the most oppressed and under-resourced groups on the planet. Happy spending!

1. Vava Coffee’s Wangumape Microlot Coffee ⁠— 8.8 oz (Medium Roast), $25

FOUNDED AND LED BY: Vava Angwenyi

CONSCIOUS-BUSINESS CRED: Vava Coffee is a Social enterprise that trades, roasts, and consults on coffee value chains, with a mission to contribute to better future prospects for coffee communities and the industry as a whole.

2. Shea Yeleen’s Unscented Body Balm - 6 oz, $19

FOUNDED AND LED BY: Rahama Wright

CONSCIOUS-BUSINESS CRED: Shea Yeleen is a social enterprise that creates living wages for women in small villages in the Tamale region of Ghana. Shea Yeleen partners with some of the millions of African women ⁠— who earn just $2 a day working in supply chains ⁠— and invests in their businesses to produce high-quality organic, fair-trade body-care products.

3. ECOs’s Hypoallergenic Hand Soap, $29

FOUNDED AND LED BY: Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks 

CONSCIOUS-BUSINESS CRED: ECOs’s mission is “to protect the health and wellness of people, pets, and the planet by creating the most authentic, sustainable, and affordable cleaning products for all,” — and is the world’s first company to make its products in carbon-neutral, water-neutral, and TRUE Platinum Zero Waste-certified facilities across the United States. In 2014, the company implemented a minimum wage of $17 an hour, and more than 50 percent of its C-Suite and top executives are women.

4. Kreyòl Essence’s Haitian Black Castor Oil Original 100% Natural ⁠— 3.4 oz, $18

FOUNDED AND LED BY: Yve-Car Momperousse

CONSCIOUS-BUSINESS CRED: Kreyòl Essence is a social enterprise that makes natural and ethical body-care products and supports female suppliers of castor oil in Haiti. The company has created work for more than 3,000 farmers and 80 female castor-oil producers. 

5. Pipcorn’s Sea Salt Popcorn ⁠— 4.5 oz, 12 bags for $40.80

FOUNDED AND LED BY: Jennifer Martin

CONSCIOUS-BUSINESS CRED: Pipcorn is a women-owned, minority-owned, family business founded by sister-and-brother duo Jennifer Martin and Jeff Martin. The company’s heirloom corn products are made with simple, whole ingredients that are whole-grain, gluten-free, and Non-GMO Project Verified.

For more products created by Black-women-owned businesses, check out this list by Forbes.