12 Places To Shop To Support Small-Business, Women, & Black-Owned Business
Diversify your spending habits!
While there's no denying the convenience and accessibility of mega-corporations like Amazon, Target, or Wal-Mart, there are many reasons to choose a small or independent business alternative for your next purchase. Especially in times of economic downturn, it's important to branch out where you spend your money and contribute more to small businesses, women-owned businesses, Black businesses, and independently-owned businesses. Supporting stores like these will help boost and diversify our economy and stimulate opportunity. Many of these small businesses even have philanthropic initiatives set in place to donate part of their earnings to the community through charitable organizations.
Next time you're making a purchase, whether that be shopping for groceries, home decor, feminine products, etc., we hope you'll consider one of these options, and help your money make a difference!
1. Thrive Market
Thrive Market is an online membership-based market with healthy food options and a mission to make a difference. For as little as $5 per month, members get access to the best organic brands, guaranteed savings, fast & free carbon-neutral shipping, and the ability to easily shop by their diet and values. The cherry on top: for every paid membership, Thrive sponsors a free membership for a low-income family in need!
Best for healthy & affordable online grocery shopping!
2. Boxed
Boxed was founded in 2013 by an experienced group of tech pioneers with a simple idea: make shopping for bulk easy, convenient, and fun.
We love Boxed for so many reasons beyond just their great bulk prices: they took a stand against pink tax on women’s products, the CEO pays the college tuition for the children of Boxed employees, and they aim to ship orders in as few boxes as possible to minimize environmental impact.
Best for getting great deals buying in bulk!
3. Grove Collaborative
Grove Collaborative makes it easy to find healthy, natural products, from laundry detergent to lip balm. Everything available at Grove meets their four-point standard: uncompromisingly healthy, beautifully effective, sustainably produced, and cruelty-free. Did we mention, Grove is a Certified B Corporation, meaning they prioritize social, environmental, and community wellbeing over everything else. Your contribution to Grove will also help plant trees across America! Click here to read more about Grove Collaborative's various environmental and social initiatives!
Best for natural, eco-minded household and personal care products!
4. Nuts.com
Nuts.com formerly the Newark Nut Company is a family-owned business that was started in 1929. They've got the freshest nuts around, and also offer a variety of other dry goods and snacks! Nuts.com is known for their excellent customer service and they even offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee!
Best for nuts, snacks, and dry baking goods!
5. The Honest Company
The Honest Company is a brand started by Jessica Alba, born of a simple purpose: to create safe, effective products for all families. The Honest Company believes that a happy, healthy life should be a right, not a privilege. Beyond just their ideal of upholding the Honest Standard for all their products, their social initiatives and community partnerships are also notable. Ensuring that more people have access to safe, effective options when they need it the most. Find out more about how The Honest Company gives back, here.
Best for ethical baby products!
6. The Honey Pot
The Honey Pot is the first complete natural feminine care system, powered by herbs! We love the personal journey behind this Black-owned company; founder Bea Dixon suffered from bacterial vaginosis for months. An ancestor gave her the ingredients to heal herself in a dream. She created the formula for an effective, clean feminine wash and it worked! She launched The Honey Pot Company in 2014 and has subsequently released an array of products for clean feminine care!
Best for feminine care products!
7. Ulta
Ulta Beauty is a storefront and online beauty supply retailer, who carry a wide range of products from various brands. We love Ulta not only because they are a female-run company, but also because they place special emphasis on diversity, community outreach through charitable partnerships, and commitment to the environment. For example, Ulta Beauty is among the top corporate partners of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation® (BCRF), and since 2009 has helped raise over $33 million dollars for research!
Best for make-up and beauty products!
8. Briogeo
Briogeo is a hair care company dedicated to clean care for healthy hair; always ethically sourced, cruelty-free and free of harsh sulfates, silicones, parabens, phthalates, DEA, and artificial dyes. Briogeo is a Black-owned business, who focuses on clean, effective hair products for all diverse hair types!
Best for clean-ingredient hair care!
9. Bookshop.org
Bookshop.org is an online bookstore with a mission to financially support local, independent bookstores. Here's how it works: If you want to find a specific local bookstore to support, find them on the map and they’ll receive the full profit off your order. Otherwise, your order will contribute to an earnings pool that will be evenly distributed among independent bookstores (even those that don’t use Bookshop)! Bookshop is a B-Corp - a corporation dedicated to the public good, next time you're looking to buy a book, we highly recommend this resource!
Best for buying books and supporting local bookstores!
10. The Little Market
The Little Market is a female-owned nonprofit committed to alleviating poverty. Their collection of fair trade goods is made by artisans in need, including refugees, people with disabilities, women transitioning out of homelessness, and survivors of trafficking and domestic violence. Each purchase helps artisans build a brighter future for themselves and their families. With an array of products from toys, to home decor, The Little Market even offers the option to shop by cause!
Best for unique, diverse, hand-crafted items!
11. Uncommon Goods
Uncommon Goods is a marketplace full of home and apparel products and gifts, that both serve a purpose, and stun us with their beauty. Uncommon Goods certainly lives up to it's name, offering unique and fun products that are far from 'common'. They offer designs by independent makers, and they do it with a positive impact on both people and our planet. As a B-Corporation, Uncommon Goods is founded on the pillars of environmental sustainability, giving back to the community through charitable partnerships, and respect for it's workers.
Best for functional and beautiful decor, gifts, and more!
12. UNWRP
Unwrp is the ethical and sustainable solution to traditional & boring gift wrap! Offering environmentally sustainable gifting options that express your personality and will elevate any gift. Although they're known for their gift wrap, Unwrp also offers sustainable accessories and home goods as well! Next time you're buying gifting supplies, remember this Black-owned business!
Best for sustainable gift wrap and accessories!
Have you tried any of these stores or products? Did we miss any? Let us know!
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