8 Inclusive Brands That Should Be On Your Radar

2020 was a year that will live in history books forever. The unprecedented changes that were catalyzed during that year will be felt for generations to come. One of the most important conversations that gained traction centered around the increased need for freedom, justice, and equity. People felt emboldened and empowered to use their voice in ways that the world hadn’t quite seen before. A recent Adweek article by Hernan Tagliani noted that significant demographic and cultural changes play an instrumental role in the consumer’s desire for greater diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Businesses that refuse to make DEI a priority will prove unsustainable in the long term. Buyers want to support companies that create inclusive products. With this understanding in mind, it’s imperative to highlight entrepreneurs that are paving the way and have made DEI a hallmark of their business. In honor of National Entrepreneurs’ Day 2021, here are eight products that were carefully curated with DEI in mind.

1.    Liberated Love Notes. Liberated Love Notes are described as “critical self-reflections and affirmations for the culture.” Liberated Love Notes are an affirmation card deck that centers the experiences of Black people who are navigating white spaces and is the brainchild of Brittany Janay. Each card contains a prompt or statement that encourages deeper analysis. The Liberated Love Notes were designed to provide a space for reflection and healing, while interrupting “injected and internalized forms of oppression.”

2.    Netergold. Netergold is a holistic health company that specializes in skin, hair, and body products. One of their products, the Ash Fighter 3000 is described as “the ultimate gift for your ashy friend,” and is infused with aloe butter, cocoa butter and sunflower oil to help fighter against “ash.” Within the Black community the term “ashy” is comically used to refer to the way melanin-rich skin tones look when dry. Black skin is more likely to lose moisture, especially during the winter time so products specifically designed to address these unique issues are so necessary.  

3.    Sunday II Sunday. Sunday II Sunday is a cruelty-free and vegan health and beauty company that creates products “made with active botanical ingredients that remove sweat, balance moisture, and maintain the health of your hair and scalp pre, post, and during your workouts.” In an interview, Sunday II Sunday founder Keenan Beasley stated that “textured hair care has been overlooked by the major players for far too long.” Sunday II Sunday products were specifically designed with textured hair in mind. Their Root Refresh Micellar Rinse, which contains apple cider vinegar and micellar water, is the perfect refresher for the scalp when rocking a protective hairstyle like braids.

4.    OMandP. Odelia, Marie, & Patrice, also known as OMandP is a sustainable, ethical, and vegan company the specializes in beauty, accessory and home good products. For OMandP founder Dr. Candace Parrish, it was important to design products that mobilized the public around different issues. The Unique by Marqus Profic Candle Set are luxury soy and coconut candles and a portion of the proceeds go support lawyer fees for Marqus Profic, who was wrongfully convicted of murder in 2004. Dr. Parrish shared “OMandP worked closely with Marqus Profic and family to create an essence, look, and fragrance blend which was directed by Marqus.” OMandP creates products to promote self-care and wellness including matcha face masks, floral bath salts, rose and coffee under eye serum, and cocoa raspberry exfoliation soap.

5.    Brandon Blackwood. Brandon Blackwood is a luxury fashion brand that is best known for their statement handbags. During the summer of 2020, their End Systemic Racism (ESR) totes went viral. After seeing the popularity of the ESR totes, there were many iterations and re-launches, with the company donating a portion of the proceeds to support legal assistance for the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights. In addition to their popular handbags, the company is also launching a line of statement coats. Brandon Blackwood intends to continue the legacy of inclusive and affordable products. “I keep my prices attainable because for so long luxury brands have sold a fantasy [and] I think in today’s current climate Gen Z and Millennial customers want to be sold a reality. The idea of excess is old; what holds more weight is having personal/beautiful pieces that are realistic and attainable.”

6.    Feminine Funk. Feminine Funk is a statement t-shirt company that was “built to represent the confident and free-spirited women of the world.” Nicole Grier launched Feminine Funk because she wanted to see more representation within fashion. Grier created unique and eclectic statement tees for women of all sizes to encourage self-love and self-acceptance. For many people, finding clothing that is both stylish and fashionable, that also fits is a challenge. Feminine Funk has a wide array of different and quirky t-shirts with size-inclusivity as a top priority.  

7.    Ami Colé. Ami Colé is a health and beauty company designed specifically for melanin-rich skin. “Beauty created for us. By us. Because before, there was nothing out there that really saw us,” their website states. It was important to focus specifically on women of color because of the research that indicates that “women of color are disproportionately exposed to harmful chemicals, with 1 in 12 beauty products marketed toward this group considered toxic.” With a clean beauty philosophy in mind, Ami Colé has developed a wide range of products, from skin-enhancing tint to lip treatment oil.

8.    Bevel. Bevel is a body, shave, hair and skin company that specializes in creating grooming products for people of color, by people of color. Black men and people with curly hair, for example, are more prone to conditions like pseudofolliculitis barbae (razor bumps), as a result of hair removal. Bevel was designed with these unique challenges in mind. Bevel recently joined forces with Walmart for #homeforgood, an initiative to support anti-recidivism efforts. Mass incarceration and recidivism disproportionately impacts Black men. A portion of all Bevel sales at Walmart will go to support ending recidivism.