Have you been wondering how to support minority-owned businesses? Consumers are being called on to support various communities, and while many of them want to, they may find it hard to figure out the best way to do so. Obviously, one of the easiest ways to support members of these groups is by shopping businesses they own. That way, your dollars are going directly to them and you're skipping the middleman.
To help you start finding entrepreneurs you want to support, we've compiled a list of some of the most popular Indigenous-owned businesses below.
37 Indigenous-Owned Businesses to Support
| Brand | What You Can Buy |
|---|---|
| Aconav | Clothing, handbags, accessories |
| Alano Edzerza | Fine art |
| Ataumbi Metals | Jewelry |
| B.Yellowtail | Jewelry, home goods, skin care |
| Bedré | Specialty chocolate foods |
| Beyond Buckskin Boutique | Clothing, jewelry, home goods, cosmetics |
| Bison Star Naturals | Clothing, cosmetics, skin care |
| Cheekbone Beauty | Cosmetics, tools |
| Eighth Generation | Clothing, accessories, home goods, jewelry, fine art |
| Emmett Navakuku | Jewelry |
| Etkie | Beaded bracelets |
| Ginew | Clothing, accessories |
| I Am Anishinaabe | Clothing, jewelry, accessories |
| Indigo Arrows | Home goods |
| Kotah Bear | Jewelry, home goods, accessories |
| Lauren Good Day | Clothing, accessories |
| Manitobah Mukluks | Shoes, mitts, gloves |
| Medicine of the People | Skin care, personal care |
| Native Gorilla | Clothing, jewelry, accessories |
| NotAbove | Jewelry, rugs |
| NSRGNTS | Clothing, home goods, accessories, jewelry |
| OXDX Clothing | Clothing, art |
| Quw'utsun' Made | Skin care, candles, fragrances, stickers, clothing |
| Raven Reads | Literature, giftware |
| Satya | Organic skin care |
| Séka Hills | Specialty foods |
| Sequoia | Skin care, candles |
| SheNative | Clothing, accessories |
| Shima' | Skin care, specialty foods |
| Sister Sky | Skin care, hair care |
| Sisters Sage | Skin care, spiritual items |
| Skwálwen Botanicals | Skin care |
| The NTVS | Clothing, accessories, art |
| Thunder Voice Hat Co. | Hats, clothing, accessories, art |
| TPMOCS | Baby moccasins |
| Trickster Company | Clothing, paper goods, home goods |
| Urban Native Era | Clothing, accessories |
How to Find Indigenous-Owned Businesses Online
Etsy
Known for its independent sellers and unique artists, Etsy actually makes it fairly easy to find Indigenous-owned Etsy shops. Simply search "Native owned" on the platform, and you'll be rewarded with pages of results, as well as related searches to perform. For instance, you might be able to narrow your search by looking for "Native owned shops," "Native owned shops jewelry," "Native owned jewelry," "Native owned dreamcatcher," or "Native owned blanket."
Beyond Buckskin
While Beyond Buckskin has its own items available, it also does a great job of supporting other Indigenous-owned businesses. Check out the site's Buy Native List tab to see other shops to support, conveniently divvied up into related categories.
For example, you can check "Wear" to find clothing, jewelry, and accessories, and "Look" to find decor and art. "Feel" includes beauty, skin care, and health products, while "Taste" has food and drink; "Listen + Read" has music and books. You can also check out the site owner's Etsy page for even more.
NativeWeb
The site looks a bit dated, but the directory at NativeWeb can still give you a good look at Indigenous-owned businesses to support. The list includes the name and description for each business, as well as the nation the business is owned by and its physical location. That means you can track down Native-owned businesses to support and focus on shopping locally, if you'd like.
SEE ALSO: 30 Black-Owned Clothing Lines You Can Support Right Now
AIBA
Known as the American Indian Business Alliance, this site allows you to find Native-owned businesses by searching categories, locations, and keywords. For example, browse under categories like Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting; Arts, Crafts, & Culture; Attorney & Legal; Health Services; Retail Trade; and more. There's also a directory page where you can peruse the complete list of businesses from A to Z.
More Tips for Shopping Native-Owned Businesses
With so many businesses online to choose from, it can be hard to narrow down your options. And if you want to make sure you're supporting a legitimately Native-owned business, you may have to do a little extra legwork.
Read the "About Us" section of their website. Many Native owners announce what tribe or tribal nation they're citizens of, but this isn't always the case. Still, many businesses that are Indigenous-run make that distinction, and will even note tribal history and if they fund any education efforts.
Beware if there's sketchy language. Sometimes businesses claim to be Native-owned in order to boost sales, but they may only be selling items that are Native-made, with none of the profits going to the artisans themselves.
Investigate social media pages. If you're curious about a company, check their social media presence. What they post can provide a good indication of their values. For instance, maybe they claim to be diverse, but all of their social media pages feature pictures of white models. In that case, they might not value diversity as much as they claim. Additionally, if the business doesn't seem to have any real knowledge of the tribe they're supposedly citizens of or support, it's another indication that they may be stretching the truth about who they are and what they do.
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