5 (Not So) Small Businesses by Women for Women
photo: @littlebeast.co
NOT ONLY DO WE TAKE PRIDE IN CELEBRATING FEMALE TALENTS IN ALL CREATIVE WORLDS, BUT IT’S IMPORTANT TO ALSO SPOTLIGHT WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS. WE BELIEVE THAT GIRLS WILL INVENT THE FUTURE IN ALL FORMS OF INDUSTRY BY CREATING JOBS, INFLUENCING CULTURE AND MARKET/ECONOMY AND PROVIDING OPEN PATHS TO THE NEXT GENERATIONS. IN THIS MONTH’S ROUND-UP WE TAKE PLEASURE IN INTRODUCING THESE FIVE GROWING BUSINESSES FOUNDED BY SMART, PASSIONATE AND HARD WORKING WOMEN.
ROOTED WOMAN
Rooted Woman was founded by black women and run by women, this eco-conscious vegan nail polish brand offers non-toxic lacquers. Built on the values of self-love, wellness, sisterhood and freedom, Rooted Woman polishes are made in small batches each with the intention of promoting radical self-care for women.
LITTLE BEAST
little beast was founded by a fellow dog mom who was on the search for good quality, ethically produced and not over-the-top expensive dogwear. Straying away from mass produced brands (yes, fast fashion exists for dogs too), little beast is an outlet to showcase independent brands and creators. This little site stocks everything for your fur baby from foods, treats, toys, bowls, apparel and cleaning supplies. And every purchase is eligible for a donation to animal-focused non-profits that comes out of little beast’s pockets. You just need to choose which organization they should give to.
YEAR OF OURS
The Los Angeles based athleisure brand Year of Ours is is driven by the ethos of team spirit. That feeling “you get in the beginning of any sport season and the idea of ‘it's our year’ to win,” explains founder Eleanor Haycock in Forbes. The entire line is designed to be multipurpose and easy to transition from #wfh to workout. Comfort in performance fabrics, sweat-wicking and compression, all Year of Ours pieces undergo numerous rounds of fittings and quality control, made in America. A truly inclusive brand, the collection sizings ranges from XXS to 2X.
TOPICALS
Topicals co-founders Olamide Olowe and Claudia Teng met through a mutual friend and soon enough became fast friends after sharing bad experiences they had with their common skin conditions (post barbae folliculitis and Teng has eczema). Topicals is science-backed, dermatologist-approved and the new standard for beauty and skincare. Unlike other brands, Topicals is medicated botanicals only using scientifically-proven ingredients and herbals. It’s affordable at $40 and made for all skin types and skin colors.
OSEI-DURO
Osei-Duro began and remains an experiment. Founded in 2011 by designers Maryanne Mathias and Molly Keough, Osei-Duro produces textiles and garments in Ghana, applying hand techniques using West African batik, hand crochet, tie-dye, wood carving and botanical dyeing are a few of the processes. Working with artisans, sewing is done in small workshops in Ghana where their pay is well above the minimum wage. Their sustainability goal involves supporting local textile industries, believing that economic and environmental sustainability are inherently linked.
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