From coffee companies and beauty brands to fashion lines and Native American jewelers.
Today is Indigenous Peoples' Day -- a holiday which aims to celebrate Native American peoples, as well as their culture, history and greater impact within our country.
This year is especially exciting, as it marks the first occasion that the U.S. president has ever issued a presidential proclamation in honor of the cultural holiday. And while the recognition may be long overdue, we're celebrating nonetheless.
There are actionable ways to support the amplification of Indigenous voices and communities year round -- like promoting the education of Native American history, continuing important dialogues about the problems affecting Indigenous communities and making donations to nonprofits and other organizations that are doing work on the ground to preserve the spirit and culture of Native American peoples.
We'd also argue that another great way to show support is to actually support and shop at Indigenous-owned businesses and brands. And fortunately, there are so many unique and wonderful ones to choose from.
B.Yellowtail seamlessly blends the beauty of Indigenous ancestry into a fashion line composed of poppy colors, structured patterns and statement accessories which honor Native American culture. Rezilient Soles is an art shop which, as defined by its website, celebrates the "intersectionality between Indigenous culture and sportswear culture." And Cheekbone Beauty not only produces quality (and cruelty-free) beauty products, but the brand also donates 10% percent of its profits to Indigenous youth.
Below, we've listed a few of the best Indigenous-owned brands to support today and always.
SheNative
Beyond designing leather handbags and other lifestyle apparel that are rooted in ancestral cultural teachings, SheNative is also committed to addressing the systemic struggles many Indigenous women face. SheNative works specifically to employ Native American women and actually donates 2% of its revenue toward organizations that support Indigenous women.
Birch Bark Coffee Co.
Birch Bark Coffee Co. is SPP certified and produced by farmers that are of Indigenous descent. The company aims to support Indigenous families across Canada through employment and empowerment -- many of whom are impacted specifically by poor water conditions. Customers can indulge in organic, thoughtfully crafted coffee concoctions courtesy of the First Nations-owned and operated company.
B.Yellowtail
"Indigenously designed for all" -- that's the slogan for B.Yellowtail and it's evident in all of the fashion brand's bold styles. The Native American-owned retailer places culture and community at the heart of the work they do -- not only incorporating ancestral designs and Indigenous-inspired styles into their fashion lines, but also working to prioritize the empowerment and creation of more economic opportunities for Native American peoples.
Cheekbone Beauty
Cheekbone Beauty is an Indigenous-owned and founded cosmetics brand with company values that are thoughtfully aligned with that of Indigenous culture, and specifically, of its founder's Anishinaabe roots. Whether you're looking for environmentally friendly lipsticks or other waste-less makeup products, you can find all of it and more at Cheekbone Beauty.
Rezilient Soles
This refreshingly fun and unique art shop combines the worlds of Indigenous culture and sportswear culture into one -- not only emphasizing the intersectionality of these spaces, but also empowering Indigenous artists through a platform that showcases their work and celebrates the value of sports flair in art.
Beyond Bucksin
Beyond Buckskin -- a North Dakota-based website and brand -- is dedicated to advancing the creative small businesses found throughout rural and urban communities. The company works to provide an online store space which gives customers the opportunity to seamlessly connect with (and support, of course) both prominent and up-and-coming Native American fashion designers and jewelry artists.
Ataumbi Metals
Invest in quality, handmade jewels and creations from Ataumbi Metals -- an Indigenous founded and crafted jewelry brand which blends the styles of traditional Native American aesthetics and contemporary art into truly stunning accessory pieces.
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