Boy oh boycott

Let's talk about shopping.

Disclaimer: I know this email will likely “clip” in inboxes, but I didn’t want to cut out shops to shorten it. To keep reading, just expand the ellipses when you run into them. Thanks!

One of the main tasks of my job at Etsy was to write shopping content promoting cool products made by real people. It’s a skill, I guess? It’s at least something I’m well practiced at, and right now, while so many good folks have joined together to boycott Big Business, it feels like one of the few talents I have on offer that I can maybe put to some good use.

Of course, whether or not you’ve decided to cut the likes of Amazon, Target, and Walmart out of your life for a single day or permanently, your method of resistance is up to you. Personally, I’m in full support of doing whatever we have the capacity for these days to fight back and make an impact. But I realize everyone’s circumstances (and access to alternatives) are going to be different.

That said, if you have decided to take a stand with your dollar, then shopping small, local, and values-aligned as much as we can is a good place to begin. True, a single day probably won’t make a dent. The real impact will come from a massive cultural shift in where and how we spend. It’s going to take time, and it’s going to take practice. (And yes, I am absolutely a work in progress too.)

That’s part of the reason I’m sending this *after* the February 28 economic boycott, (and coincidentally the last day of Black History Month, too). Resistance doesn’t take place within a single day or a month. It’s constant and vigilant. (The other part of the reason is that I am just a tardy person. Sigh.)

There is one other thing that was weighing on my mind yesterday. There are plenty of smaller BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ brands who are stocked at some of these big box stores, whose livelihoods are more likely to be impacted by a loss of revenue. If you want to continue supporting them, here are a few ideas for what you can do:

1. Seek out BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ brands who are stocked by your most frequented mass-retailers, then head to *their* websites and shop their products directly. Many of these brands also list their current stockists on their websites, so you can check to see if there are local retailers near you (small and/or values-aligned) where you can pick up their products in person. Obviously it’s a nice bonus to pay cash when you can, and cut out the credit card middle man.

2. Let news outlets do some of the work for you. Here are a few recently compiled roundups from Black History Month:

• 201+ Black-owned businesses to shop year round (NBC)

• 100+ Black-Owned Businesses to Support Today and Always (Good Housekeeping)

• The 30 Best Products From Black-Owned Businesses To Shop All Year Long (Forbes)

• My 37 Favorite Black-Owned Brands With the Best Body Lotions & Hair Care (InStyle)

3. Follow your favorite small brands on social, sign up for updates and newsletters, etc. While you’re at it, unfollow and unsubscribe to the others. Spring cleaning is upon us!

The last thing I’ll add for now is a short list of cool small businesses that I personally really like, most of which I discovered while sourcing content for Etsy. I can create more of these types of roundups if you find them useful (let me know?), but I figured I’d start with Black-owned shops as my little nod to keeping the moment and the movement going. Keep scrolling to see ‘em!

Obviously what I’ve compiled here barely scratches the surface. There are so many important ways to keep showing up for communities in need and the causes we care about. But for now, given my particular skill set, this one small service feels like the very least I could do. If there are any Black-owned brands you’d like to shout out in the comments, please do!

Clothing and accessories

Under the Pink Peppercorn Tree (Los Angeles, CA)

Supremely cozy, explosively colorful chunky knit hats, scarves, cowls, sweaters, and more.

Zou Xou (Buenos Aires, AR)

Small batch, artisan-crafted shoes in classic silhouettes, from Mary Janes to loafers to mules.

All Very Goods (Washington, D.C.)

Image via Etsy.

Artfully illustrated bandanas, scarves, and reusable totes that tell stories of art, craft, mythology, and history.

Kingsley Leather (Cheltenham, UK)

Custom-branded leather goods, from belts and bow-ties to cufflinks and cardholders.

Jewelry

Moon-Seed (Charleston, SC)

Fun and funky-shaped statement earrings crafted from iridescent acrylic.

Marcia Vidal (London, UK)

Heirloom-quality fine jewelry infused with ancient symbolism.

Lingua Nigra (Chicago, IL)

Hand-sculpted silver and gold bangles, rings, pendants, and earrings with a textural, organic flair.

Omi Woods (Toronto, CA)

Contemporary heirloom pieces celebrating Island and Africana culture.

Art and paper

Aimee Mac Illustration (Halifax, UK)

Sunshiney prints, cards, tees, and gifts inspired by nature and the everyday.

Dorcas Creates (London, UK)

Unapologetic statement prints centering and celebrating Black women. (Also, puzzles!)

M. Koby Art (Tampa, FL)

Stunning original cut-outs, powerful feminist prints, and a range of product collaborations including notebooks, totes, and tees.

Mirlande (Baltimore, MD)

Complex, layered collages honoring the unsung work and everyday triumphs of women.

Ebonii’s Moon (Orlando, FL)

Adorably hygge hand-illustrated stationery sets for book lovers. (Obviously the stickers are my favorite.)

Home and living

Candice Luter Art + Interiors (Cedar Rapids, IA)

One-of-a-kind, macrame-inspired wall art, mirrors, and accent pieces.

Tara Jayne Designs (Philadelphia, PA)

Hand-poured, hand-painted decorative concrete accessories.

Vintage

Threads of Habit (Jersey City, NJ)

Vintage and reworked clothing spotlighting a vibrant mix (and remix) of patterned prints.

ode{vintage} (Cleveland, OH)

A collection of eclectic treasures from bolo ties and silver chains to jeweled shoe clips and small ceramics.

All images credited to their respective brands unless otherwise noted.