Healing The Planet With The Black Touch
Brand Featured: AAKS
The past few years have seen an uproar in the BLM movement, seeking justice for and recognition of the struggles of the Black community. The call for support of the same extended out to small businesses run by various members of the community. There was also a drastic shift towards sustainable consumption that ran parallelly to the BLM protests. The culmination of these divergent points of focus has given direction to 2023. Keeping in mind the current state of the world environmentally and politically, Jejune Magazine has thrown light on some Black owned sustainable businesses, with the intention of empowering the Black community while attempting to heal the environment one purchase at a time.
Founders: KJ Miller & Amanda E. Johnson
Their Story: Mented was created by KJ Miller and Amanda E Johnson with the aim of finding a nude shade of lipstick that was suited for women of colour. What started off as a move to bridge the gap that existed in the beauty industry, the company has grown to expand its products to include foundations and other skincare products that catered to all skin complexions and skin types. While they had a limited understanding of the functioning of the beauty industry, their previous experiences with finding makeup that was right for them led them to create a space where nobody is left behind, and there is something for everyone. The brand’s products are vegan, paraben free, non toxic, and cruelty free, with a focus on keeping beauty simple.
Price Range: $-$$
Founder: Akosua Afriyie-Kumi
Her Story: London based Ghanian designer, Akosua Afriyie-Kumi, is changing the way people perceive African handicrafts. As a designer, she identified a niche market for premium Ghanian hand woven bags that were made from locally sourced materials and crafted using precise, artisanal techniques. This led to the birth of her brand AAKS. These eclectic designs, thus created, are a product of Raffia weavers trained under Akousa, ensuring that every piece is produced ethically, and with the highest standard of quality and luxury.
Price Range: $$
Founder: Brenda Palms Barber
Her Story: Chicago based Brenda Palms Barber believes in second chances. As founder of Sweet Beginnings, an employment agency that gives incarcerated inmates a second chance at life, she helps these people make a living through sustainable means like beekeeping where they can gain job experience and build on their resume. Brenda serves as the President and CEO of Beelove, a company selling raw unpasteurized honey and honey based products, to make you feel good on the inside and the outside. The men and women at Sweet Beginnings make Beelove products what they are today.
Price Range: $-$$
Founders: Lawrence Lenihan & Christian Gheorghe
Their Story: beRESONANT is a platform for Black creatives to showcase their products. It allows creators to produce clothing sustainably, keeping in mind ethical practices. Technologically backed, the platform ensures that every piece of clothing that is produced has a low carbon footprint and is not disruptive to the environment. The aim is to keep customers in the loop about the kind of products being produced and what kind of methods are used for the same. The beRESONANT factory is located in the Dominican Republic where the materials used are 100% organic and processed, and the products are made to order.
Price Range: $$-$$$
Founder: Annette Clark
Her Story: British Barbadian business owner, Annette Clark, is a firm believer in embracing one’s natural locks and cultivating a routine that honours one’s hair and scalp in its most natural state. Annette is the company’s resident aromatherapist who uses her skill, coupled with her deep set knowledge in chemistry, to concoct a perfect blend of products that are made from natural ingredients, and are scientifically backed, making them a fitting choice for people looking to go the natural route in their hair care journey. Having been diagnosed with Alopecia, Annette used this as an opportunity to teach people how to care for their hair and to take the effort to cultivate good haircare habits using Almocado products.
Price Range: $
Founders: Nana Boateng Osei & Nana Kwadwo Osei
Their Story: Nana Boateng Osei & Nana Kwadwo Osei are a duo you cannot miss. They are changing the face of the luxury eyewear industry with their brand Bohten. Born in Ghana but having lived around the world, the brothers use their travels and experiences as an inspiration for their brand. Having no background in business, the duo collectively found their footing in the entrepreneurial world to support their love for nature and to honor their African heritage. Bohten uses discarded natural materials sourced from Africa and ethically produces its products, creating jobs in Africa and making use of the natural environment judiciously. What started as an attempt to bring to life an amalgamation of the brothers’ passions has now grown to be a leading luxury eyewear brand, rooted in African culture and inspired by modern icons.
Price Range: $$$
Founder: Antoinette "Toni" Newton-Acquah
Her Story: Flowers & Moondust is Antoinette Newton-Acquah’s brain child. Toni was raised in Philadelphia and lived in Upstate New York until her father’s passing. What started as a trip back to her motherland to heal and adopt positive self care practices, became a journey into realizing the power of African remedies and the rejuvenating nature of the same. Flowers & Moondust is an invitation for people to discover the magic of African healing in the form of herbs, roots, and superfoods, used to prevent health conditions, improve longevity of one’s life and restore one’s youth and beauty. Guided by ancestral practices, the company creates products that are made by local artisans, skilled in their craft, with organically sourced ingredients.
Price Range: $-$$
Founder: Beatrice Feliu- Espada
Her Story: The Honey Pot Co. is making big moves in the feminine hygiene industry. One of the few natural fem-hygiene care companies, the brand intends to challenge other chemically laden hygiene products that prove to be bad for you in the long run. The company was brought to life as a result of a dream where the founder, Beatrice, was visited by her ancestor who gave her a home remedy to cure her Bacterial Vaginosis, a condition that affects a lot of women, wherein the PH balance of the vagina is off balance. After seeing results from the home remedy, Beatrice identified a scope for her products in a market that was ridden with products that could prove to be harmful to the users. As the company grew, The Honey Pot Co. found its way onto the shelves of many retail giants, allowing more people to access intimate products made from natural ingredients, goodness and love.
Price Range: $-$$
Founder: Katonya Breaux
Her Story: Finding sunscreen that works for your skin, and does not leave a residue or a white cast, can often be challenging as a person of color. Unsun Cosmetics seeks to challenge this notion by tapping into a niche market of sunscreens for people of colour. Katonya Breaux, the founder of Unsun Cosmetics, recognised the need for mineral based sunscreens that are well suited for darker skin tones. The Unsun sunscreens are made of ingredients that are organic, cruelty free, and, in general, good for you.
Price Range: $-$$
The sustainability movement, which was previously attached to the white community, has expanded to be more inclusive. When you shop from a Black owned sustainable business, you are empowering the Black community and caring for the environment in your own way. Jejune Magazine, thus, urges you to shop wise and with an open heart!
