Due to the history & culture of Indigenous communities sustainability is often rooted within their business models, but unfortunately Indigenous owned businesses don’t always get the resources and recognition deserved.

As we enter the season of holiday shopping I encourage you to support Indigenous owned brands. Make the conscious decision to use your money and support Indigenous communities. When consumers purchase from Indigenous owned brands this encourages these businesses to continue growing financially and create more jobs within Indigenous communities.

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Indigenous Owned Business Are Rooted in Sustainability

As Nonprofit Quarterly states, it is important to acknowledge that Native communities have long had a different relationship with the environment compared to individuals from Western society.

Although there are differences among Native communities, the worldview of Native people generally sees the land and environment as intrinsically intertwined with human development and wellbeing.

Native people have long acknowledged that decisions we make today have lasting effects on future generations. Thus, we have a responsibly to act as accountable stewards of the land and environment for future generations.

Let’s look at the history of this. A report by The University of Washington states, The European Colonialists had many reasons for exploiting the resources they found in the ‘new world’. They felt entitled, e.g., it was their Manifest Destiny or religious duty, to “civilize” peoples they conquered.

At the same time, it didn’t hurt that by exploiting resources from these conquered lands, they were able to maintain their imperial status and economic power against other European nations to compete with them for the same resources.

Despite the fact that Indigenous people actually taught the colonists how to care for the land, grow food, and essentially survive, the colonists disrespected the people and the land. While Colonists were focused on economic power they didn’t stop to consider the impact this would have on Indigenous people and the environment.

The Rising Popularity of Sustainability

NPQ states that in sum, Native people have long held a worldview that connects human and community health to the health of land and the environment. It shapes and perpetuates Native identities, cultures, and worldviews.

And, today, as concepts such as stewardship become more important to the sustainability of our entire planet, there is added value in listening to Native voices, who were environmentalists before environmentalism became popular.

Similarly Cultural Survival reports that among Indigenous cultures, people belong to land rather than land belonging to people. Healing of land MUST include healing of people and vice versa.

Recognizing and processing the emotional traumas held in Native bodies as descendants of assaulted, enslaved, and displaced Peoples is necessary to the healing of land. I think racial injustice is incredibly important to recognize and be aware of as the nation becomes more aware of the environment and climate change.

Why it’s important to support Indigenous owned businesses

Due to the history & culture of Indigenous people sustainability is often rooted within Indigenous owned businesses, but unfortunately Indigenous owned businesses have struggled to get resources and recognition deserved.

Forbes reports Native American entrepreneurs have long confronted additional barriers to startup success, including a lack of financing, geographic isolation and deeply ingrained discrimination.

The U.S. Census reports that nationally, ONLY 1.0 percent of all firms are American Indian and Alaska Native-owned. Even just researching for this blog post I noticed a HUGE lack of information regarding statistics and resources about Indigenous owned businesses.

Poverty Rates in Indigenous Communities

The Foundation for Economic Education reports Native American reservations in the United States are disproportionately poverty stricken. Research suggests that these problems stem from federal oversight over Native American businesses, property, and energy development on reservations.

A report by Southern Oklahoma University reports that even for Native Americans not living on reservations, they consistently rank highest in poverty. The U.S. Census reports poverty rates for Native Americans living on reservations at 39 percent, non- reservation Indians at 26 percent. By shopping Indigenous owned brands this helps these businesses grow financially and leads to more job creation in Indigenous communities.

Cultural Appropriation

Along with the lack of resources to encourage Indigenous entrepreneurship, cultural appropriation has impacted Indigenous communities.

What is cultural appropriation?

Cultural appropriation is defined as the adoption of an element or elements of one culture or identity by members of another culture or identity. This can be controversial when members of a dominant culture appropriate from disadvantaged minority cultures. We can see examples of cultural appropriation in modern day society with Native American costumes for Halloween or Native inspired prints appearing in white owned fast fashion that continue to exploit BIPOC.

One of the most publicized incidents of cultural appropriation was in 2016 with Urban Outfitters. According to Global Citizen Urban Outfitters upset people with cultural appropriation of Native American peoples by using the Navajo Nation’s symbols. This led to a lawsuit.

While this incident was slightly publicized due to the lawsuit most cases of cultural appropriation within fast fashion fly under the radar.

These popular brands are taking advantage of Indigenous culture and profiting off of their history. So it’s important to support Indigenous owned brands who are creating goods to celebrate their history.

13 Indigenous Owned Brands to Shop

If you’re ready to shop small and support Indigenous owned brands, this list is a great place to start!

Whispering Winds

Whispering Winds Shop is an Indigenous owned brand crafting soaps, handmade bracelets, smudge kits, and more. These makers grow and harvest herbs in their own Wisconsin Farms with traditional methods of offerings. All the products available at their shop are handmade in small batches. I personally LOVE their Rose soap.

Cheekbone Beauty

Cheekbone Beauty is an Indigenous-owned and founded, digitally-native, Canadian cosmetics company known for creating high quality, cruelty-free beauty products such as liquid lipsticks and complexion products including contour and highlight palettes.

SheNative

SheNative exists to instill inner strength and unwavering confidence in all women, using teachings that come from Indigenous Nationhood.

Satya

Satya is a Indigenous woman owned organic skincare company focused on clean, simple skincare with a purpose. This eco-conscious brand focuses on organic & steroid free ingredients.

Urban Native Era

Urban Native Era specializes in clothing design and content to increase visibility of Indigenous peoples. This brand uses sustainable packaging and is transitioning to more sustainable textiles.

Raven Reads

Raven Reads was founded as a way to inspire and educate adults and children about Indigenous culture and history. It has been designed for you to learn while supporting Indigenous entrepreneurs from around the globe. Raven Reads spend countless hours curating unique and hard-to-find crafts and giftware made by Indigenous artists from around the world. And Each box contains a new book released within the past 30 to 60 days, written by an Indigenous author.

Thunder Island Coffee Roasters

Thunder Island Coffee Roasters is a Native American owned & operated coffee roasting company, located on the Shinnecock Indian Reservation, Long Island, New York. This brand offers specialty grade 100% Arabica coffees, grown in the high mountains of Central and South America at the altitudes of 4,000 ft. and above. These elevations create the highly sought after SHB (Strictly Hard Bean ) coffees - slower growth development, creating a nutrient dense coffee packed with flavor. Their coffee is USDA certified organic and Fair Trade Certified.

Orenda Tribe

Orenda Tribe is an Indigenous owned brand focusing on sustainably reimagined vintage & upcycled textiles.

Eighth Generation

Eighth Generation provides a strong, ethical alternative to “Native-inspired” art and products through its artist-centric approach and 100% Native designed products. Eighth Generation is proudly owned by the Snoqualmie Tribe.

B.YELLOWTAIL

B.YELLOWTAIL is a Native American owned and operative fashion brand & retailers that specializes in storytelling through wearable art.

Quw’ustun’ Made

Quw'utsun' Made is an Indigenous owned company that believes it is a spiritual duty to protect mother earth from further destruction. Each product is crafted by hand in my small home studio using 100% renewable energy. All packaging is sourced from american companies to prevent additional carbon emissions. Ingredients are also sourced as locally as possible, often wildcrafted.

Beyond Buckskin

Beyond Buckskin is based out of North Dakota and dedicated to advancing creative small businesses located throughout rural and urban communities by providing an online store where customers can connect with Native American fashion designers and jewelry artists.

Sister Sage

Sister Sage uses traditional Indigenous ingredients to create modern self-care and wellness products. This vegan brand is building a platform around that idea that will not only highlight the rich Indigenous culture, but to also promote sustainability, and to teach, lead and inspire future youth and female entrepreneurs.

Hopefully this guide has helped you meet some amazing Indigenous owned brands to shop! To discover more BIPOC Owned Brands be sure and also check out our other round-ups 50 Sustainable Black Owned Brands and 15 Gift Ideas from BIPOC Owned Brands.

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