Here Are Five Black-Owned Etsy Shops You Need to Know About 

Following the death of George Floyd at the hands of a white police officer in America, protests have erupted across the world as people demand an end to systemic racism and police brutality. As someone who remembers the outrage when Trayvon Martin lost his life in 2012, back then the Black Lives Matter movement was ‘finding its feet’. The outrage felt momental, until another young black man or woman lost their lives at the hands of the police. 

When we hear the word ‘racism’, our minds go to ‘America’ but the UK’s record is just as tainted. Over 1,500 black people have lost their lives at the hands of the police in the UK. Racism isn’t just America’s problem, it’s a global problem. It took some time to process what is happening in America and I remember reaching out to friends and asking them what they thought about what was happening. Conversations have played such an important role during this resurgence, which proves that Black Lives Matter isn’t just a moment. Black lives matter, Black lives continue to matter and Black lives will always matter.

What the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement has taught us all is that things need to change. Systemic racism and injustice should have no place in our society. As a young black woman who will give birth to black children one day, I can only hope that things continue to get better. We can all do better. Something we can all do is invest in and support black businesses.

Here are five black-owned shops you need to know about:

AnkaraNotes 

In AnkaraNotes, you’ll find everything from notebooks with an African-inspired print to black power greeting cards. What I love about this store is that all of the items are handmade. The intricacy and attention to detail is impeccable. If you love colourful prints and art that makes a statement, then this store will appeal to you. The Black and White Print Coin Purse and Plantain Greeting Card are my faves.

Educupyourself 

‘Add some knowledge to your brew’ – the message doesn’t get any clearer than this. I love the concept behind this brand. Education has been at the heart of the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement, and rightly so. In order to do better, we need to know more. In this store, expect to find everything from mugs with inspirational and educational messages to keyrings celebrating the awesomeness of black women and men. I’m a meditation lover (even though it’s not something I do every day), so the Chakra Meditation Mug caught my eye.

Cinnamon & Brown 

Home to Afrocentric art, stationery and gifts, each exclusive design from Cinnamon and Brown can be personalised. Contemporary images and positive affirmations are at the heart of the brand (which we could all use at the moment). This is another store that appeals to the art-lover in me. The silhouette cards are stunning and the Black Girl Magic foil art is beautiful – it’s everything simplistic art should be.

Sweet Lavender 

This post wouldn’t be complete without at least one beauty and skincare store. Lip scrubs, eyebrow growth, face masks and hair serums are just some of the things you can expect to find in Sweet Lavender. The Rose Water Lip Scrub has rave reviews. I have to admit that I am the worst at exfoliating my lips – I use Vaseline and Cocoa Butter and hope for the best, so I’ll definitely be investing in the scrub.

Dovetailed London 

Dovetailed London is an African wax print fabric shop. All fabrics are made from 100% cotton. Bags, clothes and accessories are also available and customization is available on selected products. When it comes to fabric, there’s so much you can do with it. It can be used to make clothes, accessories or even as a backdrop. I love the idea of using fabric as a backdrop to take pictures. It’s fun and it’s different. The Black Flower Garden African Print Wax would be a perfect backdrop.

*This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through the links provided. All opinions expressed in this post are my own.

I hope you enjoyed reading this post. Have any black-owned businesses caught your eye recently? Feel free to share them below xo