LGBTQ+-Founded Brands That Celebrate Individuality, Equality and Love
June marks the global celebration of Pride Month, and one clear way to be an ally today (and every day!) is by giving back to organizations that empower LGBTQ+ individuals and families, such as PFLAG, Rainbow Families and The Trevor Project. Another option is to put the power of your dollar toward supporting LGBTQ±founded brands and small businesses. Whether you’re browsing for yourself, shopping for your kiddos or searching for a gift for a friend or loved one, keep scrolling to discover a few favorite brands that celebrate individuality, identity and inclusivity.
After struggling to find a baby record book that suited their two mom family, Emma and Natalie Wilcox founded Little Pickle Memories in 2017, finally offering people the option to refer to themselves as “parent,” rather than “mom” and “dad,” Little Pickle Memories has grown tremendously in recent years, and now offers a range of journals, gift sets and cards that are inclusive of single, same-sex and adoptive families.
Bazzle Baby was founded by Michaelene Cadiz with the goal of creating baby accessories and products that help modern families navigate all the major milestones in their kids’ lives. The brand offers their popular drool bibs, along with teethers, feeding sets, blankets and a special Rainbow Collection.
Jesus Gutierrez and Sergio Aragon, two first-generation Mexican-Americans, founded Gay Pride Apparel in 2019 as a place to promote love, acceptance and pride. Along with exclusive products that aim to empower and celebrate the LGBTQ+ community, the brand also lets customers shop by category and identity. The Proud Family collection offers T-shirts for the whole family, including adorable “I love my 2 dads,” “I love my 2 moms” and “I love my guncle” options for babies and toddlers.
Each pair of Pals Socks comes mismatched to celebrate the unique and wonderful qualities that set each individual apart. The brand even offers mismatched, animal-themed baby booties for tiny humans. The goal? To encourage vibrancy, celebrate differences and empower the next generation to stand up for equality on all fronts—and to eventually create a more open-minded, empathetic and colorful world! Bonus: The brand also champions sustainability by using eco-friendly practices and resources.
Poppy Summit offers apparel and lifestyle products inclusive of same-sex and single parent families. Products include LGBTQ+ friendly T-shirts, sweatshirts and onesies for adults, babies and children, as well as nursery wall art, baby shower invitations, baby shower games and more.
Common Dear is a lifestyle brand with a retail shop located in Oklahoma City. It was created by Jessi and Kelli Newsome to push boundaries, infuse life with color and celebrate marginalized communities. Their retail space is intentionally curated with women-, LGBTQ+, AAPI-, Black- and Latinx-owned brands that seek to empower individuals and promote equality across the board. They also sell many of their products online, including accessories, self-care products, paper goods, home goods and a Pride collection.
Lockwood is a home goods and design store founded by Mackenzi Farquer. Its initial retail location was in Astoria, Queens, but the brand has since expanded to more brick and mortar stores across New York City. With curated decor, stationery, clothing, gifts and affordable lifestyle goods, the brand focuses on highlighting local artists and up-and-coming designers, while creating a strong sense of home, community and solidarity. (And we love the adorable NYC-themed onesies, baby books and toys!)
Ruby Shines was created to empower and celebrate trans girls across the globe. Jamie, the brand’s founder and a dad, was traveling with his then 11-year-old daughter Ruby for a trip to Central America. He wondered how he could ensure Ruby felt comfortable and confident in her activities and clothing regardless of where she traveled. The answer, he found, was in the form of form-fitting clothing for trans girls. The brand makes swimwear, undergarments and other athletic apparel for trans girls that keep everything in place, so they can feel comfortable (rather than worried). The brand also champions open conversations around transitioning—and offers a place for connection and relationship building.
The popular candle brand was launched by Matthew Herman and David Kien with a goal to create everyday products that subvert gender stereotypes and expectations. Over the past few years, the brand has expanded beyond candles into room sprays, fragrances, body care and undergarments; it’s now available in several retail stores including Sephora.
Partners Matthew Malin and Andrew Goetz were in search of uncomplicated skin care products that would take up less space in their small New York City apartment. They weren’t happy with the existing options, so they created their own. Each Malin + Goetz product is inspired by inclusivity and designed for every single skin type, tone and gender. What’s more, not only does Malin + Goetz use eco-friendly ingredients and packaging, the brand also gives back to causes that bring awareness to social issues, while amplifying conversations about equality.
Minna was founded by Sara Berks in 2013; the brand works with artists and creators based out of Hudson, New York, and offers beautiful, ethically made products from rugs and pillows to baskets and bedding. Plus, the Minna team keeps equality and inclusivity at the forefront of everything the business does: They’re intentional about strategy, and work to build an inclusive community that challenges injustice locally, nationally and globally.
The clothing brand was founded by Laura Moffat and Kelly Sanders Moffat, a couple looking for clothes that matched their personal styles and identities. Finding themselves gravitating toward mens’ clothing—but disappointed by the way they fit—the pair saw a gap in the marketplace for gender-defying clothing that questioned traditional norms in fashion. Kirrin Finch—whose name is inspired by iconic fictional tomboys Georgina Kirrin and Scout Finch—offers menswear-inspired clothing that’s designed for female and non-binary individuals. Plus, the brand also gives back to the LGBTQ+ community and uses environmentally sustainable and ethical practices.
The clean beauty brand was founded by celebrity makeup artist, Gloria Noto, to celebrate and be inclusive of a wide spectrum of authentic identities. The brand offers cosmetics that are multi-use and gender inclusive—plus, they’re made with clean, non-toxic ingredients that are ethically sourced and won’t harm your body or the environment. NOTO Botanics also gives back and has, so far, supported organizations such as Planned Parenthood, The Okra Project, The Transgender Freedom Fund, Black Mama’s Matter, The Love Land Foundation and The Trevor Project.
Bokksu is an LGBTQ±founded brand, as well as a small family-run business in Japan. The company ships out monthly Japanese snack boxes with treats like mochi, flavored potato chips, matcha lattes and more. Bokksu was founded in 2016, when founder Danny Taing returned to America after living in Japan and found he missed his home country’s snacks and local specialties. He started out packing boxes himself in his living room and has since grown the company into one that offers a monthly subscription box, shipping across the globe. Bonus: Each Bokksu subscription purchased gives back by supporting family-run businesses in Japan.
Couplet Coffee was founded by Gefen, a first generation immigrant, queer woman and coffee enthusiast. But while she had always loved specialty coffee, she had also felt intimidated by how to approach it—which is why she started her own brand. The goal? To bring top-notch coffee to everyone in a fun and approachable way, without having to get into the nitty gritty of speciality preparations or tasting notes. The brand offers coffee blends, coffee pots, brand merchandise and more. Plus, the company hosts queer art shows and poetry nights in its LA locations to help build and empower the local LGBTQ+ community.
Founded by Amina Mucciolo, a Black, queer and autistic artist and self-proclaimed “human rainbow,” her brand embodies all things rainbows, individuality and positivity. The brand offers everything from colorful apparel and accessories to art prints with uplifting slogans, like “Autism Acceptance,” and mottos like “Don’t give up! Take a break instead.”
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