For years, the LGBTQ+ community has been encouraged to put their money where their values are. However, this is only possible when you know which businesses align with those values.
This is the mission behind a newly curated online marketplace designed to highlight brands that either belong to the LGBTQ+ community or align themselves deeply with it through their values, partnerships, and societal impact.
Brands That Are Reshaping the Market
Many of these brands start as small businesses, growing into influential players that challenge traditional industry norms. They collectively showcase the economic and cultural power of LGBTQ+ entrepreneurship and creativity.
Ash + Chess: Celebrating Queer Creativity
Founded by queer artists Ashley Molesso and Chess Needham, Ash + Chess has built a reputation for bold, joyful designs. Their products—ranging from greeting cards to everyday goods—use humor and retro-inspired aesthetics to celebrate LGBTQ+ life. Despite facing challenges, they've grown into a globally recognized brand.
Sightseer Coffee Roasters: Equity in Every Cup
Sara and Kimberly founded Sightseer Coffee Roasters with a focus on equity throughout their supply chain. Paying above Fair-Trade prices, the queer- and women-owned brand sources from women producers, addressing long-standing gender disparities in the coffee industry.
Undefined Beauty: Inclusivity in Skincare
Dorian Morris established Undefined Beauty to challenge the exclusivity often found in the skincare industry. The brand combines plant-based ingredients with effective formulations, supporting female-founded, BIPOC, and LGBTQ+-owned businesses.
Carter Wear: Redefining "Nude"
Founded by Derek Ford Jr., Carter Wear aims to provide truly inclusive skin-toned underwear. By designing shades specifically for Black and Brown skin tones, the brand challenges norms about product inclusivity.
NOTO Botanics: Gender-Inclusive Beauty
Queer makeup artist Gloria Noto founded NOTO Botanics to create beauty products that transcend gender. The brand offers multi-use products for face, body, and hair, emphasizing simplicity and adaptability.
cantiqLA: Lingerie for All
Designer Chelsea Hughes launched cantiqLA to challenge narrow lingerie standards. Offering inclusive sizing and genderfluid fits, every piece is handcrafted in Los Angeles, promoting comfort and self-expression.
Junebug & Darlin: Queer Crafting
Zoe Frost, based in Portland, created Junebug & Darlin to offer cross-stitch kits with a modern, inclusive twist. These DIY kits blend contemporary design with queer identity, showing how traditional crafts can evolve.
Queen On The Scene: Visibility Through Accessories
Founded in 2017, Queen On The Scene crafts enamel pins that express identity and belonging, providing a small but impactful way to showcase community spirit.
Flags For Good: Advocacy Through Design
Flags For Good ties each of its designs to a cause, donating a portion of sales to organizations focused on LGBTQ+ rights and other vital issues, transforming symbolic gestures into real-world impact.
Mouthy Broad: Design with a Cause
Mouthy Broad has created a niche for itself with bold, intersectional designs. Through humor and activism, their products support issues like feminism and LGBTQ+ rights.
Happy Bear Coffee: Community Through Coffee
Happy Bear Coffee pairs small-batch roasting with philanthropy, enabling customers to support causes seamlessly through their purchases.
Edgewater Candles: Sustainable Craftsmanship
Founded by Mark Towns and Stephen Pearlman, Edgewater Candles offers hand-poured, eco-friendly candles in Chicago, reflecting a commitment to sustainability and local production.
Cat and Raven Designs: Pride in Essentials
Cat and Raven Designs brings LGBTQ+ representation to everyday routines with handmade, Pride-inspired soaps.
&ndy: Queer-Centric Activewear
Founded by Andrew Hall, &ndy offers performance-driven activewear designed for queer athletes, combining technical quality with subtle identity signals.
REISFIELDS NYC: Fragrance and Identity
Brooklyn-based REISFIELDS NYC, founded by Reis Chester, blends fragrance design with a sense of personal identity, offering candles that enhance personal spaces.
MAPA: Swimwear with Culture
Founded by Mauricio and Patrick, MAPA creates swimwear inspired by global travel, emphasizing clean design and quality for versatile wear.
Gay Pride Apparel: Everyday Visibility
Established by first-generation Mexican-American creators, Gay Pride Apparel offers LGBTQ+ merchandise rooted in Latinx and queer identity for year-round visibility.
YEAHBUZZY: Expression in Apparel
Based in Atlanta, YEAHBUZZY produces expressive, community-focused apparel in small batches, supporting local organizations through its "Live Bold" initiative.
Mo-Beauty Shop: Drag-Inspired Beauty
Founded by Mo Heart, Mo-Beauty Shop offers beauty products that cater to diverse skin tones and styles, reflecting drag and everyday life experiences.
Solawave: Skincare Innovation by LGBTQ+
Andrew Silberstein and Eli Bailey founded Solawave to innovate skincare with accessible red-light therapy tools, enhancing skincare routines without the usual complexity and cost.
Brick Road Coffee: A Community Hub
Founded by Gabe and Jesse in Tempe, Arizona, Brick Road Coffee creates a welcoming space for LGBTQ+ people, allies, and community members, offering more than just coffee.
Forged Rose Fragrances: Scent and Identity
Founded by Dr. Brittney Denson, Forged Rose Fragrances offers a unique approach to scent, focusing on ritual and self-expression.
Piece of Mynd: Healing Through Skincare
Jackie, a queer single mom from Alaska, created Piece of Mynd to offer small-batch skincare inspired by personal healing journeys, focusing on sustainability and imagination.
Culture Flock: Queer Accessories
Founded by Summer and Brittany, Culture Flock offers colorful, playful accessories that promote equality and community spirit from their Ozarks-based store, known as the "gayest storefront around."
These brands are at the forefront of a larger movement, changing who gets to build businesses and whom those businesses serve. This curated marketplace is a step towards making these shifts more visible, supporting brands that champion representation, community, and impact.
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