• Entrepreneurship

by Lisa Fraser

February 26, 2019

7 Black-Owned Etsy Shops and Black Artisans That Should Be On Your Radar

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If you’re looking to #BuyBlack all-year round, but don’t know where to start, black-owned Etsy shops and the black artisans that create crafts on the platform offer an alluring array of options. With the help of Dayna Isom Johnson, the e-commerce’s site trend expert and judge on NBC’s Making It, we unearthed some beautiful, black-owned Etsy shops that we can bet will turn you into a fan, frequent buyer, and not to mention, a supporter of these talented and hustling young artisans and entrepreneurs.

Part of Isom Johnson’s role as a trend expert is to identify the people who are sharing one-of-a-kind creations. And it’s something she’s passionate about.

“I especially love trying to discover shops and support these designers,” Isom Johnson said. “I’m able to communicate these stories of people who may not be able to do it because they’re on such a small scale. It feels good to be able to share their stories.”

The fact these businesses are black-owned is also an inspiration to her and a driving force behind her trend picks and highlights.

“As a member of the Black community and an advocate for small businesses around the globe, it’s always a priority for me to shine a light on both,” she said.

With the exception of one, all the black-owned shops on this list are owned by women and the sellers are as young as 18. They carry a range of items from statement earrings and body and hair products to home goods, leather goods, pottery, and canvas prints—all with designs that reflect the African diaspora while sparking happiness and individual expression.

7 Black-Owned Etsy Shops to Check Out

Lingua Nigra

Artisan Alicia Goodwin creates hand-crafted, organic jewelry, like the Shower of Faith baby fringe earrings, a bestseller in her shop, and the edge of earth-sterling silver acid etched hand cut earrings.

The New York Fashion Institute of Technology alum calls her creations, “sculptural design for everyday adornment.”

Her designs are inspired by nature with a focus on ancient talismans and Victorian era work. She uses techniques like acid etching and metal reticulation. Each creates a random texture ensuring a truly unique, individualized product.

Check out her adornments here.

Bespoke Binny

Maker Natalie Obenewa is a cognitive behavioral therapist by day and by night she creates vibrant African print home goods including pillows, lampshades, aprons, and table runners.

“I really wanted to find a way to use African prints in new and interesting ways,” she said. “My family is originally from Ghana, West Africa, and Jamaica in the Caribbean. It’s such a vibrant culture, and though I live in the western world, I wanted to find a way to integrate the different parts of who I am through Bespoke Binny and share it with others.”

Check out her designs, here.

Zandra Beauty

Plant-based beauty treatments are all the rage at this Etsy shop, so much so 18-year-old Zandra Cunningham’s products and entrepreneurial prowess have been featured in BLACK ENTERPRISE, Seventeen and Inc. Magazines.

Her Rize Up hair and body souffle contains the happy and health-promoting herbs burdock root and milk thistle, and other popular ingredients like shea butter, sunflower oil, avocado oil, olive oil, castor seed oil, and cocoa butter.

The handcrafted exfoliating sugar scrub is a blend of chai, organic vanilla beans, and the calming herb lavender. The feel-good vibes extend into her colorful labels that convey mood-boosting messages like, “I am enough” and “scrub your troubles away.”

Check out her products, here.

Pottery by Osa

From mugs and custom plates to plant pots and vases, Osa Atoe’s designs can fit seamlessly into any home. And that’s exactly what she wants.

“I envision my pottery being used daily as opposed to being set aside for special occasions,” say states on her Etsy page. “I’d like to see more people bringing the art & intentionality of handmade crafts into their everyday lives.”

Check out her designs, here.

Kingsley Leather

For Kingsley Thompson, the craftsman and artisan behind Kingsley Leather, his lifelong love all things leather led him to turn his passion into a living. Now he runs his Etsy shop full time, fulfilling orders from across the globe. He places an emphasis on crafting products that are stylish yet simple and functional; products he himself would use.

“What inspired me to take up leatherworking in particular was that I have always admired leather goods and how they gain character as they age, think old leather suitcases and satchels,” he writes on his Etsy page. “My biggest inspiration is the process of being able to create something special using my hands, hand tools, and utilizing traditional techniques.”

Check out his craftsmanship, here.

Thepairabirds

Tabitha Brown’s eye-catching illustrations are colorful, feminine, and exude an air of royalty. One look and you’ll most likely want to purchase multiple prints for every dynamic woman in your life who appreciates art that reflects who she is. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.

Brown is a graduate of Chicago’s American Academy of Art and her vibrant creations have been featured on the Huffington Post, ModCloth Blog, and the Urban Outfitters Blog.

See her illustrations, here.

Lovely Earthlings

Karina Daniel Paris’s creations include canvas artwork, canvas tote bags, art prints, journals, and greeting cards, all inspired by the women around her. The self-taught artist is based in Brooklyn.

Her obsession with all things girly lavishly displays itself in her work; whether it’s a canvas print that exudes a sunny tropical aesthetic, or a greeting card urging the receiver to indulge in some self-care.

Find her canvas and tote creations, here.