12 Stunning Black Owned Fashion Brands that Source Ethically

It’s time to put our money where our mouths are and support black owned fashion brands.

Like many people, I’ve spent the last few weeks with my head spinning. The death of George Floyd in custody was horrific and a real wake up call to the injustice and systemic racisim that is so prevailent in our society. It’s just so devastating that someone had to die to make us realise this.

Joining with many, I’ve spent the last few weeks reading and listening to my black friends’ lived reality, their stories have had me in tears. So, I’ve been trying to think through what changes I can make to actively be anti racist, rather than a passive bystander. I’m very aware that many of the changes will be internal, recognising my unconscious bias as it daily occurs and correcting my thinking. And I also don’t want to jump on the social media band wagon, just because anti-racism is trending. So, I’ve decided to dedicate a blog post to show you some of the stunning black owned fashion brands that exist. Because never underestimate the power of voting with your wallet to support black entrepreneurs across the UK.

Why Ethical Fashion?

Every black owned brand featured, has a commitment to producing their garments ethically. Now the term ethical fashion is a slippery one, but a model where brands commit to fairly paying wages and giving a voice to their workers has to be the way forward. For within ethical fashion everyone in the supply chain benefits. In contrast, our current fast fashion model, just perpetuates the social injustices that already exist and is a form of modern slavery. Do read Safia Minney’s book Slave To Fashion which tells the stories of garment workers and is a real eye opener.

If you’re heartbroken by the exploitation of people of colour in some of the poorest countries in the world, refuse to buy from the fashion and technology companies that continue to shamelessly exploit adults and children in their labour practices.

Holiday Phillips, Forge

Fast Fashion Brands, Today’s Colonial Masters?

Big Brand’s have been described as today’s colonial masters. Just look at the multinational retailers that refused to pay for and cancelled orders due to Covid-19; Primark, Arcadia and New Look were all named but have since bowed to pressure to #Payup. At the time of writing, allegedly C&A, Gap, Urban Outfitters and Walmart still need to pay. The net result, thousands of the poorest and most vulnerable people, often black and brown women can’t be paid. So they don’t have access to basic necessities such as food, healthcare or shelter. Remake spoke to garment workers from different countries and their stories are heartbreaking:

“I see the Western world stocking up on food while garment workers are going hungry. Where are the brands who claimed to be sustainable now? I will never forget how they’ve treated us during COVID-19,” a labor organizer in Bangladesh shared with us.

Ayesha Barenblat, Remake

Black Owned Ethical Fashion Brands

So here are 8 black owned ethical clothing brands that are UK based (or ship to the UK for a reasonable fee.) Prepare to be wowed by their creativity, colour and design:

A A K S

A bag from A A K S has been on my wish list for several years now. Bright, colourful, and exuding character, these bags are handcrafted in Ghana. Founder, Akosua Afriyie-Kumi, wanted to introduce the world to her favourite weaving techniques from the women of Ghana, whilst creating sustainable jobs in Africa. Expert craftmanship, authenticity and a commitment to ethical production are all part of A A K S core values. And if I follow my own advice, I’ll have bought one by the time I’ve finished writing this blog post.

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Shop A A K S here.

Maison Archives

Literally my favourite place to buy sustainable fashion accessories. Think gorgeous hair clips, head bands, unusual bags and much much more. Owner, Judith Agwada-Akeru, finds artisan made pieces that are not only quirky and fun, but also ethically and sustainably made. Do head over to Maison Archives to take a look.

Shop Maison Archives here.

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Sanchos

Indie store Sanchos, has ethical and sustainable shopping at its heart and features clothing and lifestyle. The store was founded in 2014 by Kalkidan and Vidmantas after they travelled through developing countries and saw first-hand the negative effects of the fast fashion industry. Together they have curated a collection of everyday essentials. Key wardrobe staples that are up-to-the-minute, this is the place to buy your organic mum jeans. Brands they stock include some of my favourites; Armedangels, Thought, Komodo, People Tree and Girlfriend Collective.

As someone who’s had three children, I really appreciate Sanchos’ use of diverse models in terms of ethnicity and size. As all too often ethical fashion companies are guilty of showcasing their products on leggy size 8s. They also have a good menswear section which you should remember as ethical menswear is hard to come by.

Interestingly, in a bid to make ethical fashion more inclusive, they’ve just launched transparent pricing across of range of products online. You can choose the amount you pay from three tiers based on your income.

• The first price covers the cost of making the garment and sending it.
• The second price covers Sanchos’ overheads, ie their website and shop
• The third, and most expensive price, gives Sanchos a 10/20% margin for business development and growth.

Also, do follow Kalkidan on Instagram as she speaks eloquently about the intrinsic link between fast fashion and racism. From a lack of representation on the runway to the exploitation of black and brown garment workers.

Shop Sanchos here or if you live in Exeter they have two stores there.

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Sika

If you’ve got a special occasion coming up, then it’s the perfect excuse to buy one of Sika’s incredible dresses. Or perhaps some of their beautiful costume jewellery. Inspired by the rich and diverse culture of Ghana, West Africa, Sika produces clothes that will make you stand out from the crowd. Vibrant fabrics are selected from Ghanaian markets, the garments are designed in London and then handmade in Ghana. Creative Director and founder Phyllis Taylor is committed to paying fair wages and creating sustainable jobs in the region.

Shop Sika here.

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Omi Na-Na

If you think ethical and sustainable fashion is all about minimalism and key wardrobe staples, then have a look at Omi Na-Na. This careful curated range of clothing & homewares from designers across the world, proves that ethical fashion doesn’t have to be boring. This is handcrafted slow fashion that is exquisite and beautiful. Look at Little Things Studio’s Matisse inspired prints, or the hand embroidered silk from The Loom Art.

Founder, Esha, has selected each brand for the positive change they are trying to effect on their communities. Through fair wages and working conditions of the garment workers they employ and sustainable manufacturing processes and fabrics.

Shop Omi Na-Na here.

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Kemi Telford

No blog post of black owned fashion brands would be complete without a mention of the label Kemi Telford. Her clothes are distinctive, colourful, affordable, and easy to wear. Think midi dresses, shirt dresses and tiered full-length skirts. Her clothes that are flattering and can be worn by people of many different shapes. I’ve been a fan of Kemi Telford for several years now and my mum bought me one of her dresses for Christmas.

The purpose behind Kemi Telford is to empower women, so it would only make sense that the manufacturers she works with treat their garment workers with respect. The clothes are made in UK, India, and China. Workers are paid above minimum wage and work for no more than 8 hours a day with regular breaks. In addition, there is a considered effort to reduce plastic and waste within production and delivery. Remnant fabrics are turned into hair bows, pouches, and purses. Garments that don’t pass quality standards are fixed by the factory and sold as seconds. And orders arrive in cloth pouches rather than plastic packaging.

Shop Kemi Telford here.

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Joanna Vanderpuije

London based designer, Joanna Vanderpuije, makes the most incredible leather accessories. Her use of colour and foil is extraordinary, she describes it as colour therapy and her pieces just make me smile. All her accessories are hand-stitched here in London and she prints on natural vegetable tanned leather from Belgium and Italy. These are accessories to be loved and cherished.

In addition, Joanna is also sewing face masks, the Batik Peace Mask has all profits to support Black Lives Matter UK and Batik Blue Masks have all profits going to support the NHS. They have the added benefit of being made from 100% cotton African batik fabric which has been handmade by artisans in Ghana.  

Shop Joanna Vanderpuije here

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Lisou

Bold designs printed on the finest silk in contemporary shapes is what defines luxury black owned fashioned brand Lisou. Head designer, Rene Macdonald, grew up in Tanzania but then moved to the UK. You can see this influence in across her work. She mixes unusual colours and her prints are fun and wearable, imagine multicoloured hearts and zig zag rainbows. I feel there is room in my wardrobe for one of her cropped wool jackets, probably in pink 🙂

All Lisou’s garments are designed in London and made in Portugal. Lisou also donate the proceeds of one piece per collection to help young Africans with medical and educational needs.

Shop Lisou here, or visit their store at 302 Westbourne Grove

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Tandi Fashion

For beautiful everyday dresses have a look at Tandi Fashion. Each dress has been handmade, in London, from an East African fabric called Kanga. Kanga is a vibrant, patterned, lightweight cotton that has a Swahili saying printed on the bottom of the cloth. ‘Mungo Nijalie Baraka Zako’ reads one, which means ‘God shower me with your blessings.’ How delightful.

As a brand giving back is key to what they do. Tandi offers paid internships here in the UK to BAME women who wish to gain experience in the fashion industry. They also support the wonderful charity mothers2mothers, who employ and train HIV positive women to deliver health services and advice to women and their families throughout Africa.

Shop Tandi Fashion here.

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Roop

If you need something special to adorn your arm, have a look at Roop. This is the home of the Furoshiki bag and the scrunchie. Natasha hand makes all the bags and scrunchies from dead stock and vintage fabrics, so each is a limited run. The only thing new she buys are the clasps and the elastic.  Her online store is often sold out, so do check on her Instagram as she will announce when new stock is going live. So, as she says, “If you love one of the girls, give her a new home.”

Shop Roop here.

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Yala

You know my love of all things shiny, so I couldn’t help but add a couple of black owned jewellery brands. The first, Yala, is an award winning contemporary African jewellery brand. Think hammered brass, horn inlay, beautiful beading, and striking designs. If you’re after a pair of brass hoop earings, this is the place to buy them.

And as for their ethical credentials? Well, all their workers are paid a fair wage. This means Yala’s makers receive triple the daily wage for a jewellery artisan in Kenya. Transparency is also key, and they tell you on their website who/where their jewellery is being made. As for the environment, Yala have a commitment to using eco-friendly materials and reducing waste where possible. Yet creating waste is sometimes unavoidable when you’re manufacturing. So, they’ve launched their zero-waste brass pendant (currently sold out) which is made from pieces of brass that are a product of the casting process.

Shop Yala here.

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Marcia Vidal Jewellery

You can always find amazing independent makers on Etsy. In fact, I recently wrote a blog post about some of my favourite Etsy sellers, do click here to read it. So, it didn’t surprise me to find some awesome black owned brands on Etsy* and particularly Marcia Vidal Jewellery.* London born Marcia, designs and makes everything by hand in her studio in Hackney. She learnt her trade in a magical little town called Pushkar, in the Indian state of Rajasthan. Her love of India and the travelling she’s done there clearly influences her work.

Marcia Vidal Jewellery is minimalist but equally very distinctive, I like her use of geometric and Arc Deco designs. But equally she also makes wedding rings in different finishes from recycled gold. All her jewellery is made from silver and gold and 5% of all profits go to the charity Help Refugees.

Shop Marcia Vidal Jewellery* here.

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If You Know Any Other Black Owned Fashion Brands Do Get In Touch…

Well there we go, there are my 11 black owned fashion brands that I’d love to urge you to support. In the course of my research I found some amazing black owned home and lifestyle stores, so I feel another blog post coming soon. If you know any brands that I’ve missed off here, please do email me or comment below.

Disclosure – Items marked with a * are affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase I make a very small commission. Just think of it as buying me a cup of (pink) tea.