The first day of June not only marks that summer is quickly approaching — it’s also the start of Pride Month 2023!
Pride Month is a time to celebrate lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer identities. It serves as a reminder to join in solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community and continue to fight for equal rights and recognition across the globe.
And while we can’t wait to spend the month of June and beyond celebrating, educating ourselves on queer history, donating to LGBTQ+ foundations and immersing ourselves in the community’s rich culture, it’s also a great time to give back by supporting queer-owned businesses.
From renowned interior designer Jonathan Adler and luxury body care brand Malin+Goetz to up-and-coming companies Diaspora Co. and Fable Pets, there are so many incredible LGBTQ+-owned businesses to shop. Whether you’re on the hunt for a gift to commemorate Pride month or want to try out some exciting new brands, we’re sharing some of our favorite queer-owned businesses to support this month and every month.
For even more ways to celebrate Pride Month 2023, check out ET’s Pride Guide.
With swimsuit season in full swing, the hunt for high-quality, size-inclusive bathing suits is on — and Andie Swim is one of our go-to brands for timeless styles in sustainable fabrics.
Founded in 2017, Andie Swim’s CEO Melanie Travis sought to challenge the over-sexualization of the swimsuit industry and create a brand that people of all sizes can feel confident in — such as the sophisticated Laguna One Piece. From supportive bikinis to comfortable cover-ups, Andie makes swimsuit shopping fun again.
Odds are, if you’ve been in a trendy boutique as of late, you’ve probably seen a Boy Smells candle.
What started off as a kitchen experiment between Matthew Herman and David Kien became one of the top indie brands in the fragrance world — even leading to a collaboration with Kacey Musgraves. The “genderful” candle brand has also ventured into fine fragrances if you’re in the market for a new perfume.
Whether you’re in search of a signature scent for your home or a luxe gift that won’t break the bank, Boy Smells has you covered with a range of innovative fragrances for the home and body.
Whether you’re tired of snacking on the same old potato chips or on the hunt for a gift for your favorite foodie, consider giving Bokksu a try.
The food subscription box delivers authentic Japanese snacks, candies and teas right to your door so you can find your new favorite treat. CEO and founder Danny Taing created Bokksu to introduce more people to Japanese cuisine, and each monthly themed box contains a Culture Guide with details about the origins of each new snack.
Every Bokksu subscription begins with the “Seasons of Japan” box, featuring seaweed tempura chips, handmade yuzu sake candy, earl grey cake and more.
$50$45
Born and raised in Mumbai, Sana Javeri Kadri learned that spice trade practices have not improved much since colonial times — farmers were not paid adequately for their work, and the quality of packaged spices was severely compromised during the trading process. Her company, Diaspora Co., has since revolutionized the industry by creating a truly equitable spice trade in partnership with South Asian farmers.
Not only do Diaspora Co. spices taste better, but the company also promotes a better future for spice farmers by providing them with a living wage and investing in leadership opportunities.
Our pets mean the world to us, but keeping them safe and out of trouble can feel like a full-time job — which is why it’s important to invest in fun and functional products that are made without hazardous materials.
Founded by siblings Sophie and Jeremy, Fable Pets has an array of safety-tested leashes, crates, toys and more that not only look nice in your home but are also built to withstand licking, chewing and any breakaway attempts from your fur babies.
If you’ve been anywhere on beauty TikTok in the last few years, you’ve probably seen the craze over faux freckles — and Freck Beauty is the innovative company behind the world’s first freckle cosmetic.
Even if painting on freckles isn’t your thing, Freck Beauty has so many clean makeup and skincare products to shop such as peptide-infused mascara, pH-balanced cactus cleansing gel, skin-balancing mineral highlighter and more. The best part? Each product is vegan and cruelty-free.
No, Ghost Democracy doesn’t get its name because its line of skincare is horror-themed. Instead, the brand is all about transparency when it comes to ingredients, efficiency and accessibility.
Ghost Democracy is founded on these three core principles:
to create skincare that is formulated without silicones, essential oils, fragrance, drying alcohols, formaldehyde, phthalates, synthetic dyes, PEG compounds, MEA / DEA / TEA, or EDTA to use a higher percentage of active ingredients, andto offer quality products without major price markups.
Whether you’re in the market for a new sunscreen for summer or in search of an affordable hyaluronic acid treatment, check out Ghost Democracy’s line of scary-effective skincare.
We already know and love Jonathan Adler for his unique, mood-boosting designs — and his brand has become one of the most recognizable home design labels in America since its inception as a pottery store in 1993.
Most known for his signature eye-popping patterns in bold colors, Jonathan Adler’s collection of furniture, rugs, artwork and more adds a distinctly youthful yet sophisticated energy to any home.
Inspired by New York City’s inclusive and bustling energy, Matthew Malin and Andrew Goetz founded their company in their tiny apartment bathroom with the goal of uncomplicating skincare. They believe that when it comes to skincare, less is more — with effective products that work for even the most sensitive skin.
Often spotted in upscale hotels and restaurants, their brand is beloved for its minimalist packaging and unique scents such as rum, cannabis and leather. So if you’re in the market for a luxury hand soap, gentle skincare or a new signature home and body fragrance, consider shopping Malin+Goetz’s stylish line of products.
Let’s face it: Skin imperfections can be incredibly frustrating, but they don’t have to stop you from feeling like your best self. That’s the idea behind Peace Out, an LGBT-founded skincare company that provides playful solutions to your biggest skincare woes.
Aside from retinol sticks and undereye patches, Peace Out is most famous for its acne dots, a hydrocolloid dressing that speeds up healing while protecting your zit from dirt and grime. Plus, they keep you from picking at your skin.
Acne patches have become one of our favorite skincare trends of the last year, making a painful pimple feel like an art project. Right now, you can shop Peace Out’s limited-edition pride acne dots.
Finding your signature scent can be challenging, but snif’s collection of gender-neutral, vegan and cruelty-free fragrances makes it easy — and affordable.
At just $65 for a full-sized bottle of perfume (less than half the price of most brands), snif offers a wide range of innovative scents such as cult-favorite Sweet Ash, an earthy gourmand with vanilla and juniper, and Golden Ticket, a fragrance steeped with black tea, green tea, golden mat? and bergamot.
The brand is always collaborating with creatorsfrom the fragrance world and beyond, and they tend to sell out in minutes. snif’s latest offering, a fig-forward wedding-day scent, was designed with Emelia O’Toole (aka @professorperfume).
Created by two self-proclaimed tomboys, wife duo Fran Dunaway and Naomi Gonzalez’s brand Tomboyx takes the stress out of underwear shopping with comfortable styles for all bodies.
Available in sizes 3XS-6X, Tomboyx provides all kinds of underwear solutions — bras, adaptable bras, compression tops, bikinis, briefs, thongs, boxers, tucking underwear, period underwear and so much more. Plus, the brand has expanded to offer swimsuits, apparel and activewear in fun and functional styles.
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