6 Woman-Owned Brands That Are Making A Difference In The World

There’s something amazing about supporting a brand that takes pride in giving back, in leaving the world a better place than they found it.

For International Women’s Day, we wanted to celebrate the woman-owned and led brands that are out there focusing on sustainability, philanthropy, equality, and social issues while creating products for the world to enjoy.

When a brand is concerned about more than just their bottom line, it’s incredible what they can accomplish! Here are 6 woman-owned brands that you can support on March 8th, International Women’s Day.

The Mom Economy

The Mom Economy is a not-for-profit organization working towards creating a sustainable workforce for moms to work well—their efforts help to find a balance between the current realities of corporate America and what it means to be a mom within that system. They founded The Mother Fund—an initiative that is raising awareness and funding for maternity leave in the US. They also created SHOP MOM—a marketplace that features only mom-led businesses that each have social responsibility initiatives tied to their products.

Their mission is to “redefine what it means to be a working mom, offering purpose that becomes the foundation of furthering growth where it matters most.” And through their various initiatives, they are doing just that.

Omi Woods

A sustainable jewelry brand that is not only gorgeous but also backed by ethical practices? That is Omi Woods. Designed by Ashley Alexis McFarlane, each piece of Omi Woods jewelry is a contemporary heirloom that celebrates their connections to Africa and her diaspora. McFarlane describes her pieces as jewelry that is “intended to be collected, worn every day, gifted for special occasions and passed down to future generations so its meaning can live on for generations to come.”

Each Omi Woods piece is ethically handcrafted with fair trade African gold and recycled, conflict-free fine metals. Beyond the sustainability of the pieces themselves, Omi Woods prides itself on giving back to the community—they pay people fairly for their resources, time, and labor and source their gold from small-scale artisanal mines. They support the well-being of the miners and their families by paying fair wages and “contributing to improved health care, education, safety and living conditions on the continent.”

Wild Fang

What happens when you quit your corporate job, cash in your 401k, and start asking questions like, “Why is the fashion industry still clinging to outdated gender norms that serve no one?” Wild Fang happens.

This androgynous, woman-owned and fronted clothing brand set out to represent the feminine, the masculine, and the everything-in-between with their pants, blazers, coveralls, and more. Wild Fang is backed by 3 main guiding principles—inclusivity, sustainability, and giving back. Not only are they inclusive in their hiring process, but they also create clothing for everyone—no matter your size or gender. This year, Wild Fang has pledged to become completely climate-neutral within the next 12-24 months.

Since their launch 10 years ago, they have given back over $650k to causes such as ACLU, Planned Parenthood, Tegan & Sara Foundation, Girls Inc, The Trevor Project, and many more. This year, they’ve taken the 1% Pledge, committing at least 1% of annual revenue to support charities in their communities.

Knix

Knix started with the goal of transforming the underwear industry that had “too much frill and not enough function.” Founder Joanna Griffiths set out to create underwear that makes any woman feel comfortable in her own skin—their ads campaigns are always inclusive and show real women wearing their products. In 2021, they sponsored BodCon, a 1-day virtual conference focused on Body Confidence and the movement towards radical self-acceptance which we had the honor of producing here at Stage TEN.

With the founding of NOURISH, they have created a program that is doing so much good. Knix partnered with the Black Women’s Health Imperative to create their Postpartum Doula training program designed specifically to meet the needs of Black birthing families. Knix donated $75,000 to launch this program, which provided 20 scholarships to Postpartum Doulas and free postpartum care for 80 families. They continue to help grow NOURISH by donating $1 from every item purchased from their Maternity & Postpartum Collection.

Blueland

Products with a purpose is the tagline of the Shark Tank-approved brand, Blueland. Sarah Paiji Yoo founded Blueland when she became a mom and realized that single-use plastics were contaminating our water and generating microplastics in the food and water she was feeding her baby. That’s when Yoo came up with the idea to create a company that makes it easy for people to be eco-conscious with “innovative products in reusable packaging that are convenient, effective and affordable.” From hand soap and laundry detergent to all kinds of cleaning supplies, Blueland makes beautiful, reusable products that have made an impact on our world.

Since 2019, Blueland has helped to keep over 1 billion single-use plastic bottles out of landfills and oceans. And it’s about more than just single-use plastics—across every production point, Blueland makes decisions that put the health of the earth first. Their ingredients are selected to optimize human and planet health, their shipping policies are carbon-neutral, and their production process is energy and water-efficient.

The Little Market

Founded by Lauren Conrad—of The Hills fame—The Little Market is an online shop where you can explore fair-trade, handmade products from all over the world. The Little Market set out to “build sustainable partnerships with artisans from around the world, by connecting them with customers through [their] fair trade shop.” They are dedicated to the “economic self-sufficiency of women and other underserved communities locally, nationally, and globally.” They offer their artisans dignified income opportunities to create a more sustainable future for artisans and their communities.

In 2021, The Little Market generated 231,773 hours of fair trade work for over 65 artisans in 25 countries around the world.

If you are looking to support a women-led brand this International Women’s Day—and beyond because every day is a good day to support women-led businesses—why not support one that is also going out into the world and making it a better place?

Happy International Women’s Day!