The Best Trans-Owned Businesses to Shop in 2021
10 Trans-Owned Businesses to Shop This Holiday Season
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This holiday season (and always!) shopping thoughtfully is an excellent way to make a real impact with your gift-giving. Shopping small businesses can put money in the pockets of marginalized creators rather than big-box brands, for one, but it can also make your loved ones feel seen and supported in their values. That's why we teamed up with Transanta and Goodbuy to provide you with a gift guide to the best trans-owned businesses you should be shopping. From clothing lines with brilliant designs to a candle brand crafted with care, these 10 sites offer up incredible products you'll be proud to wrap up with a bow.
Keep reading for more on how Transanta and Goodbuy are highlighting the trans community this month, then check out all the awesome businesses you can shop.
More About Transanta:
Transanta is a mutual-aid social media campaign that connects Santas everywhere with trans youth in need. Through anonymous and safe gift-giving, trans and queer youth who are houseless, in foster care, or otherwise without vital support receive the gifts they want and the affirmation they need from people all over the world. Help us show young trans people that they are loved and cherished exactly for who they are!
More About Goodbuy:
Goodbuy is the easy button for conscious shopping. It's a browser extension that brings next-level visibility to small businesses everywhere and allows the consumers that give a damn to put their money into the communities they support. Goodbuy intercepts all of your mega-retail online shopping searches, and diverts you to the same products from over 185,000 small, values-aligned businesses (think: LGBTQIA+ owned, Black-owned, vegan, sustainable, and more).
— Additional reporting by Iyana Robertson
Colorfully Designed Cards and Tees: Ash + Chess
The Business: Ash + Chess
Gift Idea: Every Body Is a Good Body T-Shirt ($30)
Queer and trans couple Ashley Molesso (she/her) and Chess Needham (he/him) run this stationary company out of Richmond, VA. You'll discover everything from greeting cards to T-shirts with a vintage and colourful look. They often use their artwork to make a political statement and to uplift the queer community, according to Goodbuy.
Soy Candles With a Cool Aesthetic: Untamed Supply
The Business: Untamed Supply
Gift Idea: Aspen Trail Candle ($24)
What's not to love about candles made from domestically grown, natural soy wax? The brand creates scents inspired by nature, love of adventure, and a deep sense of community. "In 2021, [when] our owner and founder came out publicly as trans, we realised then that advocacy and justice for LGBTQIA+ folks is something our local community isn't familiar with (we are Midwesterners), and we have grown and shifted our mission to be as inclusive as possible, especially when it comes to trans rights. Our new tagline is 'U.S. for all of us,' and we try to embody that daily. We are a small, two-person team, and we put love, care, and really good ingredients into what we make. Our intention is to bring people together through scent, even if it's in the smallest of ways," Untamed Supply states.
Fine Jewellery For Everyone: Automic Gold
The Business: Automic Gold
Gift Idea: Initial Necklace ($195)
This chic and stylish brand has a major goal in mind: make fine jewellery inclusive and accessible. The designs come in a wide variety of sizes and are made to be worn 24/7; yes, you can wear everything in the shower or to bed. Everything is made with solid reclaimed gold, and production is done in New York City.
Thoughtful Makeup Created by Nikita Dragun: Dragun Beauty
The Business: Dragun Beauty
Gift Idea: DragunEgg TRANSformation Kit ($55)
The brand's site states: "Dragun Beauty is inspired by founder Nikita Dragun, a trailblazing transgender woman who believes no one should have to hide who they are. We create transformational makeup that celebrates people of all ages, races, sizes, genders, and identities as they unleash their fantasies and showcase their beauty. Nikita Dragun is an Asian-Hispanic-American entrepreneur who gained millions of fans by sharing her journey as a transgender woman online. Nikita Dragun continues to use her platform to share her transformations and advance the LGBTQ+ beauty conversation. An activist at heart, she works with the LGBT and Trans Wellness Centres and supports inclusion and diversity for all ages, races, sizes, genders, and identities."
Cool Clothes For Transmasculine or GNC-Identified Persons: Both& Apparel
The Business: Both& Apparel
Gift Idea: The Franklin Top ($59)
Goodbuy explains that founder Finnegan Shepard was inspired by his own transition to start Both&. As a trans man, Shepard was frustrated by the lack of options in the fashion market. Instead of designing in a vacuum, "Both& is working directly with the community to shape a brand that answers to needs and desires. Everything we do — our designs, our research, and the space for storytelling at the heart of our brand — is done in conversation with our community," Both& Apparel's site states.
Expertly Designed Binders and Vibrant Merch: gc2b
The Business: gc2b
Gift Idea: "Pride Is Where the Heart Is" Mug ($20)
gc2b created the original chest binder designed by trans people for the trans community. Since 2014, founder and CEO Marli Washington has been using his experience as a trans man of colour to design binding options that are safe, accessible, and comfortable. (That includes people of all shapes, sizes, and colours, according to Goodbuy.) The site offers additional merchandise like mugs, T-shirts, and shorts.
A Collection of Queer Indie Brands: Rise Market
The Business: Rise Market
Gift Idea: Pride Is All Year Round Tee ($30)
"At Rise, we help introduce customers who care to LGBTQIA2+ small businesses, entrepreneurs, and creators who will help them thrive," the brand states on its site. "Unlike other marketplaces, we prioritise inclusivity and accessibility in all that we do. From the design of our website and user experience to the brands allowed on Rise– – we put LGBTQIA2+ communities first. [Five] percent of your #VisiblyQueer purchase goes to six LGBTQIA2+ charities we love, queer-trans owned and operated. Since launching in 2020, we've supported more than 500 queer artists and entrepreneurs internationally."
Gender Equal Clothing Brand With Joyful Designs: Play Out Apparel
The Business: Play Out Apparel
Gift Idea: The Bailon Stripe Crop Top ($38)
The brand's focus is to positively impact queer visibility and represent queer celebration. "Queer people, gender nonconforming, and transgender and individuals deserve to see themselves joyously reflected in clothing and brands," Play Out Apparel's site states. "And allies, of course, are welcome in our community to shop, support, engage, and enjoy Play Out's signature soft underwear and streetwear. We are queer, lesbian, gay, trans and non-binary owned. We represent those words with care and with an openness to continue to evolve and serve our community and beyond. We are a Social Good Enterprise with 20 percent net profits going to LGBTQIA+ and BLM organisations. We are gender, race, age, sexuality, size (XS-5X), and ability inclusive."
Clothes With Clever and Unique Illustrations: Awarewolf Apparel
The Business: Awarewolf Apparel
Gift Idea: Be Yourself T-Shirt ($22)
"Our company was founded by Landon Reed who in 2051 needed a boost in finances to accomplish his goal of obtaining top surgery," the brand website explains. "Landon had a vision of an LGBTQIA+ owned and operated clothing company. Clothing that is made by our community and for our community! Since then, Landon's vision has transformed our small company into a unique, one-of-a-kind brand that our customers have been flocking to since its inception in 2015. Awarewolf prides itself on our ability to give our customers a wide array of styles. Some of which are geared toward aspects, subjects, or subgroups of our vast community. Our brand also offers the comfortability of discretion for those who aren't fortunate enough or ready to be "Loud and Proud." We are happy that we can produce a "subtle" way of spreading awareness throughout the community."
Flags, Face Masks, Housewares, and More: My Pride Store
The Business: My Pride Store
Gift Idea: Progress Pride Flag ($12)
To learn about more about My Pride Store, read the founder's point of view on the website: "I am Andrea Saunders, founder, CEO, and Proud Transgender woman. I started My Pride Store because once I finally accepted who I am and started transitioning it did not take me long to find out how expensive it can be. I had to find some way to pay for my transition. Which is how my pride store was born. We started by buying a button maker and selling buttons on Etsy. It slowly picked up so we added Pride flags to our inventory. We were pouring our love into every package we sent and soon saw the results as My Pride Store began to really take off. As we continue to grow we start to look to the future. Our next goal is to create a safe working environment for LGBTQIA+ members to feel safe and accepted."
More Ways to Get Involved
If you would like to give the gift of your support to the trans community this holiday season, there are also plenty of organisations you can offer your time and attention to. The National Centre For Transgender Equality advocates for and provides resources to transgender people nationwide. The Transgender Law Centre — the nation's largest trans-specific, trans-led organisation — works to change policy in an effort to advance the rights of transgender people. GenderProud is a media organisation working to change the narrative around trans stories. The Trans Women of Colour Collective centres the experiences of Black, Indigenous and trans women of colour, who remain the most vulnerable to discrimination and violence. You can also donate directly to Transanta here.
