Black-Owned Back-to-School Brands To Support

As the season of fresh haircuts and the smell of lined notebook paper continues, BLAC has listed Black-owned brands that you can support this school season. Your kid can look unique with supplies that are for us, by us. If you’re returning to school yourself, we’ve got you covered. Below are supplies for those from K-12 to higher education.  Keep in mind that many of these sites offer more than one school supply, so bundling purchases can save you money on shipping. 

Backpacks and Lunch Bags

Makeba Design and Prints, LLC has backpacks with Black illustrated characters and they offer custom designs. Makeba Designers will use photos of you and loved ones to create dope designs. 

Art By Aleighsha is an artist etsy shop with a melaine vibe. Sis not only has inspiring illustrations on her backpacks, with quotes like “ A reader today, a leader tomorrow,” but also check out the journals. This 5, 6, 7, 8 II Journal is serving Aunt Viv realness. 

NotAfraidNovelties has the dopest, most unique, diverse, educational backpacks for kids or those kids at heart. These designs are adorable and customizable with different skin complexions offered for every illustration. The site has an array of cultural representations, such as a “Knowledge Is Power” backpack that has a boy with leg braces on it. 

BrownKidSwagcom has backpacks and lunch bags with beautiful designs for Black and Brown kid, that can be personalized with your child’s names as they are made to order.  We love the afro princesses lunch box.

blk-ed.com has a lot to offer, with designs that are geared towards teens and adults. However, we really like this 3-piece young kings set  with a backpack, lunch bag, a matching pencil case, and these precious mommy and me bag sets.

Crayons Colored Pencils

BoutiqueMix is an etsy shop that focuses on  african clothing and accessories for women. However, they do sell these #2 Faith, Love, Hope and Peace engraved pencils. When you support this shop a portion of net profits go towards donations to charities, including Kiva, Saving Moses, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Plan USA and ChildFund International, and one annual donation to the Susan G. Komen Foundation. 

More Than Peach is the brainchild of now 11-year-old Bellen Woodard the creator of the first multicultural art brand/company. Woodard’s 3rd grade class kept asking for skin colored crayon and flesh color crayon they mentioned the peach colored one. She is the reason we know there are big brands like crayola, offering skin tones of the world crayon, and colored-pencil packs.  You can support the brand here.

Entrepreneurs Color Too — Latoya Nicole started her company in 2018 when she couldn’t find coloring books with realistic looking Black women. Her line also sells coloring pencils with 12 skin shades, 12 bright colored pencils and soon offering skin watercolor paints sets. Don’t forget to check out their HBCU themed coloring book for your stress relief between midterms and finals.

Black Girl Powerhouse — “Our retail entity is powered by an association of Black women entrepreneurs who sell and promote our products, together, under one roof. From health & beauty products to purses and fine art, we have it all.” When it comes to back-to-school shopping, we love their  Naturally Yours Coloring/Activities Book, Personalized Crayons and Unicorn Bag

Planners & Journals

Ivory Paper Co — Alitzah Stinson couldn’t find planners that fit her organizational needs. So, like many Black women, she said, “I’ll do it myself” and Ivory Paper Co was born. This family owned business is named after her daughter, Eleanor Ivory. Ivory Paper company has a 10 or 12 month planner academic planner and a plethora of planner stickers and stationary.

Be Rooted Planners and Journals are not only functional, they are also beautiful. After the semesters are over, you may still choose to display the painted Black women that grace its covers. You will be the envy of your peers. Get you one here and pick you up some Affirmation pens or pencils to write those homework assignments or your next big idea. 

Apparel

D’iyanu ready-to-wear modern African-inspired clothing available in the mass market. They have a large selection of clothes for Men, Women and Kids all made with vibrant african prints.  You can make back to school a family affair with these matching family matching sets 

Rochelle Porter is an Atlanta-based artist that takes inspiration from her African and Caribbean heritage. Her line of activewear for women and girls is vibrant. We recommend a phone case to match your leggings.

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Ayesha Depay is a lifestyle writer. Her focus is on healthy living and safe places for Black people. When not writing, she likes to do other nerdy things like speculative fiction, sew her own clothes or cosplay.