Shop Women-Owned Businesses: Milk Holiday Gift Guide
This year we're supporting women with our holiday shopping. Join us! Welcome to our second annual Milk Holiday Gift Guide, featuring products from women-owned and operated businesses. Support women with your holiday dollars and #shopfemale.
Apparel
Sister founded Matriarch designs and sells unique, gender neutral shoes you will love. In their words: "We believe that style and aesthetic preferences transcend gender lines and that foot size should not limit one's style or quality options."
An independent, feminist clothing company based in Philadelphia, PA. At Feminist Apparel, you'll find feminist messages on shirts, sweatshirts, socks, and totes designed by 45+ artists. Child and adult sizing.
Jess Davis founded Folk Rebellion to promote a movement of slower-living and more mindful use of technology. They seek "to encourage the return of living in real life." Find shirts, hats, totes, and mugs promoting this message for men and women. A portion of profits are donated to the Children & Nature Network helping to create a world where every child can play, learn and grow outdoors & away from screens.
Dear Kate founder Julie Sygiel set out to create lingerie that was silky-soft, but also stain releasing, and leak-resistant as a better alternative to "period panties". Now they have brought their technology to yoga wear as well.
The Pajama Company was founded by Ellie Badanes (also check out her Milk post on optimism) with a mission to spread happiness through pajamas. Find a variety of pajamas for men, women, and families from various brands. She donates a portion of her sales to promote maternal health through the work of the organization Every Mother Counts.
My Plush Closet is a subscription box service for plus size lingerie (36 DD to 44 H). Delivered every three months.
Sisters Shifra and Leah Whiteman, along with fellow designer Katie Chappuis, are the women behind PINTL + KEYT. All their textiles are produced in the most sustainable and responsible manner, using organic material, and paying a living wage to Indian women by working with Work+Shelter, an ethical outsourcing solution where women earn a living wage and receive training.
Accessories
Meraki has brought Indian folk art to modern fashion. They offer high quality leather and wood bags, clutched and wallets hand painted by more than 70 Indian folk artists, including partnerships with several women’s artist groups. They are also supporting arts education for girls in India and just completed a $15,000 crowdfunding campaign to kick off their social impact arm.
Junes was founded to begin to fill a void in the market for a slow fashion, durable and breathable bag for everyday life. They sell beautiful reusable bags made from unique textiles. Based in El Paso, TX, Junes is partnered with an independent women’s sewing cooperative in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico and donates a percentage of proceeds to organizations on the US/Mexico border helping combat femicide.
Latina founded Archer Brighton creates and sells unique and thoughtful backpacks designed for everyday living. Their tech enabled designs are based on hundreds of customer interviews to create bags that are high quality and functional. This week they are offering 30-50% off store wide for holiday shopping.
A California-based company, P.MAI was founded by a Vietnamese-American woman. They designs backpacks that are sophisticated and elegant for modern women.
"This is a story about celebrating strong women. About seeking wellness. And about mindful design.
We're not trying to be the fit-the-kitchen-sink bag. It's about creating smarter options."
Leah Reena Goren is an illustrator and surface pattern designer living in Brooklyn, NY. At shop.leahgoren.com she sells her illustrations as prints, on shirts, totes, and scarves. 100% of the proceeds from the sale of this Pink Ladies Print pictured above will go to Planned Parenthood.
Sapahn is a marketplace of artisan bags, scarves, and jewelry. Founded by Brooke Mullen, and American based in Thailand, with a mission to provide a sustainable market for artisans to sell their goods. Prioritizing human rights, and fair trade, Sapahn pays artisans 50% when the order is placed and the remainder when the order is delivered.
Two French moms, Jessica and Alexandra, based in San Francisco started Teuko to help other moms put together better lunch boxes. Shop lunch boxes on their site and sign up for their lunchbox inspiration community.
Jewelry
Auberg Designs sells beautiful necklaces featuring the profile of women in STEM heroines. Women like Marie Curie and Ada Lovelace featured above. Every purchase includes a $5 donation to Girls Who Code. All items are handmade by Lauren Goldberg.
For over 16 years, viv&ingrid has maintained a simple philosophy, to create everyday little luxuries that inspire sharing.
Carrie Elizabeth Dennahy founded Carrie Elizabeth Jewelry in London after spending 10 years as a fashion and jewelry buyer for one of the UK's leading retailers. Her mission is to offer stunning designs from , ethically sourced and handmade in Jaipur, India at affordable prices.
Food and Beverage
Exactly as it sounds, Cake in a Crate is a home delivery meal service that brings you all the ingredients you need to make a delicious vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, and refined sugar-free cake from scratch.
Home Products
Founded by Anjali, an experienced interior furnishings designer, and supporter of ethical fashion. All products from Afleure are super high quality and are handcrafted by traditional folk artists using natural fabrics and dyes. They follow fair-trade practices in all phases, from procuring the fabric from artisans in remote Indian villages, through production with micro and small-scale manufacturers.
Hartford Prints! is an urban goods brand that is all about handmade and homegrown love. Started and run by three sisters, they create letterpress stationary, clothing, and sell locally-sourced goods online and in their hometown of Hartford, CT.
Eight Sleep is a smart mattress that learns about your sleep patterns and adjusts to improve your sleep. Alexandra Zatarain is the CMO and one of the four founders.
Quinstance is a marketplace for American-made products and some fair trade goods from makers around the world. Many of their makers are women trying to change theirs and their family's lives through their craft. Find a variety of home goods, gift items like this aromatherapy dough, and jewelry.
Health and Beauty
What started as a personal interest in using skin care free of toxins, turned into a mission to bring safe and natural products to women. Happy Healthy & Free sells homemade moisturizers, lip balms, deoderant and skincare products.
Funlayo Alabi is the CEO and Co-Founder of Shea Radiance. They source Shea Butter for their hair care, body wash and moisturizing products from women-run cooperatives in rural Nigeria and Ghana.
"At Shea Radiance, we know that when a women is financially empowered, she can change the lives of her children and community. We are inspired by the strength, beauty & dignity of the women who harvest & process our Shea butter. Together we can make a difference in the lives of women and their communities."
Dimple + Dot sell all natural skin care products handmade in Brooklyn, NY.
"Our small batch brewed products are made from a carefully curated set of ingredients, taking care to choose elements with natural healing properties that have been used by radiant, healthy humans for centuries."
Toys
A set of 12 "free play gems" for babies, inspired by the Montessori approach to learning. A completely transparent company, Twoodie toys are all free from paints, plastics, metals, magnets, colorants, glues, and toxic varnishes and are safe for even sensitive newborns.
"At Twoodie we think we can do better simply by creating better products. We're starting with a single toy solution and a new generation of parents and babies."
School of Games is a vocabulary and reading platform for children between the 3 to 6 years. Founded by immigrant women, School of Games also provides a subscription of their platform to a child in need for every subscription sold.
Tech
Founded by two women, ThinkUp is an app that allows you to create your own self-improvement program based on positive affirmations. The app is free for basic access or a premium subscription offers unlimited access and customization.
Dallas Jasper started Connect2Classes to help people in her hometown of Seattle, Washington find classes in the area, to continue their education whatever their interest. If you're giving to someone in the Seattle area they offer gift cards.
Services
Jennifer Beall Saxton founded The Tot Squad to help busy parents and caregivers by helping with the care and safety of their baby gear. A great gift for a busy mother or father, give a gift card for a car seat installation or stroller cleaning. They also offer memberships for regular services.
Help us promote women-owned businesses. Share this gift guide with friends and family and on social media.
