Celebrate Pride Month Sustainably
It’s time to celebrate love, Pride month is here. As people across the country commemorate the LGTBQ+ community, it’s important to recognize the innovative businesses that bring unique perspectives to their industries and foster communities that celebrate diversity and authenticity. These brands are leaving their marks in both the social, economic, and ecological spheres. Jejune Magazine highlights pioneering Queer-owned brands that are changing the trajectory and paving the way for a more inclusive future.
Who They Are: Beefcake Swimwear is an eco-responsible swimwear brand that believes people and the planet have greater significance than profit margins. The swimsuits are made from recycled polyester and are produced in small batches. Inspired by the 1920s, the queer-owned brand created swimsuits for all shapes, sizes, and genders.
Price Range: $$
Fun Fact: Sizes range from XS to 5X
EQUATOR COFFEES
Who They Are: Co-founded by Helen Russell and Brooke McDonnell, Equator Coffees is a queer-owned, certified B Corp that embraces sustainable practices. The coffee brand invests in energy-efficient Loring Smart Roasters, which allows them to reduce carbon emissions per batch by 80%. They donate burlap coffee bags to local farms, local composting of their chaff, and upcycle coffee excess with Extrafood.
Price Range: $-$$
Fun Fact: Roast 50 hours per week.
MINNA
Who They Are: MINNA is a certified B Corp that designs and produces ethically handmade homewares, textiles, and wallcoverings. Producing in small batches, the queer-led business values ethical practices and partners with Central and South American artisans, resulting in job creation and craft preservation. The certified B Corp also collaborates with U.S.-based manufacturers that specialize in sustainable printing methods.
Price Range: $$-$$$
Fun Fact: Designs are inspired by Feminist art, the Bauhaus, traditional craft, and vintage textiles
NOTO
Who They Are: Founded by Gloria Noto, a nonbinary fashion and beauty expert, Noto is a multi-use, gender-fluid, cruelty-free cosmetics brand with high-performing ingredients and biodegradable packaging. Celebrating diversity and authenticity, the products range from serums, moisturizers, and hair oils to sunscreens, highlighters, and scrubs. The products are formulated for all skin and body types.
Price Range: $$
Fun Fact: A portion of Agender Oil sales is donated to organizations like The Trevor Project, Planned Parenthood, and Black Mama’s Matter.
TOMBOYX
Who They Are: TomboyX is an undergarment and apparel company founded by wives Fran Dunaway and Naomi Gonzalez. The line was crafted for all sizes and all gender identities with the goal of comfort in mind. Using biodegradable materials for packaging, their products also use eco-friendly fibers and are made in women-owned factories, paying living wages.
Price Range: $$
Fun Fact: Work with a sustainability consultant to audit their process
KEY
Who They Are: Key is a vegan energy drink brand founded by partners Karishma and Tekla. Using 100% natural ingredients, the LGBTQ+-owned brand constructed the perfect long-lasting ketone, an alternative to sugar, energy drink. There are 3 flavors to choose from, grapefruit peach, pineapple passionfruit, and ginger lime.
Price Range: $$
Fun Fact: It took 2 years for them to create a drinkable ketone drink.
AUTOMIC GOLD
Who They Are: Automic Gold is a queer and trans-owned jewelry retailer. The all-inclusive brand uses 100% certified recycled gold from old jewelry and electronics and all other gems are sourced within the U.S. They also use lab-made stones to help reduce mining and the packaging is recyclable.
Price Range: $$-$$$
Fun Fact: Only jewelry retailer to carry ring sizes 2-16
BOY SMELLS
Who They Are: Boy Smells is a queer, cruelty-free business owned by partners Matthew Herman and David Kien. The company makes candles, mists, perfumes, washes, and lotions. The fine fragrances are made for everyone and the candles are developed using all-natural coconut wax and beeswax blend instead of paraffin wax. The candles also have lead-free cotton wicks and can be upcycled for beverage tumblers.
Price Range: $$-$$$
Fun Fact: Carried in over 750 retail locations across 35 countries in 6 continents
PALS
Who They Are: PALS is a queer, female-owned sock company with a special message about friendship behind each design. Each sock is eco-consciously created and the brand’s manufacturing partners meet BSCI, OEKO, Tex, and Gold Wrap inspection standards. The shipping cartons and packaging are printed on 100% recycled paper.
Price Range: $$
Fun Fact: PALS socks last 10 years
BRAVE GENTLEMEN
Who They Are: Brave Gentlemen is a proud LGBTQ+ vegan footwear brand that follows a slow-fashion production model. Founder Joshua Katcher believes in an ethical business model and that the people making the products deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. They use organic cotton, Brazilian waste-diverted tweeds, and twills woven from recycled cotton and recycled polyester.
Price Range: $$$
Fun Fact: First vegan lifestyle menswear brand in the world
