"I love a Target run as much as anyone, but thereâs something extra special about supporting smaller, women-owned businesses. Not only can you find things that are more unique, but you can also shop more intentionally, as a lot of these businesses are more eco-friendly and have a values-first approach. To help celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month this May, weâve rounded up some of our favorite AAPI female-owned businesses.
Some of these businesses are also owned by moms, with some business ideas even sparked by the new lens of motherhoodâlike teaching their littles how to embrace their heritage and leaving the planet a better place for their children. From innovative home products and delicious food items to some of our go-to beauty and wellness brands, there is truly something for everyone on this list. Read on for 30 of our favorite AAPI female-owned businesses to shop.
Clothing & Accessories
Joah Love
Started by (and named after) two friends, Joy and Ahyoung, Joah Love was also a nod to Ahyoungâs Korean heritage. The word Joah means âto like something.â The pair set out to create a kidâs clothing line that was cool and fuss-free, avoiding snaps, zippers, and buttons. The brand has grown since its 2008 beginnings, and we love some of the new offerings like snap-free sleepers for baby and mom-wear!
Morning Lavender
Kim Le Pham, who got her start as a fashion blogger, opened the womenâs clothing boutique Morning Lavender in 2018. Her shop is full of all the pretty things: from feminine everyday dresses (including maternity dresses!), tops, and jumpsuits to formal attire perfect for baby showers, weddings, and more. Floral robes and curated (and budget-friendly) shoes and accessories round out her collection.
Girlfriend Collective
After constantly hunting for environmentally friendly athletic clothing, Ellie Dinh and her partner Quang Dinh launched Girlfriend Collective in 2016. Their ultimate vision was to create an athleisure clothing line that was sustainable, functional, and comfortableâwithout having to sacrifice the quality. Not only do they offer the cutest workout and athleisure pieces, but Girlfriend Collective centers their values around body positivity, inclusivity, and the environment in every product. Their size range is from XXS â 6XL.
Dagne Dover
Cofounded by three empowering women, Dagne Dover is an all-time editor-favorite business thatâs making big strides in sustainability. Known for its versatile bags and accessories, Dagne Dover offers thoughtfully designed items from high-quality materials. Trust us: Once you get your hands on one of their products, youâll never want to stop adding to your collection.
Baggu
A San Francisco native, Emily Sugihara created Baggu to reflect her love for simple, eco-friendly products and set out to create sustainable accessories that are accessible to all. With their collection of bold and unique designs, you can practically spot a Baggu item anywhere. Plus, with different styles of bags and organizational products to choose from, the possibilities are endless.
Cuyana
Karla Gallardo and Shilpa Shah created Cuyana in hopes that their brand would help customers focus on the simplicity of a minimal wardrobe. With their intentional line of products, Cuyanaâs philosophy promotes investing in fewer items that are timeless, made to last for years, and can easily be mixed and matched with one another. Cuyanaâs range of products represent the only accessories youâll ever need and are crafted with the environment in mind.
Emi Jay
Emi Jay, founded by Julianne Goldmark and Emily Matson, is best known for their trendy hair accessories. Paying tribute to their Asian culture, Emi Jay offers a wide range of hair clips, ties, brushes, and other tools that cater to different hair types. The best part? A portion of their proceeds support various charitable organizations, which sets them apart from other hair accessory brands.
Beauty
Tower 28 Beauty
Tower 28 founder (and mom of three) Amy Liu started her own clean makeup company in 2019 after 15+ years of working as a beauty executive. Liu dealt with chronic eczema and sensitive skin her entire life, so she wanted Tower 28 to be a fun alternative to the clinical approach usually taken with products for sensitive skin. Tower 28âs line is vegan and cruelty-free, and the company takes a hard line with blacklisted ingredients youâll never find in their products (and is available at Sephora!).
Cocokind
After leaving her old job to enter the beauty industry, Priscilla Tsai founded one of our favorite clean skincare brands, Cocokind. With a commitment to the environment and creating mindful skincare that speaks to diverse skin types, Cocokind has been a loved brand for years. Using her own personal skincare journey as inspiration, Tsaiâs goal was to create a skincare company that uses clean yet effective ingredientsâwhile making her products affordable for everyone.
Eadem
Another editor-favorite brand, Eadem was cofounded by Marie Kouadio Amouzame and Alice Lin Glover in 2018. Bringing inspiration from their multicultural backgrounds, Amouzame and Glover crafted a sustainable skincare line representing diversity and inclusivity with all skin types, textures, and colors. Eadem targets skin concerns most commonly seen with melanin-rich skin and offers effective solutions for other skincare needs.
Honua Hawaiian Skincare
Honua Hawaiianâs CEO, Kapua Browning, honors her Hawaiian culture with this clean and thoughtful skincare line. Taking inspiration from traditional Hawaiian healing practices, Kapua has crafted a collection of facial products that are eco-conscious yet luxurious and made from natural ingredients. Take a look at some of our favorite products below, and be ready to add one (or more) to your cart.
Kulfi Beauty
A newer brand in the beauty world, this South Asian makeup company was founded in 2021 by Prianka Ganjoo. After working years in this industry herself, Priyanka wanted to create products that intertwined her love for her Indian roots and her passion for inclusive makeup. With the bold colors and unique products in her cosmetic line, Kulfi serves as a one-of-a-kind beauty brand thatâs dedicated to representing authenticity and diversity.
Then I Met You
Another skincare brand we adore, Then I Met You has undoubtedly become a go-to brand for many. CEO Charlotte Cho is deeply in tune with her Korean culture and has used what she has learned to shape the direction of this beauty company. Focused on traditional Korean rituals, sheâs combined her culture with innovative formulas to help promote healthier, glowy skin for all.
Peach & Lily
Peach & Lilyâs founder, Alicia Yoon, has dedicated the past 20 years to studying Korean skincare practices and techniques to master her own skincare treatments. Known for products that will effortlessly give you âglass skin,â Peach & Lily has become a fan-favorite skincare brand in the beauty community. With clean-yet-effective skincare formulations, this brand incorporates Korean skincare into minimal products that serve multiple purposes.
NatureLab Tokyo
Rosa Takagi founded NatureLab Tokyo in hopes of creating a haircare brand unlike any other on the market. Tapping into her Japanese background, Takagi wanted to create a haircare line that combined traditional practices with modern, clean technologyâwhich she successfully accomplished. With each product being formulated with natural ingredients, NatureLab Tokyo is committed to helping its customers achieve the hair of their dreams.
Health & Wellness
Rael
Frustrated by the lack of clean, effective period care in the U.S., a trio of women originally from South Korea started Rael in 2017. Cofounders Aness An, a journalist and best-selling author, Binna Won, an architect-turned-art-director, and Yanghee Paik, a former movie distributor at The Walt Disney Studios with a Harvard MBA, sell a line of natural and organic feminine care products to empower women to have a healthier relationship with their periods. They offer a range of products, from vulva care to skincare and period underwear to organic tampons.
OJOOK Oral Care
OJOOK founder and toddler mom, Youn Chang parlayed her experience and connections from working at Glossier and Apple to debut OJOOK oral care. As she shared with The Everymom in 2020, âPregnancy and giving birth to my daughter made me realize that I, indeed, have a finite life, and I really wanted to make the best out of that precious time. So, I wanted to launch a brand that helps people achieve longevity in our health without harming our planet.â
fur
Besties Laura Schubert and Lillian Tung launched fur in 2015 to provide a variety of gentle and effective intimate care. Inspired by their Asian culture, Laura and Lillian prioritized natural ingredients and holistic wellness in their products. Furâs mission is to encourage conversations surrounding body empowerment and intimate care while providing cruelty-free products to help do so.
Silk + Sonder
The wellness company Silk + Sonder was founded by Meha Agrawal after she struggled with mental health herself. Meha committed her time to researching the best practices, techniques, and teachings to create an experience that would allow individuals to prioritize their well-being while also offering the gift of community. Silk + Sonder represents just that, and has become a reliable resource for those wanting to show themselves some TLC.
Pink Moon Collection
Self-love advocate Lin Chen founded Pink Moon Collection to inspire others to prioritize their overall wellness. Chenâs goal is to share her own experiences and self-discovery journey through a line of wellness products originating from Eastern and Western healing. By creating accessible holistic products, Chen hopes to bring inner peace, self-care, and love for oneself to others through her brand.
Yina
YINA is a women-led AAPI company founded by Angela Chau Gray and Ervina Wu. Rooted in their shared culture, Angela and Ervina continue to pass down traditions and wisdom of Chinese Medicine through their modernized wellness rituals and products. Their sustainable and luxurious collection of products is crafted to spread harmony and beauty for those who choose to focus on their well-being.
Food & Drinks
Brightland
Brightland olive oils and vinegars are consciously made in California with no fillers or artificial preservatives. With a deep belief in the land and what it provides, Founder Aishwarya Iyer said on Brightlandâs website, âMy ancestors were salt farmers in South India; the land provided for them, and in turn, they provided salt for people in the South. Itâs a beautiful cycle when left untouched.â Plus, the bottles are so pretty youâll love putting them on display in your kitchen.
Noonaâs Ice Cream
Noona, translating to âbig sisterâ in Korean, encompasses the things that founder Hanna Bae is passionate about: paying homage to her heritage and having the honor of sharing family recipes. For Bae, the lack of diverse ice cream flavors sparked her desire to create a brand that represented her Asian-American roots while providing quality ingredients. Noonaâs is mindful of ingredient sourcing, building relationships, and creating a dessert that brings people together.
Omsom
The daughters of Vietnamese refugees, Vanessa and Kim Pham created Omsom to celebrate their cultural background through their unique selection of flavorful noodles and easy-to-use sauces. The Pham sisters are committed to sharing their love for Asian cuisine with the rest of us through their passed-down recipes, colorful packaging, and delicious products.
Nguyen Coffee Supply
Nguyenâs Coffee is Americaâs first-ever specialty Vietnamese coffee company and was founded by first-generation entrepreneur Sahra Nguyen. Creating a new wave of coffee, Sahraâs mission is to alter the industry through her sustainable practices, diverse flavors, and cultural ties to her Vietnamese heritage. Nguyenâs Coffee is committed to bringing an authentic and new experience to your taste buds and comes in many different flavors and forms.
Wildwonder
As seen on ABCâs Shark Tank, Rosa Li created this brand to reshape wellness into refreshing beverages. Taking after her grandmother, who would brew wild herbs and botanicals for wellness practices, Rosa was inspired to do the same through adaptogen-infused sparkling drinks. With a wide range of flavors and targeted benefits, Wildwonder is more than just a beverage company; they are committed to helping soothe the mind and body.
Home & Art
Blueland
After becoming a mother and learning about microplastics in our food and water, cofounder and CEO Sarah Paiji Yoo started Bluelandâs plastic-free cleaning kits. According to Bluelandâs website, all of us âare eating a credit cardâs worth of plastic each week, and 90 percent of the water we drink and the food we eat contain microplasticsâ (yuck!). She believes no one should have to sacrifice a clean home for a clean planet. You buy a Blueland cleaning product bottle one timeâfor hand soaps, dish soaps, laundry, and cleaning spraysâand the company directly ships cleaning products to refill.
Pyarful
Mom Krisa Tailor-Arora, a daughter of immigrants, saw a gap in greeting cards celebrating her South Asian American identity (as in, there werenât any to be found). In 2017, she started Pyarful and now creates playful and authentic cards celebrating life milestones like love, new babies, friendship, South Asian holidays, unique notepads, wall art, and other gift items.
Our Place
Cult-favorite brand Our Place has taken over the kitchenware market since 2019, and for good reason. CEO Shiza Pakistani felt called to take a new approach to cookware and wanted to create products that would represent the joy of home cooking while paying homage to her cultural traditions. Rooted in diverse representation, authenticity, and sustainability, Our Place serves as the bridge between cooking at-home meals and creating meaningful connections with one another.
Good Fortune by Kayle
This small business, owned by Kayle Simmons, is a labor of love and is her way of honoring Asian-inspired artwork. Her thoughtfully crafted pieces perfectly mix her passion for her culture and a modern boho aesthetic. With her curated line of artwork, home goods, and accessories, Kayle has expressed her creativity in a way that celebrates her ancestors and the woman sheâs grown into today.
