By Heather Kittle
For a lot of people in the United States, Thanksgiving rings in the holiday season. Meaning time to shop for gifts for loved ones, and sometimes not-so-loved ones. Many are already aware of what takes place the day after Black Friday, the day which unofficially kicks off the holiday shopping season. But what many aren’t aware of is that the day after Thanksgiving is also Native American Heritage Day, which also falls in Native American Heritage Month. With that being said, we decided to introduce you to some native ran businesses to buy from this year.
Cheekbone Beauty https://www.cheekbonebeauty.com/collections/all
Cheekbone Beauty is an Indigenous-owned and founded a business based in Canada that sells high quality and cruelty-free beauty products, while also reaching for sustainability in some of their lines of product. A portion of their profits are donated to various non-profit organizations such as the Navajo Water Project. It is run by Jennifer Harper, whose roots lie with the Anishinaabe.
B.Yellowtail https://byellowtail.com/pages/who-are-we
A Native American-owned fashion brand as well as a retailer, B.Yellowtail offers handmade goods such as jewelry and apparel. They also partnered with CheekBone Beauty to create a limited-edition holiday beauty capsule that includes five beauty products. Their mission is “To support indigenous entrepreneurs, offer a profitable income model, and help Native arts businesses grow!”.
Birchbark Books https://birchbarkbooks.com
This tiny, independent bookstore with a brick-and-mortar store located in Minneapolis, MN, is run by author Louise Eldrich, a member of the Turtle Mountain Chippewa. Besides selling books that can be found nowhere else, their inventory also includes such things as metal-work bracelets, traditional basketry, and dreamcatchers. All of which is handmade by other Indigenous individuals. The fact you can visit this store makes it feel that much more personal when purchasing online.
Thundervoice Hat Company. https://www.thundervoicehatco.com
One of my personal favorites, Thundervoice Hat Company, based in Arizona, is truly unique when it comes to what they are doing. Nearly everything they make is sourced by hand and repurposed or reclaimed, making each hat special as if made just for you. If you’re not interested in hats, they do offer other products such as blankets and footwear. Although more on the expensive side, the knowledge that your hat is one of a kind means it’s worth it. (Interested in watching the hat-making process? You can find them on TikTok!)
Bison Star Naturals. https://bisonstarnaturals.com/about/
Bison Star Naturals is a husband and wife ran business that is still in the beginning phases of their business (Established in 2018), because of this, their inventory is still small but waiting for handmade natural products is worth it in my eyes. The plants they put in their bar soap are sourced from the wild, and their products are made with organically, naturally, and locally sourced ingredients. Although Jaquelene is not affiliated with any tribe, Angelo is a member of Taos Pueblo.
