My Favourite Indigenous Businesses to Support
I love finding new-to-me Indigenous brands creating art, sustainable living products, and products raising awareness about Indigenous rights and culture. My focus here is on Canadian brands, and those found in the Edmonton area. Please share any others you love in the comments!
Jack59
Vanessa Marshall is the CEO of Jack59, the producers of natural hair care products that are sustainably made and ethically sourced. If you follow me on social media, you'll know that I ADORE Jack59's hair bars because of their commitment to zero-waste and environmental sustainability. They are recently B-Corp certified, which means they are truly dedicated to sustainability and ethical practices.
Beaded Chickadee
Krista Leddy is a Métis artist who creates traditional and contemporary beadwork. She often participates at makers gatherings in #YEG and can sometimes be found at Fort Edmonton Park as well.
From Krista:
"I find the most interesting items to add to my beaded pieces. These include antique and vintage glass seed beads, stone cabochons, antique buttons, fossils, and anything else that catches my eye. I also enjoy having fun with colour palettes and creating pieces that will have people asking where you got that nifty piece. Most of my pieces are unique - rarely do I duplicate and each has their own story. The beaded pieces I create and make available are for anyone to wear, as it’s a way for me to share the beauty of my Métis culture with everyone. I just ask that when someone compliments the piece, you say it was made by a Métis artist."
Be Silly By Silly
Illyana makes the sweetest beaded jewelry and accessories and also offers beading workshops. Check her out on Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok. You can find her products in person at various local events and markets.
My daughter and I discovered Be Silly By Silly at the SouthWest Edmonton Farmers Market, and my daughter absolutely treasures this piece!
Red Rebel Armour
Sean Rayland-Boubar is the founder of Red Rebel Armour, an Indigenous streetwear brand offering sustainable and Indigenous designed apparel. Products are made to order to reduce waste, and the brand also provides employment opportunities for individuals reentering society after involvement with the criminal justice system.
"Red Rebel Armour is an Indigenous streetwear brand that weaves Anishinaabe culture through streetwear fashion to form a social enterprise."
Shown here is the "Protection Path" design. We have purchased orange shirts from Red Rebel Armour and are very happy with the quality and design!
Other awesome Indigenous-owned businesses to support:
Indigenous Artist Market (I.A.M.) Collective
This market showcases the work of more than 70 First Nations, Métis, and Inuit artists! You can shop them in-person at the Edmonton Downtown Farmers Market (open Saturdays and Sundays), as well as at Fort Edmonton Park at the Indigenous Peoples Experience. Follow the collective on Instagram, or Facebook.
I got this beautiful stained glass turtle from Shannon Tokio-Carr, an Algonquin artist.
Cheekbone Beauty
I ADORE the Cheekbone Beauty pencils I got 2 years ago and they are still going strong! Cheekbone Beauty supports Indigenous youth and sustainability is an important pillar for them. I think it is so amazing that they're even now available at Sephora! They are also a B-Corp certified brand!
Decolonial Clothing
Owned by Dakota Bear and Casey Desjarlais, Decolonial Clothing is based out of Vancouver. The clothing they use to print designs on is from Bella Canvas - so it is created ethically and through a zero-waste production process. They are very active in the decolonization movement and their clothing has been featured by celebrities and TV shows!