My family’s Thanksgiving has a different costume theme every year. One year we came in wildly flamboyant hats, and this year (though all through Zoom), our tradition was kept alive by dressing up as our favorite food. But along with the excitement of dressing in fun attire comes the set-up for the next holiday: Christmas wishlists. As an adult, mine typically includes a month’s worth of rent, socks, and underwear. But, what I’m really hoping for is penciled towards the bottom: a hand-woven home accessory by a small, BIPoC-owned home goods brand, Teodorajo. Founded by Filipino-American Penny De Vera, this shop offers a series of hand-woven accessories that effortlessly adds a soft, multi-dimensional element to every home space.
De Vera’s similar cultural background to my own furthers my desire to support her small, treasure trove shop along with other BIPoC brands this holiday season (and beyond). Because we’ve been spending so much time at home, the urge to redo our home decor is at an all-time high. Refurbishing your home is such a great feeling, but, supporting minority-owned businesses who may need it during these challenging times is certainly a better one.
From sculptural candle holders to hand-woven pillow cases, the following eight businesses offer the chicest novelty accessories for every home.
We only include products that have been independently selected by TZR's editorial team. However, we may receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.
BIPoC-Owned Home Goods Businesses: Debbie Carlos
Debbie Carlos is the half-Filipino, half-Taiwanese photographer and ceramicist making sure that sculptural home pieces are available for all. From incense and mugs to plant and candleholders, all her pieces allow modernity to thrive in home settings without being entirely too serious.
BIPoC-Owned Home Goods Businesses: Nzuri Textiles
Originally hailing all the way from Nigeria, Eno Jonah has always had a love for carefully made textiles. Her brand, Nzuri Textiles, exudes luxury: handmade pillows, shawls, and more that are birthed by the hands of master weavers who utilize methods that have been passed down by generations for years.
BIPoC-Owned Home Goods Businesses: Teodorajo
If there's anything we've learned in 2020, it's that our space is vital to our mental health. Thankfully, the handwoven accessories offered at this Filipino-American owned shop add a hint of warmth and softness to any home at all times. Plus, the shop's founder, Penny De Vera, is adamant about taking some of the proceeds from her work and putting them towards causes that she believes in.
BIPoC-Owned Home Goods Businesses: GLOW Geometric
Chairish Co. is no stranger to hosting great designers and sellers on its site and nothing says hypnotic more than radiant colors and daring shapes. Founded by African-American interior curator, Dana Lewis-Murphy, GLOW Geometric offers a colorful collection of vintage home goods that are sure to keep the luminosity of the '80s and '90s beating on.
BIPoC-Owned Home Goods Businesses: Reflektion Design
Anitra Terrell's vision for Reflektion design aligns with the emotional feeling she felt in 2006 while in the midst of an African Marketplace. The "sounds and the wares" of her ambient surrounding created a connection to her cultural heritage. And now, this connection is being shared with others through dish ware, pillows, and other home goods.
BIPoC-Owned Home Goods Businesses: Jungalow
A living-in-nature mindset is the gateway to serenity and, thankfully, Justina Blakeney understands this without a miss. From side tables, to woven pillows, plant holders, and more, Blakeney's goal according to her website is to make her clients' homes a "little bit more colorful, patternful, and jungalicious — but most importantly... a little bit more you."
BIPoC-Owned Home Goods Businesses: Tropical Depression
Find a beacon of light in any piece by Roy Delgado and his brand, Tropical Depression. Inspired by the art and architecture of Puerto Rico, the intricate decorative pieces by Delgado look like art at the MoMa, and feel like an endless fountain of inspiration.
BIPoC-Owned Home Goods Businesses: NoHo Home by Jalene Kanani
For Jalene Kanani, NoHo Home is more than a home decor store; it's a love-note to her Hawaiian heritage and other First-Nation cultures. Specializing in organic textures, Kanani's fine linen tablecloths and bedspreads effortlessly bring the essence of Aloha to any home: warmth, optimism, and love.
