Recent years have shown us that systemic racism unfortunately still runs deep in this country, but there’s a lot Americans can do to help—including carefully choosing where they spend their money. If you’re on the hunt for new clothes, gear, or toys for your little one, check out these Black-owned baby brands, which make innovative and chic products for young kids. From curated book subscriptions to beautiful handmade dolls, these 10 Black-owned baby brands have amazing products for children.
Puzzle Huddle
Founded by Matthew and Marnel Goins in 2018, Puzzle Huddle allows kids of color to be represented in the puzzles they play with. Frustrated with the lack of diverse images shown on commercially-produced puzzles, the family began creating unique puzzle designs. Puzzle Huddle carries puzzles in a range of sizes and configurations. The most simple puzzles have 15 pieces and the most complex puzzles have 200 pieces. Puzzles are a timeless toy and development tool for children. The time a child spends assembling a puzzle requires focus, problem-solving, discipline, and fine motor skills.
Ade + Ayo
Temidayo Adedokun founded Ade + Ayo to spread the joy of her Nigerian culture to others through vibrant kids’ merchandise. The company name translates to “crown” and “joy” in Yoruba and is meant to reflect the pride and happiness that children bring. Adedokun aims to celebrate those qualities with her designs. You can find baby items, clothing, decor, toys, and accessories made with traditional cloths, such as Ghanian Kente and Nigerian Ankara. “My vision for Ade + Ayo is to foster connection for children,” said Adedokun. “For those children born to Africans or people in the African diaspora, our well-crafted items bring the connection to heritage, imbuing daily play and exploration with culture.”
Tippy Tot Shoes
Yolandra Rodgers founded Tippy Tot Shoes to make babies look and feel fantastic. The company works with shoe design experts to create high-quality toddler shoes with support and comfort. Their vision is to provide high-quality shoes with excellent foot support, comfort, and a foundation for healthy feet. Tippy Tot Shoes carry the largest selection of traditional leather upper hard bottoms and outwear too. They made use of the best research to design a shoe that encourages your baby to take their first steps.
Junobie
Junobie is passionate about helping women have a positive breastfeeding and breastmilk storage experience. These breast milk bags just changed the pumping game. Junobie is the world’s first reusable breast milk bag. They’re made from 100% food-grade silicone, they’re reusable, and they’re safe for the dishwasher, microwave, freezer, or oven. With milk bags, boxes, jars, and cups, they have everything you need to store your liquid gold. Founder Nikeytha Ramsey spent time researching the best material for women to use to store their breastmilk, and found silicone to be the safest option.
Pretty Please Teethers
Any parent knows just how intimidating and overwhelming teething can be. That’s why Kelli Ulrey created Pretty Please Teether. They provide natural, modern, and minimalist baby essentials. They have beautiful teethers, pacifiers, pacifier clips, and silicone bibs. Ulrey founded the company in 2017 because she couldn’t find natural items for her baby. Pretty Please Teethers has been handcrafting 95% of their products in Utah with the help of local moms and dads in the community and all their products are eco-friendly silicone material, and free of BPA, PVS, latex, lead, and Phthalate. The company is 100 U.S FDA and CPSC compliant. Need some help with breastfeeding or pumping milk? Check out these nine best breastfeeding tips for new mothers.
La Petit Organic
Sustainable, hand-made, and vintage — everything La Petit Organic has to offer. Founded by Sanjay Smith, a mother of three who wanted unique clothes for her kids that were also eco-friendly, Le Petit Organic is a New York-based small retailer and carries a collection of beautiful clothes, decor, and fun toys for children from 0 to 8 years. Expanding on her vision for diversity and inclusivity, in 2016, Sanjay launched Le Petit Elle, her private label collection of vintage styles for the modern girl. Each item is handmade in New York City with a focus on great quality and cares to ensure it becomes an heirloom piece of clothing for any child.
HarperIman Dolls
Are you looking to diversify your child’s playthings? Look no further than HarperIman Dolls! These handmade dolls all have their own signature style and beautiful hair. The line of dolls and accessories was created by Cynthia Watkins and Kathryn Burnett, a mother-daughter duo, in 2017. “We found that dolls of color are underrepresented. Our children are left playing with and trying to identify with dolls that look nothing like them. We wanted to change that,” said the founders. “Our mission is to create dolls that help reinforce how beautiful our children are by providing them with positive affirmations of themselves through dolls that they can actually identify with.”
Brave + Kind Bookshop
Georgia-based mother of two Bunnie Hilliard has made cornerstones of her business, Brave + Kind Bookshop. This independent bookstore in Decatur, Georgia, has curated an awesome collection of diverse children’s books from Black authors like Christian Robinson and Vashti Harrison. “I really delved into children’s literature once I became a parent and wanted to read more books to my own kids,” Hilliard says. “I wanted to create a space [where] families could come, be together and find beautiful stories to inspire them to do something brave and kind.” Brave + Kind ships nationwide, too!
Tinkypoo
Nadiyah Spencer, the founder of TinkyPoo, is a mother, wife, and production expert with more than 20 years of experience working in apparel manufacturing. After discovering that the diaper industry was lacking in visibility when it came to images that depicted babies of color, Spencer and her partners decided to change the industry, and TinkyPoo was born. The colorful designs on these diapers feature super cute babies who are Black, brown, Asian American, and Pacific Islanders. In addition to being adorable, they’re absorbent and made with plant-based ingredients. Available in newborn to size 4. “TinkyPoo is a love letter in action, to all babies, and we keep your baby covered in the most supportive of ways,” said Spencer. “Our diapers are made with plant-based materials that are organic and super-absorbent, ensuring they are healthy and effective.”
Yinibini Baby
Soyini George is the designer behind the Washington, DC, handmade baby brand, Yinibini Baby. Yinibini Baby clothing and accessories are all hand-sewn and made of cotton, organic cotton, cotton blend, and bamboo blend fabrics. The collection includes blankets, onesies, booties, bibs, burp cloths, dresses, and more! The origin of the name “Yinibini” came from the last four letters of Soyini’s name (Yini) + bini, which means “good girl” in Guyanese creole. “Yinibini Baby weaves the magic of storytelling into every garment designed so that you and your children can create wonderful stories of your own,” said George. In 2014, Yinibini Baby was also named a Finalist in the Martha Stewart American Made Awards.
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Boitumelo Masihleho is a South African digital content creator. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Rhodes University in Journalism and Media Studies and Politics and International Studies. She’s an experienced multimedia journalist who is committed to writing balanced, informative and interesting stories on a number of topics. Boitumelo has her own YouTube channel where she shares her love for affordable beauty and lifestyle content.
