May marks the start of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Supporting local businesses and celebrating what they bring to the table is more important than ever, especially as Asian communities around the country have experienced a surge in violent hate crimes. One of the most prominent traditions within Asian culture is gathering for giant family dinners filled with eating, chatting, and catching up with everyone. This warm tradition highlights strength and unity, something we can all learn from as we look for ways to show support for the AAPI community, including shopping from Asian-owned companies. Below, we’ve compiled a list of AAPI-founded brands across fashion, beauty, lifestyle, and wellness categories to support now and always.
If you have sensitive skin, Tower 28 is the brand for you. Founded by Amy Liu, this California-based clean beauty brand is cruelty-free, vegan, and is equipped with extremely cute packaging.
Kulfi celebrates South Asian beauty with its colorful Kajal eyeliners. These vibrant liners are made with aloe vera and vitamin E that help create a smudge-proof look.
Move over plain ‘ol oats because Yishi is bringing incredible flavors back into your regular oatmeal. Packed with fibers and protein, these oatmeal packs are going to be breakfast you look forward to.
Gals in the itty bitty titty committee, you are heard. Pepper's bras are created by women for women. Say goodbye to bra gaps and hello to redefining beauty standards.
Worn by Bibi, Sunmi, Niki, and Olivia Rodrigo, the New York-based brand has a clear celebrity following. Their vivid and unique accessories are the result of the brand's aspirations to empower genderless expression.
JW Pei accessories are made out of sustainable vegan leather and recycled plastic. The inspiration behind this husband/wife duo-led brand is that fashion should be accessible, effortless, and empowering.
Founded by Korean-American model Irene Kim, Irene Is Good's collection of leisure wear adds a pop of color and a dash of cool into your outfits.
Blueland’s mission is simple: make it easy to be eco-friendly with innovative products and reusable packaging that are cost efficient, convenient, and effective. The brand is perfect for any beginners looking for sustainable household products. Did we mention the brand is B-Corpand climate neutral certified?
At Doodlage, nothing is wasted. Fabrics are upcycled into new products, converted in accessories, or made into packaging or stationary products.
What’s more Y2K than chunky, colorful jewelry? There’s a bit of nostalgia in every BonBonWhims piece! Celebrities such as SZA, Doja Cat, and Megan Thee Stallion have been spotted adorning themselves in some Y2K love recently.
Our May cover star and co-founder of Monse Laura Kim started the luxury brand back in 2015 with co-founder Fernando Garcia. The NYC-based brand is influenced by menswear with classic tailoring and a deconstructed perspective. Each collection is designed for the modern woman to stand out without dimming her effortless demeanor.
Amaré bags are crafted in Italy using innovative plant-based material that are cruelty-free and eco-friendly. Each bag is decorated with an animal emblem such as a koala, elephant, and more! All are aligned with the brand’s goal to raise awareness of animal endangerment and ill-treated animals throughout the world.
Fly By Jing
Behold the flavor of Chengdu—savory, fragrant, and spicy—packed into a jar. These sauces were inspired by the offerings at Chengdu's popular hole-in-the-wall restaurant.
Chet Lo
Futurist silhouettes combined with Asian heritage and western aesthetics results in Chet Lo. Inspired by Japanese comics, the 50s, and Barbarella, Chet Lo'swork is fun, whimsical, and seen on the likes of Kylie Jenner, Doja Cat, SZA, and so many more.
Behold: products made for homebodies. These sustainable goods can take you one step closer to full coziness and comfort at home.
For sibling duo Shaz & Kiku, hair care starts at the root. Mixed with memories of togetherness and traditional beauty practices, Shaz & Kiks was born. It's a nourishing beauty collection that encourages people to come together for culture and tradition in the modern day.
ADEAM is a brand that embraces the “East meets West” aesthetic. Founder and creative director Hanako Maeda uses traditional Japanese techniques on modern western silhouettes.
Founded by OG NYC nail tech Jin Soon Choi, JINsoon includes a line of non-toxic, long-lasting nail polish with over 60 shades.
Diaspora continues to tell stories of freedom, struggles, and tradition through food. These single origin spices are sourced from small, family-owned farms throughout India and Sri Lanka.
Knits from YanYan are all the craze. The brand collaborated with a few friends of the company to create lines of colorful tees and shirts for adults and kids as well.
Seree, a women-led brand based in NYC, showcases a modern take on the traditional jade bangle. The designs of these jewelry and home pieces are unique and contemporary.
This NYC-based brand continuously brings a rebellious, free spirit nature to the world. Designs and motifs for each season’s collection are based on social topics at the time. The brand is on a constant quest toward sustainability, diversity, and community.
The ill-fitting, slip and slide situation of many glasses are not fun. Founders Athina Wang and Florence Shin designed Covry for diverse face shapes through an innovative approach to design and fit.
Founded by designers Carol Lim and Humberto Leon, the brand was born during a trip to Hong Kong. The idea was to travel to a different country every year and bring the experience into the brand. Though the physical stores are now closed, their website is still up and running–doing plenty of collabs, most recently with girl band The Linda Lindas.
Founded by Phillip Lim and Wen Zhuo, 3.1 Phillip Lim constantly gives effortlessly cool and chic city vibes.
