Gift Guide 2021: 10 Gift Ideas From Women-Owned Businesses
Want to shop small this year? Here are 10 gift ideas sure to impress from women-owned businesses and brands
Reality check — the holiday season is HERE. For all of my last-minute shoppers out there, don’t fret (too much), there’s still time to check off your Christmas list in a way that feels good, gives back, and is sure to impress your friends and family. This gift guide features 10 women-owned small businesses and the inspiring founders behind the brand!
This round-up was organized by THEPRBAR inc, and features THEPRBAR inc. clients and community members. THEPRBAR inc. is NOT receiving any affiliate commissions or any monetary advance from the purchase of these products.
Sonderlier — for the Sustainable Fashionista (who values comfort)
Featured: Marlene Wine Leg Pants / Price: $165 / Shop Product
Sonderlier is a sustainable clothing brand offering women camera-ready clothing they could sleep in. Its capsule collection is incredibly comfortable and radically versatile in both style and fit, allowing endless ways to wear for work, lounge, travel, and play. Their mission is to create clothing to serve our everyday wellbeing — clothing that can fulfill our aspiration for beauty, meet our need to be comfortable and free, liberate us from stressing over clothes not fitting, and reflect our care for the planet. All pieces are made ethically in a women-owned Ohio-based factory from sustainable fabrics, and a tree is planted for every piece purchased.
Meet the Founder: Xi Chen
Xi Chen, PhD is an entrepreneur, fashion designer, educator, and the Founder of Sonderlier. Xi is passionate about sustainably creating fashion that serves women’s everyday well-being. Prior to founding Sonderlier, Xi was an engineering professor studying the intersection of supply chain and sustainability. Xi enjoys combining her love for fashion with an engineer’s focus on functionality.
“Sonderlier allows me to combine my love for fashion with the engineer’s focus on functionality. The result? Finally clothes we can live in and feel great about all day and every day. I hope you will love our clothes as much as I do!”
Shop Full Collection / Follow on Instagram @sonderlier
Sit in the City — for the Meditation & Self-discovery Enthusiast
Featured: LA Meditation Activity Deck / Price: $58 / Shop Product
The idea for Sit in the City came just days before COVID-19 was characterized as a pandemic and the world hung out a sign: Temporarily Closed. Fortuitous timing, as the meditation cards were imagined as a guide to support solo journeys of self-discovery (social distancing, check) without having to travel far from home (travel restrictions, check, check). Part meditation guide, part local travel guide, the 48 cards in the SITC: LA deck invite you to find a moment of blissful peace in the hustle and bustle of the City of Angels. It’s a literal journey of self-discovery as you discover and explore some of LA’s most inspiring hidden gems. Sit in the City is designed for anyone willing to pause, take a breath, and be open to the experience. This includes first-time meditators to seasoned sitters.
A portion of all Sit in the City sales goes to local organizations that provide food to those in need, which the brand views as a basic human right and collective responsibility.
Meet the Founder: Kim Genkinger
Kim Genkinger is an advertising creative director/writer turned expat, turned meditation studio owner and certified teacher, and an entrepreneur at, and with, heart. A high-performing (read highly stressed) careerist and longtime meditator, she began imagining a world where success isn’t defined by wealth, status, and achievements, but rather, by inner wisdom, self-awareness, and acceptance. This manifested in her latest purpose + passion−driven project: Sit in the City meditation cards, a modern wellness toolbox grounded in ancient teachings. Kim’s personal meditation journey began in a small Los Feliz apartment where she took a course on Transcendental Meditation, the twice-daily technique she would practice for nearly 10 years. A detour into Vipassana, as instructed by S.N. Goenka, re-introduced her to the universal teachings of the Buddha, which inspired her deeper dive into the Dhamma and, eventually, her commitment to the Buddhist path. She is a certified Mindfulness and Lovingkindness teacher in the Buddhist tradition, guiding sits at her studio DROPin Meditation in Antwerp, Belgium. Her path beautifully illustrates that life doesn’t come at us, but from us.
Shop Sit in the City / Follow on Instagram @sitinthecitycards
#GIRLGETAFTERIT — for the Go-Getter & Wellness Lover
Featured: The Logo Hoodie / Price: $60 / Shop Product
#GIRLGETAFTERIT is an online and IRL community that brings women together through sweatworking events and gear that gives back. #girlgetafterit is changing the way we do wellness by finding strength in community to truly get after what it means to be healthy. They empower women by showing them that anything is possible with the support of a girl squad behind them.
#GGAI also offers a cool, fun, and casual line of gear that gives back to various organizations and nonprofits who are doing good and dreaming big. #GGAI landed an online, co-brand partnership with lululemon in the fall of 2020, making them one of the first E-commerce brands to do so. For the month of December, a portion of all proceeds will benefit the nonprofit Foundation for Women Warriors.
Meet the Founder: Cassidy Wendell
Cassidy (Cass) Wendell is a wellness lover and adventure seeker based in beautiful Bozeman, Montana.
#GIRLGETAFTERIT was born out of a passion for wellness and need for community after Cass lost her dad at the age of 22. Feeling disconnected and isolated, instead of searching for a squad, Cass decided to create one. What started as a selfish act, soon turned into a women’s wellness community she could only dream of.
Since community inception in 2017, Cass has seen first-hand how life-changing it can be for women to feel seen, heard, and supported, and has made it her life’s mission to empower women all over the world through movement, community and impact.
Outside of #GGAI, Cass also runs a lifestyle blog called The Wellness Rookie where she shares her practical outlook on wellness and bits of her life as a multi-passionate entrepreneur.
Shop #GIRLGETAFTER IT / Follow on Instagram @girlgetafterit
The Beem Box — for the Make-up & Beauty Connoisseur
Featured: The Holiday Beem Box / Price: $45 / Shop Product
The Beem Box has created a unique beauty box that encourages and celebrates people of color. They do their best to select products from brands that align with their belief that diversity and inclusion matter in beauty. Filled with eyeshadow, lipstick, nail polish, skincare and much more — subscribers receive a newly curated box every two months. In stride with their mission of encouragement and empowerment, they also look to include products from women-owned brands, in efforts to uplift other female-owned businesses.
Meet the Founder: Nimi Fafowora
Nimilolu Fafowora is the CEO and Founder of The Beem Box. She has been recognized in various media outlets, including Elle and Cosmo. She started The Beem Box to create a community that admires and acknowledges those who are often left out of the beauty conversation, and to provide well-suited makeup products for deeper and darker skin tones.
Shop The Beem Box / Follow on Instagram @thebeembox
Spirit Horse Vineyards — for your Favorite Wine-o
Featured: Holiday Party Pack / Price: $119 / Shop Product
Spirit Horse Vineyards is a 100% woman-owned boutique winery that empowers community and connection through delicious wines, unique member experiences, and philanthropy. Founded in 2013, Spirit Horse offers a roster of limited production wines produced in Napa Valley, California, as well as other emblematic wines from around the world. Spirit Horse wines are not only delicious but also support the local communities from which the grapes are sourced by proudly partnering with the Spirit Horse Riding Center to provide local children with equine therapy. Company efforts also support Napa Valley’s leadership and empowerment program, Off the Vine — a program that pairs local foster girls with female mentors in their community.
Meet the Founder: Heather Rader
An Oregon native, Heather Rader is a high-energy corporate executive turned wine entrepreneur. After earning a bachelor’s degree in business from the University of Oregon and before working in the wine world, Heather hustled for the NFL sponsorships division and in sales at Monster.com plus a variety of start-ups. Now living her dream, she is the Founder and Owner of Spirit Horse Vineyards, a winery that brings community together to help the next generation of girls thrive. With Spirit Horse Vineyards, Heather created a company that merges her passion for fine wine with community, empowering connection and fun, one sip at a time.
Shop Spirit Horse Vineyards / Follow on Instagram @spirithorsevineyards
Flight Fillow — for all Travel-lovers
Featured: Cheetah Print Flight Fillow / Price: $19.97 / Shop Product
Flight Fillow turns any sweater or hoodie into a travel or traditional pillow, giving you all of the benefits without any of the hassle. It fits in your pocket, is easy to wash, and adjusts to your own comfort.
We have all been there — you are packing for a trip and want to have the comfort of a pillow but don’t want the hassle of having to pack it or lug it around. Flight Fillow solves this common problem because it’s lightweight and easy to pack, making it perfect for many different types of travel. You simply roll up your hoodie or jacket and put it into the Flight Fillow to use as a neck pillow. Alternatively, you can tuck in the arms of the sweater/hoodie to use Flight Fillow as a traditional pillow. All of these features make Flight Fillow the perfect option for anyone that goes backpacking, camping or does any form of traveling!
Meet the Founder: Georgia Wilson
Georgia Wilson is the Inventor and Founder of Flight Fillow — the reinvented travel pillow. She works a full-time corporate job during the day and works to change the way people travel on nights and weekends. Entrepreneurship was never the goal for Georgia, she was simply solving her own frustrations when she came up with the idea for Flight Fillow. Since launching Flight Fillow in 2018, she has navigated the patenting process, figured out how to start a business with free information from the internet, and has been featured on WGN, Business Insider, MSN, and many other outlets!
Shop Flight Fillow / Follow on Instagram @flightfillow
Malibu Apothecary — for those who appreciate Clean Luxury
Featured: Matte Black Turks & Caicos Candle / Price: $43 / Shop Product
Malibu Apothecary is a Southern California mission-based candle company that crafts coastal-inspired cleaner candles for a cleaner Earth by giving back 20% of their sales to coastal conservation. Unlike 95% of other candles on the market, Malibu Apothecary never uses gasoline byproducts like paran wax. These handcrafted comforts are poured with only natural coconut and soy wax, essential oil-infused fragrances, and cotton wicks. Each coastal candle draws inspiration from names and notes of beaches traveled by their founder to capture the essence of a vacation through fragrance.
Meet the Founder: Claire Ellis
Malibu Apothecary was inspired by Founder Claire Ellis’s love for travel, wellness, and all things luxury. This passion for travel led her all around the globe. From spending months living on the Côte d’Azur to solo trips exploring Asia, Claire believed no beach should be left unexplored. Based on the science that scent is the strongest trigger of memory, Claire started pouring candles as a hobby in her Southern California apartment in between her travels, aiming to capture the spirit of the places she visited through fragrance. Here, she discovered the toxicity and unethical standards prevalent throughout the candle industry.
Specifically, she discovered that most candle brands use paraffin, a petroleum by-product that comes in the form of a black sludge found at the bottom of oil barrels. This wax is bleached white using 10x the concentration of our household bleach. When this wax is burned, carcinogenic chemicals, known to cause health problems, are released with toxins into our home. Claire knew there must be a better way to enjoy not only candles but life. Thus, she strived to create a product that promoted both a cleaner Earth and cleaner living without having to compromise on price, scent, or experience. Today, Malibu Apothecary crafts olfactory experiences through their transportive fragrances that capture Claire’s cultivated passion for travel and clean, non-toxic living.
Shop Malibu Apothecary / Follow on Instagram @malibuapothecary
The WOW Series Membership— for the Leader & Change-maker
Featured: Global Connector Membership / Price: $75 Annually / Shop Membership
The WOW Series is a hybrid event, media, and community platform amplifying the voices of global change-makers. WOW’s programming guides the current and next generations of women to embrace their “WOW Factor” to find career purpose and fulfillment.
The WOW Global Connector membership is perfect for the busy side hustler, aspiring entrepreneur, and global-minded professional looking for a community of like-minded women to find support, mentorship, and friendship. The Global Connector community platform allows members to engage intimately with WOW’s global network (from NYC to Ireland, Italy, India, and the Americas) so you can find your new travel BFF or a mentor in your industry while having vetted and trusted resources and speaking opportunities to scale your business or career.
Meet the Founder: Abigail Gibbons
Abigail Gibbons is the founder and the host at The WOW Series. Passionate about advancing gender equality in the workplace and inspiring impact entrepreneurship, she has guided many women in how to manage and start a side hustle while balancing a 9–5. A connector at heart, she has created a global community of more than 2,000 changemakers and facilitated activism and entrepreneurship among professionals, and she has worked with companies of the likes of Facebook and SAP to The Feminist Institute, Georgetown University, iFundWomen, and more.
Explore The Wow Series / Follow on Instagram @the_wowseries
Noble Sands — for the Heart-centered Traveler or Friend
Featured: The Strand Wrap/ Price: $149 / Shop Product
Noble Sands is the first travel, earth, and heart-friendly resort wear brand. Grounded in purpose and inspired by style, it was created out of recognizing a need for versatile modern resort wear that is distinct rather than ubiquitous. Their aesthetic is greatly influenced by decades of timeless style from experiences and cultures across the globe.
Noble Sands believes resort-style is possible without sacrificing function and comfort. Their signature Strand Wrap is a travel essential with the versatility of wearing one garment 15+ ways.
To promote wardrobe longevity and less waste, their garments are locally and mindfully made in Southern California, produced in limited quantities from custom recycled Repreve® fabric, and all packaging is recycled or recyclable. A portion of all sales goes towards women’s heart health research.
Meet the Founder: Julie Habelmann
Julie Habelmann is a mid-life champion, a women’s heart health advocate, an integrative sound practitioner, and the Founder of Noble Sands — the first travel, earth, and heart-friendly resort wear brand. As a global citizen and a heart attack survivor, raising awareness about conscious consumption and women’s heart health are her top causes.
“Our name has ties to my heritage and reflects my love of the beach and travel, but more importantly it serves as a reminder to all of us to hold life’s moments in high regard…This is my first entrepreneurial endeavor. And my second chance at life. After experiencing an acute heart attack in January 2020, I am dedicated to Noble Sands having a purposeful impact on our clients, our planet, and women’s heart health research.”
Shop Noble Sands / Follow on Instagram @noble_sands
The BRA Network — for the Impact-Driven Entrepreneur
Featured: Membership / Price: $179 for 6 months; $299 Annually / Shop Membership
At the core, Business Relationship Alliance was founded on the principles that we are stronger as a collective than as individuals; “When we come together as a community, standing on the shoulders of previous impactful brave women, collectively we will not only reach the glass ceiling but also break through it.” Their mission is to connect and uplift female entrepreneurs with the support, resources, and networking opportunities they need so they can grow profitable businesses while balancing a fabulous lifestyle.
6 Month Membership or Annual Membership — BRA NETWORK Membership includes:
- Personalized profile landing page in the BRA Member Directory; inclusion in up to 3 relevant categories
- Promotional campaign featuring you and your brand
- One dedicated social media post — Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and in IG Stories
- Featured in The Underwire, the monthly newsletter
- One month session of Wisdom Wednesday; an action-orientated online accountability and networking forum exclusive to Members.
- Access to BRA Network’s online community comprised of hundreds of members across the globe
- Access to 20+ hours of business development content, previous webinars, and courses
- Member discounts on all events, courses, and conferences
- Member badge for your About page on your website
Meet the Founder: Carrie Murray
Carrie Murray (she/her) is a speaker, podcast host, and the Founder of BRA — Business Relationship Alliance, a network of powerful women devoted to advancing female-owned businesses by providing the community, collaboration, empowerment and support needed to flourish as an entrepreneur. Murray earned her Bachelor’s in Social Work and her Master’s in Social Justice. After becoming a court advocate, she helped victims understand their rights and navigate the judicial system. She later became a teacher, an administrator, and a principal. In 2011, she started Prestique Academy, a school for twice-exceptional kids.
Carrie founded BRA Network at her dinner table surrounded by four friends who all felt frustrated and isolated from being a “solopreneur”. So Carrie sought to change the landscape for female entrepreneurs. As women outside her immediate circle asked to join, BRA was born.
Explore The BRA Network / Follow on Instagram @bra_network
And in conclusion…
Just like scrolling through various social feeds has become a habit…so has our gut instinct to head straight to Amazon to purchase gifts and necessities. In the spirit of the holiday season, take a moment to remember this before you make your next purchase: every small purchase makes a big difference. Thus, #ShopSmall and #ShopWomenOwned this holiday season.
Cheers!
