Welcome to Melanin Made!

Hi! Welcome to Melanin Made™ - part-blog, part-database, part-lifestyle challenge, all passion project.

Shortly before I graduated from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2018, I decided to intentionally patron Black-owned businesses. It started with swapping out Fashion Nova for Shop Babes (then Babes and Felines) and slowly evolved into a more concrete lifestyle shift and using all-Black vendors for my wedding.

As I continued to grow my list, I grew frustrated with the lack of information and access to a comprehensive database of Black-owned businesses, and, most importantly, I couldn’t find a site that aligned with my desired user experience.

By February 2020, I had compiled over 400 Black-owned businesses and brands into a Google Sheet. After the death of George Floyd, and the subsequent outpouring of support of Black voices and businesses, I more than doubled my list and decided to share it with the world, my way. Supporting Black-owned businesses, brands, and content creators are more than black squares, altered logos, and snappy taglines — it can, and should be, a long-term commitment. I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that, while this site is dedicated to Black-owned businesses, I strongly believe in intentionally seeking out opportunities to support all businesses, brands, etc. created by underrepresented people.

This site is a small representation of the plethora of incredible work Black creatives, businesses & brand owners are doing. The selection included is a direct reflection of the businesses & brands I patron regularly or plan to patron in the future.

For our launch, I decided to start with the basics: Art, Beauty, Fashion, and Hair. Content Creators, Fitness, Home Goods, Skincare, and more will drop in the coming months.

As Melanin Made grows and evolves, I hope you’ll do the same with us.

Enjoy,
Gwen x