We all know that when May and June roll in every year, big corporations and companies try to cash in on the LGBTQ+ community. They do this by pink washing their logos and products for Pride. One of the most powerful things we can do? Take our estimated 1.4 trillion dollars of spending power and funnel it right back into our community! For that reason, make sure to shop these LGBTQ+ and queer owned businesses for your Pride gear needs!
Read ahead to meet the real people across the LGBTQIA+ spectrum behind each of these businesses. Plus, be to check out our other LGBTQ+ small business shopping guides, 35+ Amazing Small Businesses to Shop Year Round and Uplifting Trans Joy With These 8 Amazing Trans Brands! Shop with Pride!
1. Ctoan Co
Jodyann Morgan (she/her)
First up, Ctoan Co is a Black, queer owned business that creates the most affirming, body positive soy candles, wax melts, and other home goods. They make a great gift for a friend or heck, for yourself! Sure, maybe you own a lot of candles, but do any of them have stretch marks, cellulite, or a cute little booty? We bet not! Truthfully, you may never want to light these candles because they are works of art so you just might opt to use them as a decor piece instead! Additionally, Ctoan also carries curvy planters, cross stitch patterns, and color pages available for purchase!
2. Peach Fuzz Co
Elizabeth (she/her)
Next, Peach Fuzz Co, the brainchild of a self-proclaimed loud mouth illustrator and ADHD gremlin, serves up playful socialist agitprop and small business resources! You’ll not only find politically motivated goods and accessories, but their shop has a plethora of goods available like clothing, accessories, stoner items, jewelry, pill cases – the list goes on!Peach Fuzz Co was started out of a desire to raise money for the causes Elizabeth cared about, and her store has since raised over $185,000 in donations! 10% of every sale is donated to nonprofits and charitable organizations.
3. Garlic Girl Vintage
Vanessa (they/she)
Garlic Girl Vintage is a queer owned business based out of Washington, D.C. and curates a thoughtful collection of playful vintage trinkets and home decor! They scour estate sales so you don’t have to! She operates at several vendors: Vintage Vintage Vintage around Union Market, at Muz and Rose in Leesburg, Virginia, and many more local flea and thrift markets. Alternatively, shop their Instagram story sales and have pieces mailed directly to you! Vanessa has a great knack for finding beautiful frames and old paintings to elevate your space, as well as glassware, tiny furniture, ash trays, uranium pieces, and sconces!
4. FemPower Beauty
Founders Alexis Androulakis and Christina Basias Androulakis (she/her) and Co-owner Blair Imani Ali (she/her)
FemPower Beauty is the product of a married lesbian power couple who committed themselves to shattering traditional beauty standards. Their goal? Every human should feel affirmed when they look upon themselves in the mirror! On their site, you’ll find lipsticks, lipgloss, and affirming mirror decals. Are you also familiar with co-owner, educator, and shaker Blair Imani Ali? If so, you’ll be delighted to know there is a Blair Imani x Fempower Beauty collab! Smarter Lip Sets are formulated for every skin tone and feature empowering shades such as “Self”, “Access”, “Euphoria”, “Ubuntu”, and “Monstrous”.
5. Peau De Loup
Adele Renaud and Erin McLeod
Peau De Loup is a queer women owned business redefining leaguewear! Based out of Vancouver, B.C, PDL has pioneered a fit system that centers around body shape and size rather than traditional gender norms. They also proudly turn waste into wear by utilizing upcycled fabrics. Here, you can find button up shirts, sports tees, rugby shirts, trousers, polos, suiting – all the items to help you feel on the inside as how you look on the outside. Uniquely, Peau De Loup has even collaborated with lesbians icons such as Tegan and Sara so you know they’re legit!
6. Queer Closet Co
Madison Ryan (she/her)
Created by Madison Ryan, Queer Closet Co features Pride merch for 26 LGBTQ+ identities. A queer shopper can find everything from bikinis, dresses, shirts, matching sets, phone cases, shorts, throw blankets – all in their affirming identity colors. In addition, she has also curated a pop culture line as well as a political shop if you’d rather sport your favorite sapphic icons or protesting cats!
7. Boy Smells
Mathhew Herman and David Kien
Boy Smells have never smelled so good! Les be honest: you can never have too many candles! A queer owned and operated fragrance house based in Los Angeles, Boy Smells creates perfumes and fragrances for all sides of you. Boy Smells aims to disrupt traditional ideas of fragrance and create scents that celebrate gender diversity instead of restrict it. With “genderful” smells like Cowboy Kush, Les, Woodphoria, Passion Pit, and Violet Ends, you know that your olfactory senses are in for a good time. Shop them online or in Sephora, too.
8. Queer Chameleon
Amee Wilson (she/her)
Amee is the artist behind your favorite chaotic Queer Chameleon. You may be familiar with her illustrations and comic series that not only entertain, but also educate folks on different stereotypes, myths, and identities within the LGBTQIA+ community. Support Queer Chameleon by sharing their infographics, by purchasing her book, “Queer Chameleon and Friends” at Barnes and Noble, Amazon, and other book retailers, or shopping her collab collection of pins!
9. Tomboy Haircare
Kaitlin Hubert
Tomyboy Hair Care has an arsenal of cruelty free hair products formulated for the modern tomboy and human. In fact, these gender neutral, nonbinary styling products were created to fill a gap in the hair care market. Some of our favorite products are the Sleepover Leave-in Conditioner, Salty Sea Salt Spray, and the Dirty Boy Dry Texture Spray! Not to mention, all of the products smell amazing, too!
10. Katie Budenburg x We Are Hairy People Charity Pride Collection
Sarah Caulfield (she/they) and Katie Budenburg (she/her)
Katie Budenburg and Sarah Caulfield of We Are Hairy People have teamed up to design a charity pride collection! They aim to raise money for AKT, a volunteer organization serving LGBTQ+ people who are homeless or facing hostile environments in England. Katie is a self-described cringe lesbian who dedicates her platform to body confidence, dismantling taboos, and running. Sarah is an AUDHD artist who has been painting on clothes since 2011 and creates custom and up-cycled pieces.
The collection features typography designs like “Being homophobic is embarrassing”, “The world is for everyone”, and “Honk” with geese of different LGBTQ+ identities. Early access to the collection begins June 2nd for those who sign up for the email list, while the pubic launch occurs on June 9th!
11. Lavish-Li Made
Li
Lavish-Li Made is a Philadelphia based queer, Latinx brand making one-of-a-kind wares for the funky individual. Their handmade creations draw inspiration from their Guatemalan roots, mental wellness, nature’s beauty, and the magic of rainbows. Shop their jewelry, hair accessories, mixed media collages, and much more!
12. Kit Print Studio
Kit (she/they)
Brace yourselves, y’all aren’t ready for the cuteness of this LGBTQ+ artist’s shop – Kit Print Studio! Prepare to be dazzled by her colorful collection of art in the form of keychains, stationary, vinyl decals, car bumper stickers, hats, and shirts galore! If you’re into surprise, they also curate “blind bags”, filled with a little mystery but a lot of joy. Alex was especially delighted by their Mothman cryptid merch!
13. Sharkboy Stuff
Mac (he/him)
Sharkboy Stuff is made with love in New Jersey with the intent to express creativity, all the while giving back to the LGBTQIA2S+ community. This queer and trans owned business designs pins, stickers, zines, prints, and apparel, all inspired by pop culture. This June, Mac has also teamed up with Bonfire to sell designs to raise money for Trans Equity Coalition with 100% of profits going toward the organization. Furthermore, he is also the organizer behind New Jersey’s first and only market dedicated to showcasing LGBTQIA2S+ makers and artists: NJ Queer Trans Makers Market!
14. My Gay Little Shop
Wednesday Holmes (they/them)
Wednesday Holmes is a butch, nonbinary illustrator, author, and the artist behind My Gay Little Shop, centered around queer and trans illustrated items. If you’ve been searching for dopamine art for your home, look no further! My Gay Little Shop features LGBTQ+ centered art prints, coloring books, greeting cards, books, and key rings. A really unique item you can commission is a custom portrait drawn in Wednesday’s style!
15. Soltis Ceramics
Chelsey
These skilled queer hands shape handmade pottery in New Jersey under the name Soltis Ceramics! The pieces they mold are inspired by their interests, as well as their identity as a queer artist. We can guarantee it’ll put a smile on your face and add a little flair to your morning coffee routine! We had the delight of purchasing their “Live, Laugh, Lesbian” carabineer mug, but they also have kitchen items, wax warmers, and incense burners available!
16. Wanderers Jewelry
Wanderers Jewelry is handmade clay jewelry by an LGBTQ+ artist that leaves you feeling like a walking art gallery! Elevate your space by bringing one of their polymer clay hanging decor into your home or elevate your ears by donning their carefully crafted earrings. The amount of detail they are able to put into their identity flag moth earrings is truly something special. Wanderers Jewelry just dropped their 2025 Pride Collection on June 1st that features lesbian and trans flag earrings, magnets, and suncatchers!
17. Woods (Wo)man Woodworking
Jackie Toner (she/her)
All the way from Nova Scotia, queer woman owned and operated Woods (Wo)man Woodworking works to break boundaries in a male dominated craft. She quite literally carves out space for women and gender minorities in woodworking and turning! Her work aims to create beautiful and functional pieces that add to a person’s space. The Woods (Wo)man collection includes everything from kitchen tools, barware, home goods, wooden jewelry, games, and vases. If it isn’t obvious, we adore the wooden lesbian flag keychain!
18. Octopied Mind Inc
Jill Davis (she/her) and Sarah Vezina (she/her)
Octopied Mind is a queer, woman, Wolastoqiyik owned shop based out of Canada! They sell their art on gender neutral accessories and apparel in various sizes, ranging from XXS-6XL. Undoubtedly, we LOVE an inclusive size range! Octopied Mind designs are truly colorful works of art that each make a statement. We will say, with taglines like, “Rot Girl Summer”, “Raise Hell, Sleep Well”, “Searching for Serotonin”, and “Small Talk Survivor”, you have a tough choice ahead of you!
19. Edgewater Candles
Mark Towns and Stephen Pearlman
Based out of a brick and mortar store in Chicago, Illinois, Edgewater Candles specializes in incense, soap, diffusers, and, of course, candles! This husband duo turned their beloved hobby into a thriving business. Evoking a feeling based upon the season, their candles utilize soy wax, cotton wicks, and reusable mason jars. Their special edition “Pride” scent is infused with cedar wood, lavender, violet, and oakmoss.
20. Not Just Friends
Sarah Watson (she/her)
Next on the list, Not Just Friends is a queer-centered clothing line that is designed, upcycled, and hand printed in Toronto, Canada! These designs are perfect for the queer, lesbian, femme, or sapphic that doesn’t want to be mistaken for a heterosexual. So many of us can relate to being asked if we are friends, cousins, or even the dreaded “roommates”. Hopefully, folks should get the hint when you’re sporting designs like “Save a Horse, Ride a Cowgirl” or “Gay Dreaming”.
21. Kitty With A Cupcake
Emily O’Brien (she/they)
Similarly, Emily creates magically cute flair for queers, witches, and cool people through Kitty With a Cupcake! This LGBTQ brand is especially known for their Pride Pals pin and sticker stacks. Those are a series of interchangeable pins where you choose your own pal, pride, pronoun, accessibility, and personality plaques to create your own personalized set of enamel pins or stickers! Kitty With a Cupcake also has Clicky Cats to personalize your keyboard or cozy gaming setup and can uniquely double as a fidget keychain.
22. Tomboy X
Fran and Naomi
TomboyX started as a premium underwear brand manufactured for all day comfort for every size and every gender. Founded by two tomboys, this queer women owned brand has since expanded their collection. It now includes gender affirming underwear, swimwear, and safer alternatives to binders for transgender folks and cis-gender folks alike.
23. Rose Gold Co
Alex Schar and Lauren Eckert
Rose Gold Co shop is a Black, LGBTQ+, woman, and Latin-owned small business. They have been able to raise over $10,000 for various LGBTQ+ organizations. Rose Gold Co truly has something for everyone with their wide array of items ranging from home goods to apparel to footwear and to everyday queer decor!
What other LGBTQIA+ businesses did we miss? Don’t forget to comment your favorite to put on the radar of the community, too! Thanks y’all!