Your Guide to the Best Black-Owned Companies in the Cannabis Space & Beyond
Let’s be real, it’s always a good time to support Black-Owned businesses, and not only during Black History Month! The cannabis industry has exploded in recent years, with legalization spreading to more and more states and countries around the world. But as the industry has grown, so too has the need for greater diversity and inclusivity within its ranks. Black entrepreneurs and business owners have long been underrepresented in the cannabis space, despite the fact that they have played a significant role in shaping the industry from its earliest days.
Fortunately, there are a growing number of Black-Founded companies in the cannabis industry, as well as in CBD and ancillary products. These businesses are bringing a fresh perspective to the industry and are helping to create a more equitable and just landscape for all who are involved.
These are some of our personal favorite founders, whom we have had the honor to meet, work with, and try their products. If there’s a brand you love and don’t see here, feel free to send us an email at Hello@highherstory.com and let us know!
Queen Mary Brand is a WOC-owned/Tier 1 Social Equity Recipient brand whose mission is to provide edibles as an alternative to addictive prescriptions. Tiana Woodruff, Queen Mary’s Founder. andCEO, grew up in one of the lowest-income zip codes in LA and witnessed the war on drugs and the disproportionate impact it had on her friends, family, and neighbors firsthand. She is a single mother from the age of 17 and a foster mother to at-risk youth. Having witnessed this destruction in her own family, Queen Mary is a brand designed to give women back their power and vivify their day.
Whether you need stress relief, a boost of energy, or help getting a good night’s sleep, Queen Mary is more than a brand. It’s a homage to today’s woman. Also, we love their slogan: Queen Mary ~ A Fixin for A Vixen!
Founded by Ashley Jelks, High Priestess herbalist-crafted formulas cultivate holistic well-being through the synergy of time-honored medicinal herbs and cannabis, tapping into the body’s intrinsic healing and self-regulating endocannabinoid system. Their collection of CBD oil drops, CBD flower herbal smoke blends, CBD tea, and CBD topicals harness nature’s abundance and the proven benefits of CBD to promote pleasurable sex, menstrual support, restful sleep, a balanced mood, and pain relief.
Founded out of Karina Primelles and Mennlay Golokeh Aggrey’s mutual respect and experience with plant-medicine, they recognized the lack of herbal solutions for people with painful periods and cycles. Developed with the guidance of expert herbalists and doctors, Xula’s herbal formulas provide comprehensive, full-body womb and cycle support by promoting easeful periods, PMS, Menopause hormonal balance, and overall wellness. Their products are hand-crafted for optimal performance and their CBD comes from our own hemp farm, assuring the highest quality.
Founded by Mary Hines, Just The Tip Accessories, make glass filter tips that are functional and oh so cute. Chill Stones are glass tips that provide a protective barrier between you and your joints. When it’s your turn in the joint-passing rotation, you just put the joint into your personal Chill Stone. No need to worry about sharing germs with your friends, you can just focus on sharing the fun in Palm Springs. This invention could not have come at a better time. It’s perfect for parties and events where you might want to smoke but value your health too much to be sharing cooties.
Besides the unique designs, one of our favorite things about these Chill Stone filter tips is that they come with a stylish chain so you can wear them around your neck. These definitely are some of the most adorable and useful cannabis smoking accessories we have ever come across.
As a bonus, your lip gloss won’t come off on the paper when you smoke!
If you’re in L.A., why don’t you visit the nation’s first dispensary designed for and by women of color. This cannabis speakeasy, the first of its kind in the U.S. is a callback to the Jazz age, to the pearls of Josephine Baker and the poetry of Billie Holiday. It’s a trip back to the “Teapads” in Black communities of the 20s and 30s where folx would commune to enjoy jazz and cannabis while feeling connected, relaxed, valued and safe.
Josephine and Billie’s wants as many Women of Color as possible to experience and discover the healing properties of plant medicine. From THC percentages, strain types, terpene profiles, Josephine & Billie’s encourage self-care and joy, and to educate every woman that walks in the door, giving her a little more than she came in with.
Co-founded by, Solonje Burnett and Danniel Swatosh, Humble Bloom’s mission is to collaboratively curate stigma-breaking events, elevate brands, and connect the community through plant education and immersive experiences. Their market has some of the best, ethically produced, and coveted products out there. We love their Womxn-owned shopping section because it makes supporting female-owned businesses easy as pie.
You can shop some of our favorite hemp brands all in one place! We must shout out Barbari Spliffs featuring their botanical blend “Car Sex”. Humble Bloom is a one-stop shop for all the CBD goodies you could want and a place to tap into advocacy, education and true community.
Shatoia Robinson’s venture, Budzy Box, combines the thrill of monthly subscriptions with a carefully selected blend of premium CBD products. From transdermal patches to capsules, chocolates, face masks, teas, and more, Budzy Box is a great starting point for CBD newbies and seasoned consumers alike. Read our interview with Shatoia Robinson here.
Budzy’s monthly subscription box elevates the CBD experience with its ever-changing curation of premium products from food to fashion to lifestyle. Budzy also dispenses knowledge with each box, empowering women through cannabidiol education to break down stereotypes and embrace a life infused with CBD.
Founded by Poet, Jasmine Mans, this apparel company’s proceeds go to advocating for the efforts of women in the cannabis space. Founded in 2019, you have probably seen their badass sweatshirts and bags emblazoned with the phrase “Buy Weed From Women”, a potent and important message, made timely by the fact that women of color and women are under represented in the higher management positions in cannabis companies.
All their products are screen printed and they also offer wholesale orders. We absolutely love high fashion with a message. Right now, we have our eyes on their black BWFW jacket.
LOCKGREEN™ stash boxes are locking, smell-proof, and water-resistant with a custom design that keeps your cannabis fresh and secure. They are a 100% Black-owned company whose mission is to offer high-quality products that provide protection, promote safety and support the values of Responsible Consumers.
Co-owners Ronald and Sarah Morton have been longtime supporters of marijuana law reform and minority representation in the cannabis industry. They are on a mission to help prevent open container cannabis law violations by educating the community on cannabis laws
After suffering multiple concussions as a student athlete, Julia became part of Chicago's medical marijuana program in 2018 and began microdosing cannabis daily. Quickly, she realized that it was difficult to carry her medicine, cannabis, with her on-the-go. The commonly available doob tubes felt indiscreet, outdated, and unstylish - and were made to carry only one joint. Julia wanted to feel comfortable and confident carrying her medicine with her, so she dreamed up a product called BuzzBoxx (a box that gets you buzzed).
It took Julia and Tim almost two years, seven versions and 100 product testers to perfect the product we have today. During that process, they learned that consumption habits are changing, consumers are looking for products that allow them to move freely, and that our products should be as stylish and sleek like the newest tech accessory in your collection.
Fast forward four years later and the dad-daughter duo has become a strong team of four. With over 2,000 customers and zero products returned, we understand that there is a need for reliable cannabis and medicine storage. Today, Nekktar is designing modern storage for modern medicine.
Coffee and cannabis have grown side by side in many parts of the world for thousands of years. Landrace Origins is a humble salute to the coupling of these two plants as the first specialty coffee with suggested cannabis pairings. This coupling elevates the flavor profiles and effects of each.
Led by Amber Senter (2022 Forbes 42.0 List entrepreneur), Landrace Origins is proudly Black, Woman, LGBTQ, and Veteran-owned company that operates in an inclusive supply chain; sourcing coffee from small farms around the world. One of these farms, Rebuild Women's Hope, is a women-led non-profit and co-op that has empowered the women of Idjwi (in the Democratic Republic of the Congo) to participate and profit in the coffee trade.
Landrace Origins is available online at LandraceOriginsCoffee.com and ships nationwide.
Undefined is a clean, conscious, inclusive, plant magic based beauty brand. Their mission is to “undefine” and democratize beauty and de-stigmatize plant-based solutions through an unapologetic, uncompromising, unfiltered approach. Their non-toxic beauty products are loved by Allure, Bustle and Covetuer to name a few.
We are obsessed with their CBD beauty line and very specifically their Glow Elixir CBD Beauty Serum. It harnesses nature's most powerful, adaptogenic plant magic to soothe, brighten, balance and bring out that "I can conquer the world" glow.
Launched in 2021, lead by multifaceted choreographer, dancer, and designer Imani Nia. With roots in Chicago and Brooklyn, SABAA Goods caters to the modern goddess in all of us: offering homewares, jewelry, and trendy, reversible vegan leather & shearling bucket hats, which are all selling out quick, so grab up what you can!
Launched in 2015, Brandon Blackwood is a contemporary, black-owned handbag brand founded by Brooklyn-born and based, Brandon Blackwood. The brand has been featured in Vogue, ELLE, Vogue Italia, Essence, and more, and has been seen alongside celebrities from the Clermont Twins, to Kim Kardashian.
The iconic 2020 release of the “End Systemic Racism” bag, a $70 bag with a portion of proceeds benefiting pro bono legal assistance via the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights, recently took the internet by storm. Keep an eye on Blackwood’s Instagram for even more fashion-forward releases to come.
One of the most celebrated Black-owned brands of the past year is the beloved Telfar, started by Telfar Clemens in 2005. With a slogan like “It’s not for you—it’s for everyone,” Clemens has built an inclusive fashion empire that can hardly retain stock. The fashion line has expanded past their iconic vegan leather tote bags, and now includes hats, durags, jewelry, shirts, shoes, and more. Start your Telfar collections today, because Clemens doesn’t seem to be stopping any time soon!
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