For pride month, you can show your support of LGBTQ+-owned and run plant-based companies making breakthrough products in food, beauty, fashion, and lifestyle areas. Or you may want to consider donating to a charity to support Pride Month such as the non-profit Support + Feed that tackles food insecurity especially in the wake of the pandemic. Run by Maggie Baird, aka Billie Eilish’s mother, Support + Feed has seen widespread support, and other celebrities have joined her efforts, including Joaquin Phoenix and Rooney Mara, to help bring vegan meals to My Friend’s Place, a non-profit dedicated to helping LGBTQ+ youth experiencing homelessness. Whether you’re eating plant-based or looking for vegan beauty, fashion or home goods, here are 10 companies to support to show some PRIDE.
1. NOTO Botanics
Noto Botanics is a gender-neutral cosmetics line that caters to all consumers. The beauty company started by Gloria Noto aims to produce sustainable vegan products that match its competitors in taste and quality. The queer-owned business works to amplify the voices of the LGBTQ+ community, ensuring that its profits go towards supporting those facing discrimination. One of the brand’s bestsellers is Agender Oil, described as a “gender-free vegan oil” that uses hemp seed oil, lavender, and vetiver to soften and protect the skin. A portion of the sales of NOTO Botanics will be donated to Black Lives Matter, The Okra Project, and Planned Parenthood.
2. Yeah Dawg
June also marks the beginning of summer cookouts and BBQ season. The non-binary vegan chef Marino Benedetto makes one of the best vegan hot dogs we’ve found. The delicious veggie dog allows plant-based eaters to fully enjoy a vegan grilled dog without animal products. Benedetto spent 5.5 years working with homeless youth, introducing teens to nourishing, cheap, yet healthy foods, which led him to want to rethink the classic American hotdog, and other meat-centric meals. Benedetto has since developed recipes for vegan burgers, mac & cheese, cornbread, and this Yeah Dawg.
3. BEETxBEET
The woman- and LGBTQ+-owned lifestyle brand offers a wide selection of apparel including T-shirts, art, stickers, pins, keychains, in order to spread the message about the benefits of going vegan or meat-free. The company champions animal rights alongside LGBTQ+ advocacy. Founded by Jacky Wasserman, BEETxBEET hopes to create fashionable merchandise that gives voices to those who don’t have one. Wasserman went vegan in 2012 and since then, her passion for this way of eating, animal rights, and sustainability led her to launch BEETxBEET to mix her favorite causes with her love for food, music, and fashion.
4. Radical Foods
Oregon-based cafe Radical Foods developed a coffee alternative made from chicory, cinnamon, cacao, and dandelion that tastes like coffee but is better for the planet. The cafe’s Rad Roast is a unique beverage blend that is vegan and dedicated to ethical farming practices and food production. The popular Portland cafe uses ethically sourced ingredients and donates 5 percent of profits to organizations dedicated to social change, including Wild Diversity, Supporting Diversity, and Safe Spaces For POC and LGBTQIA+. If you aren’t in or near Portland, shop online for a 2.13-ounce bag of Radical Foods’ Rad Roast for $9.
5. Brave GentleMan
In 2015, PETA named Brave GentleMan owner Joshua Katcher the year’s Most Influential Designer after he launched his company dedicated to high-fashion from ethical materials. The LGBTQ+-owned brand makes ethically sourced clothing and shoes made from fully recyclable materials. The fashion line is completely vegan, making it a prime pick for any plant-based consumer who also has an eye for the finer things. From their designer coats to faux-leather boots, Brave GentleMan stands at the forefront for vegan men’s fashion.
6. W3LL PEOPLE
Founded by Shirley Pinkson, W3LL PEOPLE is dedicated to encouraging equality and stopping animal cruelty. The cosmetics brand offers cruelty-free, vegan makeup and skincare products, that urge consumers to practice equality, inclusion, and anti-discrimination. The make-up brand is LGBTQ+-owned and promotes activism, and giving a voice in an industry where discriminatory practices often get overlooked compared to other industries.
7. Heidi Ho Foods
Head chef Heidi Lovig decided that after years of health struggles that she would dedicate herself to studying nutrition and cooking. Once she graduated from culinary school, Lovig decided to develop vegan foods that featured nutritional ingredients but that were delicious enough that everybody would love them.
She founded Heidi Ho Foods to help bring plant-based foods mainstream and educated consumers that vegan foods did not have to be a limiter to taste and enjoyment. Her company produces fan-favorites like vegan queso and dairy-free cheeses. Her website and messaging also promote diversity and inspires other women and LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs to embark on their own new biusinesses.
8. Sauce and Destroy
Sauce and Destroy come from Alana Reali who felt frustrated after years of struggling to find a quality, vegan sauce. Wanting to expand the marinara offerings Reali decided to create a new marinara that was based on his own family recipes. With no added sugar, minimal ingredients, and a perfect array of spices and seasonings, his marinara enhances the taste of just about anything you want to flavor. Sauce and Destroy is a deliciously crafted sauce bottled in small batches to ensure taste and quality.
9. Lagusta’s Luscious
Lagusta Yearwood launched her gourmet chocolate brand with the central idea that her business would prioritize cruelty-free, ethical production practices. Founded in 2003, Lagusta Luscious is committed to environmentalism, plant-based eating, and social justice. Every year, the artisanal chocolate company donates a share of its profits to organizations that help members of the LGBTQ+ community overcome hardship, such as Gender Justice LA, Transgender Law Center, Support + Feed, and others.
10. Nicole Zizi Studio
Nicole Zizi‘s brand is dedicated to gender-free streetwear made of sustainable materials such as organic cotton and recycled polyester. Her streetwear staples are manufactured in small batches, which ensures fair-trade standards. The fashion brand recently released a cross-body bag made of cactus leather. Focused on sustainability and gender-free styles, Zizi is considered a leader in the fast-changing fashion industry.