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20 female-founded eCommerce brands worth celebrating

By Margaret Nguyen, AirWallex | March 31, 2022
20 female-founded eCommerce brands worth celebrating

Gender disparities still exist in eCommerce, both for top retailers and small to medium-sized stores. In fact, only 13% of founder and CEO roles for the top 100 retailers are female today and nearly ⅔ of Amazon sellers are male.

Here at 8fig, we believe that all entrepreneurs with an idea can and should scale to their full potential, and we help fund eComm initiatives for sellers around the globe. That’s why, in celebration of Women’s History Month, we’ve put together a list of women-owned eCommerce brands you can support with your voice and wallet.

From small shops to 8-figure stores (and beyond), we’ve got a full list of female-owned brands for you to check out below. Don’t forget to share this post with your audience to amplify each and every one of the female founders highlighted.

Food + Drink

Sip and dip these female-founded products in the food and drink category.

1. Hugo Coffee Roasters

Are you passionate about supporting female entrepreneurs and helping rescue dogs? If so, drink Hugo Coffee Roasters! Founded and run by Claudia McMullin, this coffee with a “paws” roasts quality beans and donates a portion of its revenue to animal rescue organizations. McMullin is committed to fair-trade and sustainable solutions: every bean comes from small family farms or coffee co-ops and beans are roasted with energy-efficient machines.

2. Tazzy Candy

Sweeten your snack game with sugar-free lollipops. Founders Lindsay Simon & Delia Hughes met in college, where they were both studying Food Science. Their friendship and the idea for Tazzy Candy bloomed there when they both joined the candy laboratory for school credit. Today, they’ve concocted a natural and delicious recipe so adults can enjoy nostalgic pops guilt-free.

3. Big Heart Tea Co.

Lisa Govro is brewing up tea from the world’s top organic farmers. The company was originally fueled by Govro’s love of turmeric, and today nearly every ingredient used in the tea making process is anti-inflammatory. By direct-sourcing Big Heart Tea Co.’s ingredients, Gorvo also ensures that the lives of the farmers who grow the tea are valued just as much as the product itself.

4. BeTini Spirits

Before she made cocktails for a living, Julie Stevens bartending abilities were already well known in her inner circle. In fact, legend has it that Stevens launched BeTini Spirits after a dare from her friends on a girls trip. The brand serves ready-to-drink cocktails that come in six different flavors. The best part? You can indulge (almost) guilt-free: each premium spirit combination is low-calorie, low-carb, gluten-free, and naturally sweetened.

5. Mala Girl

A cup of hot broth brings people together, and Raechel Barfield has mastered the plant-powered flavor with Mala Girl. Her love of cooking started from a young age when she would make recipes alongside her late mother, who dreamed of starting a gourmet food shop. Today, Barfield honors that legacy with her soulful plant broth. The savory superfoods come in 6 flavors and are made with zero animal parts.

Health and Wellness

Check out these women revolutionizing the health and wellness industry online.

6. Marea

Ready for your flow state? Marea is a powerful elixir designed to reduce symptoms of PMS. Founder Monica Grohne suffered from severe PMS for 17 years of her life before uncovering a solution that provides her with relief. Today, she’s sharing that research with women through Marea’s multivitamin with 15 vitamins and minerals needed for hormone balance.

7. Urban Serinite

Catrina Mosby’s passion for wellness led her to founding Urban Serinite, a natural skincare brand that uses plant-premium ingredients. Her entrepreneurial journey and passion for wellness began after taking Herbal and Aromatherapy courses. Today, Urban Serinite prides itself on gentle and toxin-free ingredients and is handcrafted in small batches, with each product specifically formulated for certain skin types and conditions.

8. Movita Organics

Movita Organics was created to help women live their healthiest lives. The vitamin supplements are designed to help women power through busy lives and can be taken on an empty stomach. Founder Tonya Lewis was a women’s health advocate before founding the brand and her personal wellness journey inspired its creation. She is passionate about helping women find balance in their lives as they juggle families, careers, and the path to a healthy life.

9. Smarty Pits

An aluminum-free world could mean a great reduction in breast cancer and Alzheimer’s disease, and the fight can start with daily antiperspirant habits. Smarty Pits founder Stacia Guzzo’s mother was diagnosed with breast cancer after finding a lump underneath her armpit. It was then that the Guzzo family learned about the link between aluminum and breast cancer and Stacia set out to find an alternative deodorant. After years of research and product development that started on the kitchen stovetop, Smarty Pits was born.

Smarty Pits is available at 5,000 locations worldwide and is proudly aluminum free, paraben free, phthalate free, and propylene glycol free. Plus, 1% of sales goes towards breast cancer support and research groups.

10. Flex n Fly

Know someone who suffers from flight anxiety? Flex n Fly is here to help. The wellness brand, founded by Youmie Jean Francois, sells travel yoga mats so flyers can create safe spaces wherever they go. Flex n fly also has a relaxation series at airports across the world so you can get in the right mindset before you catch a flight.

Apparel

From shapewear to period panties, women eCommerce founders are revolutionizing the fashion industry. Here are a few brands you can support today.

11. Knix

Knix uses patented technology to create amazing wireless bras and period underwear. The brand’s mission is to enable women to live unapologetically free, no matter where they’re at in their life or cycle. Founder Joanna Griffiths has a history of standing up for what’s right: she transitioned the brand from wholesale to DTC to promote size inclusivity after major retailers refused to carry the full Knix size assortment. The move proved fruitful, especially over the last 2 years as loungewear and comfortable fits are desired more than ever thanks to social distancing.

12. Feminist Goods Co.

Want clothing and home products designed exclusively for feminists? Look no further than Feminist Goods Co.! Founder Lauren Harbury is an artist, maker, and proud member of the LGBTQ+ community. From Girl Gang tees to booty candles, Feminist Goods Co. is adding pops of color and feminist spice to home and apparel goods. A portion of profits are donated to a non-profit every month and sustainable packaging and production is a priority for every order.

13. Nappy Head Club

Rachel Topping and Rikki-Richelle were fed up with the lack of representation of authentic blackness, so they started a brand to address these gaps. At first glance Nappy Head Club is an apparel brand but at its core, it’s a community built to celebrate black identity. Product photography features natural hair (which is also where the brand’s name originated from), and apparel boasts inspirational and self-identifying messages such as “Always black, never sorry.”

14. Little Sleepies

Bed time just got a lot more fun. Little Sleepies is a soft sleepwear brand founded by Maradith Frenkel. The nightgowns and sleep suits, which come in sizes for the entire family, are bright, soft and made with bamboo viscose. Maradith worked in Hollywood before founding Little Sleepies. When her son was born, she realized there was a gap in the market for soft, cute and functional sleepers so she ditched the cotton and got bamboo product samples. From there, Little Sleepies was born and today, it’s backed by a private equity group and sales are flying off the virtual shelves.

15. Gold Coast Dyes

This one-woman textile shop makes a bold statement with bright colors and modern flair. Each piece is tye-dyed by hand and products range from loungewear to accessories. Gold Coast Dyes was founded by Christina “Mo” Vázquez Mauricio during COVID-19. The goal was to add cheerful pops of colors during stressful times. The products use earth-friendly dyes and ethically-sourced materials and are available for shipping worldwide.

Home + Garden

These women founders are improving the special places in our lives.

16. Flourish Plant

Give your plants a reason to bloom! Flourish Plant, an organic fertilizer, promotes wellness and growth for your houseplants. The founders, Kate Ferguson and Lilla Sullivan, were high school friends and science-fair competitors who reconnected over their love of the natural world. Now, they’re mixing up organic and sustainable plant care in Austin, Texas to help cultivate growth in our most sacred spaces.

17. Nettie Pickleball Co.

Have you played pickleball yet? Nettie Pickleball Co. founder Catherine Baxter is hoping to show the world how easily accessible this sport is for players of every age and ability. She sells affordable single paddles and family sets that come in fun designs as a way to spark joy and connection. After two years in isolation, we can all take a page from Baxter and get back on that proverbial court.

18. PeachBox Co.

Send elegant and timeless gift boxes for special occasions with Peachbox Co.! The company is Latina-owned and founded by Alvania A. Lopez. Her love of urban luxury products and chic presentation led her to launch the company in 2017. Today, Peachbox Co. is focused on sourcing fair-trade products, shipping sustainable packaging, and serving healthy vegan and sugar-free snack options in the gift box sets.

19. Coco Beans

Coco Beans is bringing the magic of silk pillowcases and silk sheets to cribs and children’s bedding. Silk pillowcases are naturally hypoallergenic and temperature regulating, plus they can help eliminate the baby bald spot. Coco Beans founder Jill Apgar is also an adoptive mom, and her daughter Cora helped inspire the brand into being with her tangled bed head. In addition to promoting both a good night’s sleep and good hair days, the brand is committed to sourcing ethical products and having a transparent supply chain.

20. Wild Rose Shop

If you love bold patterns and mindful home products, you’ll love the Wild Rose Shop. The idea behind the brand started in Meagan Rose Dowling’s dorm room, where she used to illustrate stickers for friends. From there, she opened an Etsy shop to sell handmade goods and today, her whimsical and retro designs can be found in Urban Outfitters and Free People.

Female-led Marketplaces

Supporting female-led brands is easier than ever if you know where to shop! Many online marketplaces are dedicated to promoting women-founded products. Here are a few of our favorites:

If you are a female brand owner and you’re looking to scale your online store, we can help! We love collaborating with eCommerce entrepreneurs to unlock your next stage of growth.

Start by building an 8fig Growth Plan. Creating and submitting your plan for funding is completely free, and we’ll come back with an offer to fund up to 95% of your supply chain costs. This frees up your revenue to invest back into other areas of your business.



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