As major retailers scale back their diversity pledges, a new class of digital guides is stepping in to help Black consumers identify—and consistently support—Black-owned businesses.
One of the most talked-about tools is BRANDED, BLACKNESS, a curated directory spotlighting beauty and wellness brands built by and for Black communities.
The platform arrives at a moment of renewed uncertainty. After the 2020 racial justice uprisings, big-box chains rushed to stock Black-owned products and expand supplier diversity. But in the past two years, several of those companies have quietly retreated from DEI programs amid political pressure and legal challenges. Black founders who once saw national shelf space as a breakthrough now describe the moment as a “whiplash.”
BRANDED, BLACKNESS was created in direct response to that shifting landscape. According to Allegory—the creative studio that helped develop the platform—its founders wanted a “visually rich, trustworthy guide” to help consumers find Black-owned hair, skincare, and wellness brands whether or not retailers kept their diversity commitments.
What makes the guide notable is its curation. Rather than relying on loose user submissions (a problem that has plagued older directories), the platform vets brands for Black ownership and their ability to “well-serve their core market.” For consumers wandering aisles where shelf tags no longer highlight Black entrepreneurship, it fills a widening visibility gap.
A Movement With Deep Roots
The push to “buy Black” is not new. Throughout the 20th century, Black households used consumer boycotts to demand jobs, dignity, and fair treatment—from the “Don’t Buy Where You Can’t Work” campaigns of the 1930s to the financial organizing around Black banks in the 2010s.
But the stakes are larger now. Black buying power is projected to hit $2.1 trillion by 2026, and surveys show Black consumers are more likely than others to shop according to values. Yet only 3.4% of U.S. employer firms are Black-owned, despite Black Americans representing 14% of the population.
That disconnect is why directories matter. Discoverability—not quality—remains one of the biggest barriers for Black entrepreneurs.
Why This Moment Feels Different
The rollback of DEI initiatives has exposed how fragile corporate promises can be. Retail shelf space gained through diversity pledges can disappear with a new CEO or a shifting political climate.
What doesn’t disappear is consumer demand.
From hyperlocal lists like Buy Black Baltimore 365 to national certification systems like ByBlack, a parallel economic infrastructure is emerging—one built not on executive commitments, but on community-led discovery.
BRANDED, BLACKNESS fits squarely into that ecosystem, blending aesthetics, trust, and convenience. Its early message resonates with everyday users: finding Black-owned options shouldn’t feel like a scavenger hunt.
The Human Side of Buying Black
Beyond the data, supporters say these guides change how people shop.
A father learning to care for his daughter’s coils can find brands that actually reflect her hair texture. A consumer at a Black-owned bank can see how her deposits support loans for Black entrepreneurs. And a young shopper in a crowded beauty aisle can pull out her phone, scroll through BRANDED, BLACKNESS, and choose a product made with her needs in mind.
Those are small choices—but collectively, they shape where the Black dollar goes next.
What’s Ahead
No directory can fix disparities in capital access or rewrite procurement rules. But they can remove friction—the simple question of where to go.
And in a climate where corporate DEI is shrinking, the rise of independent discovery tools may define the next decade of Black economic empowerment.
For now, the shift is already visible: in stores, shoppers scroll, compare, and reach for brands they trust. Each purchase is practical. It is also a quiet decision about whose future their dollars help build.
(Editor’s note: Adapted from a publication by KOLUMN Magazine)
