With the holiday season fast approaching, we each have an opportunity to make powerful decisions when it comes to where we source our gifts. Whilst it may feel easier in our busy lives, to click a button and have a mountain of parcels arrive at the front door the next day, the impact small independent businesses can have on the planet, is vastly different to that of mass-produced gifts and multi-billion-dollar companies. Because let’s be totally honest, when we get a really good deal, someone else got a really bad one… somewhere along the supply chain… whether it’s mother earth herself, a farmer or a maker, and we have the power to change that.
As a women-lead company, we at Rebrandr know what it’s like to forge a female-founded small business in a sea of corporate giants (this is the 5th time we’ve built a business from the ground up). We now use our skills to work with other conscious businesses to widen their impact, and we’ve met some of the most incredible and dedicated businesswomen along the way. That’s why this blog is all about spotlighting the essential reasons to support female-founded small businesses, especially at pivotal moments like Black Friday and Christmas. These companies and the women who run them, truly notice and appreciate when you purchase from them, and as you’ll discover, you have the power to support not only them, but the ripple effect of doing so and even, play an active part in changing the landscape of retail as we know it. Let’s dive in…
7 Essential Reasons To Support Female-Founded Small Businesses
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Purpose Before Profit
Many female-founded businesses are driven by a deep sense of purpose; whether it’s eco-conscious living, sustainability, or products that support growing families, these are people who truly follow their passions. Putting purpose before profit often means small businesses are incredibly honest, trustworthy and connected to making a change beyond the confines of their own companies, actively seeking to make the world a better place, and not greenwashing - a deceptive marketing practice where a company or product is presented as more environmentally friendly than it actually is (more on this another time). By supporting businesses like this, you’re also supporting a world that values purpose, honesty and meaning beyond profit margins. -
Contributing To A Circular Economy
Female-led brands are often pioneers in circular business models, which means they adopt practices like recycling materials, utilising sustainable fabrics, doing away with single-use plastics or committing to a zero-waste policy. With large corporate companies (the well-known next day delivery service beginning with ‘A’ for example…) said to have produced around 208 million pounds of plastic packaging waste in the US in 2022, consciously choosing small businesses with circular models is one step towards reducing waste across the planet. Some small businesses even reward customers for returning their used clothes for recycling, or offer customers the opportunity to rent clothing or items instead of buying them outright. -
Empowering Women Leaders
Whilst the gender gap is narrowing in terms of business, there’s no denying it exists, and there can still be barriers to financial support for women-lead companies. Actively choosing to purchase from businesses founded by women helps to close these gender gaps in entrepreneurship and leadership. In the UK, only about 1 in 3 entrepreneurs is female, and given how few female founders get significant funding or visibility, your support directly contributes to a more equal society. If women entrepreneurs were funded equally, they could add $5 trillion to the global economy. That’s not just an idea, it’s a potential. If there was more visibility around women in business, this could have a powerful and positive impact on the next generation of women and their ability to become purpose-driven leaders. -
Community-Centred Practices
One of the biggest differences between small companies and larger corporate businesses is the relationships they build with suppliers and creators. Many small female-founded businesses in clothing retail for example, build long-lasting relationships with the people who stitch and thread every garment, meaning they actively care about who’s making their products, and maintain ethical supply chains. By supporting small businesses like this, you’re playing a role in also supporting the communities that create their products, ensuring they benefit fairly too. -
Long-Term Value
You won’t see many small businesses in fast fashion or throw-away trends. Female-founded brands frequently design their products for longevity, creating high quality items that stand the test of time. Investing in products like this is an investment in your own quality of life too; these items tell a story, they’ll be with you for years, and they bring meaning to your home or wardrobe. They’re also an opportunity for you to show yourself self-worth – you deserve something of quality – you deserve something that lasts. You’ll also ultimately be saving on future costs by buying one single high-quality item from a caring and committed company, rather than several lesser quality products. -
Transparency & Trust
Small, purpose-driven brands are almost always transparent about their supply chains, and trustworthy when it comes to sourcing. Often, you’ll be able to speak directly to the small team that runs the company and ask them where their materials come from, how and where they’re made, and how workers are paid. Your support reinforces business practices that truly value traceability and ethics, making transparency and trust more of the norm in business, which is a huge and positive step forward. -
Giving Back
Back in March, we wrote a blog celebrating the power, resilience and impact of women in business across the globe, highlighting the ‘Giving Gap’. The Giving Gap refers to the disparity in funding and financial support that women-led and underrepresented businesses face, as we mentioned above. BUT it also shows that women are more likely to consciously give back to their communities, with 90% of women reinvesting their income back into their community. By supporting small female-founded businesses, not only are you supporting them; you’re making a difference to their families, their community, your community, and ultimately the world you live in.
So, rather than thinking big this holiday season, think small, think women-lead, and think about the impact you want to have on the world around you.
Written by Emma Newlyn