Top Black-Owned Urban Brands to Follow and Support

 

 

2020 has seen the most significant progress in the Black Lives Matter movement so far. After the killing of George Floyd, amongst endless other incidents across the globe, some of the largest protests ever are taking place all over the world in an attempt to fight back against continuing racial injustice and police brutality.

Alongside this, social media was flooded with artwork and educational posts in support of the movement. There was even a whole day, named #blackouttuesday, dedicated to everyone coming off of social media and only posting a simple black square or educational resources in support.

Although it was amazing to see such unity, it’s important we don’t stop here. There may have been a couple of weeks where BLM posts and discussions were more prominent on your social media and in your daily life than they are today, however, education and change needs to continue and maintain momentum. Movements such as Black Lives Matter force us as a society and as individuals to take a look at our efforts and consider whether we are really doing enough to contribute to making significant, serious change. Actions speak louder than words and it’s about time we all took more action.

Supporting the BLM Movement

There are multiple ways to support the BLM movement including; protesting, signing petitions, donating to causes in need of funding and educating yourself. Another great way is to follow and support black creatives and black-owned businesses. Doing so helps to strengthen local black economies whilst also contributing to reducing the racial wealth gap and encouraging more job creation within larger companies, hopefully leading to more diversity and equality within business and society.

If you are wanting to support more black-owned businesses but are unsure of where to find them, there are plenty of great websites and directories to point you in the right direction. Some include; UK Black Owned and Black 2 Business. We have also put together some of our top black-owned urban brands to follow and support, so be sure to check them out!

Fresh Ego Kid

An urban fashion brand that has made its mark on the sports and music industries, Fresh Ego Kid has become the new uniform for the current generation. With the goal to “influence the direction of tomorrow”, they produce high-quality garments with personality and functionality. The brand aims to incorporate cultural influence into their clothing in order to create individual style derived from music, loyalty and people.

Founder, Marvin Morgan, initially started out his career playing professional football. Born in Manchester and raised in London, Morgan ventured into a different industry following his retirement from football. This transition was faced with some doubt from his peers, however, he proved them wrong and through hard work and sheer dedication, Fresh Ego Kid was created.

Check out UKK’s Fresh Ego Kid collection online today.

 

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A post shared by Fresh Ego Kid (@freshegokid) on May 8, 2020 at 10:31am PDT

 

Hood Rich

Created in 2014, Hood Rich has grown from a one-man brand to a national operation. Taking inspiration from the urban UK scene, the brand “embodies the struggle, the come up” of those born with a desire to become something from nothing.

With a passion for underground streetwear, urban music and fashion, Jay Williams founded Hood Rich from his bedroom in Birmingham. Initially creating 30 t-shirts on a £200 budget, it can now be seen on the likes of Dizzee Rascal, Giggs and Mist after achieving worldwide success in just a few years.

 

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A post shared by HOODRICH™ (@hoodrichuk) on Apr 26, 2020 at 10:41am PDT

 

Hype

Hype started out making a statement with bold print t-shirts and tongue in cheek quotes. It has now become a successful streetwear brand, recognisable worldwide. 

The brand was founded in 2011 by Bav Samani, alongside Liam Green, with nothing more than £600 between them and a dream. Their breakthrough comes from their ability to differentiate themselves from other streetwear brands with daring designs and a will to test boundaries. This brave approach has got them to where they are today and business is ever-growing.

Check out UKK’s Hype collection online today.