10 Asian American and Pacific Islander businesses to support

With May being Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, we specifically want to shed light on businesses owned and operated by members from the Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities. One opportunity to lift up hard-hit AAPI businesses is to show support with your purchasing dollars. Celebrate the rich history and modern contributions the AAPI community added to the American story by seeking out AAPI-created products.

These luxury candles are ready to pamper you and the planet with custom-made scents created to match a recipe in your mind. The personalized service works one-on-one with you to recreate special memories through scent. Each candle is also housed in handcrafted ceramic jars. Aerangis Candles are cruelty-free, non-toxic, plant-based and made with natural fragrances.

Related: Sustainable Black-owned businesses to buy from this holiday

“My obsession with scent began when I was nine in my grandfather’s greenhouse, where he cultivated dozens of rare orchids,” said Founder Alicia Tsai. “I spent many afternoons by his side, learning how to care for those orchids. To reward me for my interest, he gave me one of my own: an aerangis orchid with star-shaped flowers that released a beautiful scent every night during its bloom.”

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First-generation Vietnamese-American Founder Sahra Nguyen started Nguyen Coffee Supply with the goal of correcting misconceptions about the inferior quality of Vietnamese coffee. Nguyen partnered with Mr. Ton, a Vietnamese fourth-generation farmer producing organic, green coffee beans at his family farm. The company offers specialty arabica and robusta blends that have been recognized in a myriad of major publications. Additionally, the company relies on direct-trade. They are also woman-owned and operated, and is committed to sustainable action throughout the growing, transport and roasting process. 

Yobo Soju stands as a primary example of Asian influence on American culture.

Korean Founder Carolyn Kim identifies closely with that combination and said, “Our aim is to represent the ever-evolving modern Korean American identity. We aim to break new ground in soju by creating a range of highly innovative products that prioritize quality and taste above all.”

As a result, the bespoke spirit is blended from sustainable, locally-sourced rice and grapes. It is a divergence from the traditional style of soju ubiquitous in Korea. The company is also dedicated to eco-friendly distillation processes. They showed their support of restaurants and food service workers by donating all profits for the first two months of 2021 to COVID-19 affected businesses.

Huppy tablets are completely plastic free and made with natural ingredients. For the month of May, Asian American Cofounders David Phan and Cathy Tran are donating 5% of proceeds to AAPI Women Lead. The company is also committed to directing 2% of revenue towards sustainability initiatives.

The focus of Linjer is affordable and high quality accessories that treat people and the planet kindly. Hong Kong Founders Jenn and Roman Khan rely on eco-friendly materials like recycled gold and lab grown diamonds that will offer a long lifespan. The company contributes to carbon offset projects via CarbonFund to balance out carbon-neutral shipping. 

Blueland was founded when CEO and Cofounder Sarah became a mom. With that, she became frustrated by the options for cleaning supplies that were natural and earth friendly. Wanting to create a better future for her kids, she began creating products like window cleaner, lotion and toothpaste that are housed in reusable packaging. Furthermore, Blueland packaging is all recyclable, compostable or both. Blueland is climate neutral certified and has achieved B Corp status. 

All linens through Loyale are produced by a handful of skilled artisans before being packaged in plastic-free, eco-paper goods. Along the way, they recycle or donate all fabric waste. Loyale believes environmentally-friendly linens is the perfect way to convert people away from wasteful paper towel usage towards a sustainable, waste-free option. 

With origins in lush Hawaii and California, the founders at Rooted deeply missed the greenery of home when they moved to New York. They began Rooted to connect people with nature through plants. With the understanding that plants hold the power to improve health and happiness, the company aims to provide full-circle buying options and ongoing support following plant purchases. Plants are grown in a greenhouse. Then, they are shipped free to customers, along with educational information to aid in successful care within your home. 

Clothing is essential, but it should also bring joy without harming the planet. This is the premise behind Esse, a womenswear company founded by Singapore-raised Alicia Tsi. Now based in New Zealand, Alicia’s mission is to create simple designs that are long-lasting and made with attention to organic and natural materials. 

Avre shoewear company is owned by Taiwanese sisters Julie Kuo and Connie Kuo. It was created to address the plastic crisis by using recycled plastic bottles in every pair of shoes. Innovative technology also reduces cutoff waste through computerized precision that nearly eliminates scraps.