Fashion is a huge part of our identity and expression of self. In the case of African clothing online, it is often a way to represent and display our appreciation for the African culture. Nkiti invites everyone, whether black or non-black, to wear African print designs to show your love and appreciation for the culture.
The internet has completely changed our lives. And when it comes to our shopping behavior, it has almost entirely been flipped on its head. As internet access and adoption continues to grow globally, the number of online transactions grows alongside it. E-commerce as an industry is growing at a rapid rate as more and more retailers expand their online presence. In 2021 more than 2 billion people across the world are projected to place an online order with online spending expected to hit $6.4 trillion (yes, trillion!) by 2024.
Can you remember the last time you bought something that didn’t start with a Google or Amazon search?
Figures show that 63% of ALL shopping journeys start with an online search.
In the increasingly digital age we live in, it’s important to be able to find and access African clothing online.
Read on to find out exactly how to do that!
Table of Contents
Where can I find African clothing online?
In the wake of the protests and social awareness of police brutality and discrimination that have taken place this year. The question that has risen to the forefront is: How can I support the black community? How can I make a difference?
There are lots of ways to support; from donating money to social justice organizations to educating yourself with anti-racism resources.
One of the most powerful actions you can take is to shop black.
Your money will help small businesses grow and put power back in the hands of Black creators, employees, and consumers.
Finding Black Businesses to support can sometimes be a challenge. Especially with the marketing and social media presence that giant brands like Amazon and ASOS have access to.
Black business directories and marketplaces are often the best way to browse black-owned businesses and find something that is to your taste.
For small black-owned businesses, especially dealing in a niche like African print clothing, these online marketplaces are a lifeline for businesses to gain visibility and reach their audience.
Here are some black business marketplaces we’ve come across:
Love Jamii
Jamii is a marketplace and platform that empowers Black-owned British businesses.
We have a strong brand mission alignment with Jamii. They address some of the major barriers that black owned businesses face, namely consumer awareness and discovery. Also, They offer a Jamii Discount Card for a small annual fee which gives you as a customer exclusive discounts to all brands on their platform, including ours.
They hold digital events as well as various pop up stores across the UK for you to get involved with and gain exposure to other black businesses.
Read: 5 ways to style your African prints this winter
“There has also been a misperception that Black brands are for Black people, whereas the majority of the brands on our platform offer products that are universal and available to all.”
We cannot begin to explain how much we agree with this statement by Jamii founder Khalia Ismain! Here at Nkiti, we are all about making African print clothing accessible to all.
Black Pound Day (BPD)
Black Pound Day is the first Saturday of every month and on that day consumers are encouraged to actively spend with black owned businesses.
However, it extends far beyond a once-a-month event. Founded by UK music artist, Swiss from the So Solid crew, it is about increasing the visibility of black businesses and facilitating change around socio-economic inequalities.
The revolution will be economised – Black Pound Day founder Swiss World.
You can find our listing as well as many others on their website.
Black2Business UK
Black2Business UK encourages consumers to spend their “Black Pound” and facilitates this through their directory listings. It caters to the African/Caribbean diaspora community here in the UK.
Spend your Black Pound
Do you know of any other places to find black owned businesses? Drop them in the comments below and let us know!
Even if you are unable to shop with a black-owned business, something as simple as leaving a review or sharing with a friend can make a world of difference.
