BLK + GRN is a curated, non-toxic wellness marketplace built exclusively around independent Black artisan brands. Since 2017, the platform has connected conscious consumers with safe, clean, effective products — and offered Black makers a meaningful place to grow.

What Is BLK + GRN?

BLK + GRN (pronounced "Black and Green") is an online marketplace dedicated entirely to non-toxic wellness and personal care products made by Black-owned artisan brands. Every brand on the platform is independently vetted to ensure its products are free from the harmful synthetic chemicals that have been disproportionately present in personal care products marketed to Black women.

The marketplace was founded in 2017 by Dr. Kristian J. Edwards, following a pivotal 2017 Environmental Working Group study documenting the elevated toxic chemical exposure Black women face through everyday personal care products — and influenced by Maggie Anderson's book Our Black Year, which challenged consumers to think critically about where and how they spend their money. BLK + GRN was the answer: a trusted destination where the safety of the product and the identity of the maker are both non-negotiable.

"Black women deserve access to products that are as safe as they are effective — and Black makers deserve a marketplace that sees them."

Today, BLK + GRN carries products across personal care, beauty, wellness, home, and lifestyle categories — all created by artisan brands that share a commitment to ingredient integrity and community impact.

Mission and Values

The mission of BLK + GRN is clear and consistent: to create a safer, more equitable wellness economy for Black women — as both consumers and entrepreneurs.

That mission rests on three intersecting commitments: consumer safety, economic empowerment of Black artisan makers, and community trust. None of these are in tension. At BLK + GRN, they are one and the same.

Why Non-Toxic Matters for Black Women

Research has consistently found that personal care products marketed to Black women contain higher concentrations of hazardous chemicals than those marketed to the general population. These include parabens, phthalates, formaldehyde-releasing preservatives, and synthetic fragrances — all linked to hormone disruption, reproductive harm, and increased cancer risk.

The 2017 Environmental Working Group study that helped catalyze BLK + GRN's founding made this disparity impossible to ignore. The market was failing Black women. BLK + GRN was built to correct that failure — by creating a space where safety is assumed, not aspirational.

Non-toxic is not a luxury category at BLK + GRN. It is the baseline expectation for every single product on the platform.

How to Join BLK + GRN as an Artisan Brand

BLK + GRN is actively seeking independent Black artisan brands across wellness, beauty, personal care, home, and lifestyle. If you are a Black-owned brand committed to non-toxic formulations and craft-quality products, this marketplace was built for you.

Who Qualifies

To be considered for the BLK + GRN marketplace, your brand must be Black-owned and your products must meet the platform's non-toxic ingredient standards. BLK + GRN works with artisan-scale makers — independent brands driven by a real founder's vision, not mass-market manufacturing.

The Application Process

1. Apply Online Submit your brand for consideration at blkgrn.com. Share your story, your ingredient philosophy, and the products you want to bring to the marketplace.
2. Ingredient Review BLK + GRN reviews your product formulations against its non-toxic standards. Transparency about ingredients is required — this is not negotiable and reflects the platform's core commitment to consumer safety.
3. Brand Alignment Beyond ingredients, the BLK + GRN team evaluates brand story, quality, and fit with the marketplace community. This is a curated platform, not an open registry.
4. Onboarding & Launch Approved brands receive onboarding support to list products, set up their storefront, and begin reaching BLK + GRN's growing base of conscious consumers.

What BLK + GRN Offers Artisan Brands

Joining BLK + GRN means joining a curated community of makers with a shared value system — and gaining access to consumers who are actively seeking exactly what you make. The marketplace provides distribution, visibility, and the credibility that comes from being held to a standard. For many artisan brands, BLK + GRN has been a meaningful path to sustainable growth.

What Shoppers Can Expect

Every product on BLK + GRN has been reviewed. There is no guesswork about whether a product is safe. Shoppers know that anything they add to their cart has cleared a meaningful bar — and that their purchase directly supports a Black-owned independent brand.

The categories span hair care, skincare, body care, supplements, home wellness, aromatherapy, and more — all from artisan brands whose founders are identifiable, reachable, and invested in the integrity of what they make.