Asian American and Pacific Islander Brands to Support

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. So we at Nurture Life want to promote businesses that are great for your kiddos and founded & operated by people with Asian American/Pacific Islander heritage. From books to balloons, here are some great businesses we admire: 

• Miyoko’s Creamery: Does your little one want a dairy-free treat? We recommend checking out Miyoko’s Creamery! This vegan creamery was founded by Miyoko Schinner, who also founded an animal sanctuary called Rancho Compasión. (IG: Miyokoscreamery)
• Bel Canto Books was founded in Long Beach, California by a Filipino-American poet. They sell fiction, nonfiction, and children’s books and host charities to support women and people of color. This month, they are working with #StandUpForAAPI, where bookstores are banding together to share their experiences as Asian Americans and raise awareness for more representation of AAPI literature across libraries and bookstores. (IG: Belcantobooks)
• Piccoliny is a store started by Alex Zagami Ng, which sells clothing (much of it created by herself!), toys, and books for children. Her store was unfortunately closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but her dedicated consumers have helped her maintain her works on her website. (IG: Piccoliny)
• Building Blocks Toy Store: Based out of Chicago and founded by Katherine Nguyen. They have three stores across the city known for their board games and model trains. They have a wide variety of toys for kids and have an online store as well! (IG: Buildingblockstoys)
• Bean and Boosh: Started in Chicago 14 years ago, Ann Munoz, Julie Cruz, and Kate Orboson are well-regarded for their gorgeous balloon installations for everything from birthday parties to weddings. If you want to make your little one’s birthday extravagant and special, they can be a great choice! (IG: Beanandboosh)
• Meow Meow Tweet: Tara Pelletier and Jeff Kurosaki started a company as an all-natural vegan apothecary for cats, which has now expanded into a business which sells everything from soaps, lotion, and other products for humans and creatures alike, all of it 100% cruelty free! (IG: Meowmeowtweet)
• GimmeSnacks makes delicious seaweed snacks that kids love! Their snacks classify as “superfood,” which is a nutrient-rich food that assists with health and wellbeing. Their seaweed-based snacks are sustainably grown and perfect for some “thinking outside of the box” lunchtime snacks! (IG: gimmegrams)
• Lark Adventureware was started by Pallavi Golla in 2017 with the mission to provide activewear clothing to kids. If you’re ever about to go camping, hiking, or any other outdoors activity, we recommend gearing up with Golla’s great designs. (IG: Lark_adventurewear)
• Wing on Wo and Co: The oldest operating business in New York City’s Chinatown, Wing on Wo and Co. is a fantastic company that makes everything from teacups to toys out of porcelain glass. (IG: Wingonwoandco)

These are just a few we admire, but we’d love to hear your favorites! Feel free to email us at support@nurturelife.com if you have any businesses owned by Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, you’d like to share with us!