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The month of May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, or AAPI. During this time, we recognize the contributions and influence of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who have enriched the United States’ history and are vital to its future success. Part of celebrating this time is learning the stories of people who are part of this community. Purchasing something from an AAPI-owned Etsy shop is one way to do this as handcrafted items have their own stories to tell.
We’ve selected 10 Etsy shops that are run by small business owners and entrepreneurs in the AAPI community, and each of them has something creative to offer. If you’re a plant parent, you’ll love the enamel pins of Hemleva. Shop owner Samantha Leung is dedicated to bringing greenery into your everyday life—including while you’re out and about. To accompany her botanical beauty, check out the luxury candles by Alicia Tsai and her shop Aerangis. She was inspired to create the line from the memory of spending time in her grandfather’s garden as a young girl.
Scroll down for some AAPI-owned Etsy shops selling creative goods. For even more, check out Etsy.
Support AAPI-owned businesses on Etsy selling creative goods of all kinds.
TeHotuMana
Photo: TeHotuMana
Hawaii-based shop TeHotuMana (“Te Hotu Mana” means “the abundant spirit) creates necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and other jewelry using black pearls sourced from Tahiti.
Ins Ceramics
Photo: Ins Ceramics
Ins Ceramics is the work of Insuk Son. Her shop features handmade pottery that is inspired by Korean design and style. “In the early days of work,” she writes, “I focused on making Korean traditional teapots and teaware. Now I am adapting more contemporary style and design into my works.”
Pine and Sprout
Photo: Pine and Sprout
Pine and Sprout is run by Jenny and Robbie Nakata, a brother-sister duo who loves to “bring beauty and function to your home and indoor spaces.” Their shop features things that do just that, including houseplant trellises, wall shelves, and propagation stations.
Clap Clap Design
Photo: Clap Clap Design
Mimi Kim is the mastermind behind Clap Clap Design, a stationery brand that uses inspiration from everyday life to create colorful cards, stickers, notebooks, planners, and more.
Hemleva
Photo: Hemleva
Samantha Leung of Hemleva is focused on bringing greenery into your home and daily life. Known for her beautiful enamel pins that will speak to plant parents everywhere, she also creates other nature-centric accessories such as wall sconces and keychains.
Adroit
Photo: Adroit
Rajni Kavula is the founder of Adroit, a sustainable clothing brand that uses all-natural indigo dye and other natural materials to create hand-crafted clothing in a variety of versatile styles that look good on everyone.
Aerangis
Photo: Aerangis
Alicia Tsai first became enthralled by scents while spending time in her grandfather’s garden in Taiwan. Her beloved memory of her time there and the connection to the fragrance inspired her to document life through scent. She now does that through Aerangis’ line of luxury candles based out of New York City.
Naoshi
Photo: Naoshi
Naoshi is a Los Angeles-based artist from Japan. Her colorful illustrations are created using shiny, colorful sand (called Sunae in Japan) that showcase “surreal people living in the real world.” The images grace prints, enamel pins, washi tape, clothing, and other products that will brighten your life.
Meenal Patel
Photo: Meenal Patel
For beautiful images that appeal to children and adults alike, look no further than Meenal Patel’s shop. Her offerings include prints, cards, and fabric. “My art is rooted in reflections of childhood wonder, the power of feeling seen,” she writes, “the evolution of sharing all facets of ourselves with others, and the many ways strength manifests.”
Aplat
Photo: Aplat
Aplat is a culinary collection designed with zero waste living in mind. Founded by Shujan Bertrand, the shop’s most popular item is a dish tote that is designed to carry prepared food. Simply slide a bowl or plate in the center opening and everything will stay upright.
HooHooandMouse
Photo: HooHooandMouse
Leah founded HoHoo and Mouse at the end of 2020 when the pandemic made her choose between a corporate job and motherhood. Now, she creates whimsical wood and paper goods, many of which are DIY crafts that will get you making.
HyworksLA
Photo: HyworksLA
Artist Hyun Yu is the designer behind HyworksLA. Her background in graphic design and fine art inspires the minimalist and elegant aesthetic of her designs.
StudioKMO
Photo: StudioKMO
StudioKMO captures the beauty of different cities in its paper maps. From London to San Francisco, the artist hand-cuts each design and even offers the option of a custom map to the destination of your choice.
ChikoCraft
Photo: ChikoCraft
Winston-Salem-based shop ChikoCraft embraces the cuteness of cats in their range of creative products. From kitty-shaped pendants to cat tea towels to feline cookie cutters that add flair to your cuisine, it's the ultimate place to shop for cat-lovers.
BETONCREATIFNYC
Photo: BETONCREATIFNYC
Fans of minimalist concrete objects will love BETONCREATIFNYC. This eclectic shop offers a range of home goods, like coasters, trays, vases, dishes, and candleholders, in pastel-colored concrete blends.
This article has been edited and updated.
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