20+ Black-Owned Businesses Based in United Arab Emirates
In the wake of George Floyd's death and the nationwide protests against racial injustice and police brutality happening in America, it's important not to give up on the momentum and continue the fight to dismantle systemic racism in our societies, worldwide. Although I’m based in UAE at this time, through my disgust, anguish, and sadness for the way my people are treated stateside, I felt the need to seek out a way to support Black people locally here in UAE. We must continue the #BlackLivesMatter conversation with those around us and find ways to continuously support Black people. If you’re based in or plan to travel to UAE, an actionable way to support Black allies is to shop and support local Black-owned businesses.…. not just today, but every day!
If you're not sure where to begin, I rounded up over 20 Black-owned businesses based in UAE where you can spend your money. (This will be an ongoing list that I will add to as I discover more Black-owned spaces in UAE)
Black Owned Fashion and Beauty Brands Based in UAE
Kuunda Co
Kuunda CO was dreamed up in Abu Dhabi, UAE to fill a space in the ethical clothing niche for all body types and women that proudly showcase the features handed down for generations. At Kuunda, highly skilled workmanship is their first priority. They use only premium, 100% pure linen, and design clothing for a wide range of sizes. Two words describe their design ethos: Ethical & Effortless
Visit Kuunda.co to shop
Finchitua is an edgy, modern streetwear brand featuring designs inspired by tribal Ethiopia. The Dubai-based Ethiopian designer Feiruza Mudessir is causing quite a stir in the Middle East's fashion scene with her label Finchitua, which in Ethiopian means, “the girl with a gap between her teeth.” In Africa, a finchit is considered to be a mark of considerable beauty. Feiruza's unique style blends traditional Ethiopian fabrics with a distinctive modern flair, resulting in refreshing pieces aimed at style-savvy women looking for an edgy look. Since 2012, they’ve been creating unique streetwear clothing while providing sustainable work for dozens of skilled Habesha weavers in rural Ethiopia.
Each time you purchase from Finchitua you are supporting African tribal fashion and helping preserve the traditional Habesha art form while providing better income that allows for improved healthcare, education, and nutrition for their families.
Visit Finchitua.com to shop
Some.Things.Are.Simple.Hair was born essentially out of the need to know exactly what went into hair products and to ensure that they were all natural! Self-care & Self-love are at the core of STASH. STASH was created to take the ‘ugh’ out of wash days and help with women transitioning, that just needed some extra love when doing their hair, hence the Stash Care Package. STASH strives to be an interactive, safe platform where women feel comfortable enough to send pictures of their hair for a consultation. STASH was created in UAE where black hair products are not readily available or are overpriced. STASH hopes to create a large community of women who are comfortable with their natural hair.
Visit Stashwithlove.com to shop
Shea Global is a distribution company in Dubai that retails natural and organic products to the UAE market. They are the exclusive distributors of an amazing brand from the USA called Mitra’s Bath & Body. This brand produces a range of natural products for the body, face, and hair using shea butter and shea oil from Ghana with other unique natural ingredients. The Mitra’s Bath and Body brand is named after the daughter of the founder who had allergies and skin irritation for years. Many over the counter products did not work and often left Mitra’s skin dry and further irritated. After extensive research, raw shea butter from Ghana was the answer to clearing up Mitra’s skin. Unrefined Shea Butter is the core ingredient in many of Mitra’s Bath and Body’s products. Absolutely nothing is removed from their butter in the production of our products.
Visit Sheaglobaltrading.com to shop
House of DeVeReaux was created as a bold and elegantly eponymous brand. Here at the “House” not only can you get your hands on custom made DeVeReaux pieces from their premiere- ALPHA COLLECTION which is made from amazing fabrics but House Of DeVeReaux places great emphasis on detail #itsallinthedetails. You can request several services including “Style By DeVeReaux”
Visit houseofdevereaux.com to shop
Ziva Naseer is a handmade, luxury purse brand that fuses jewel-tone embellishments, hand-carved pendants and beautifully crafted metal to create the perfect statement piece. All of their bags are handmade with love and precision. They incorporate beautiful jewel tones and accompany them with gold, silver or brass. Ziva Nasser ships exclusively from Dubai and carefully inspect each item before it is shipped.
"Confidence is the best accessory but a great handbag is a close second!
Visit Zivanasser.com to shop
Category London is an online assortment curated of US and International brands. Our assortments are hand-picked and planned solely around our consumers. The modern woman is conscious, aware, she knows what she wants, and she gets it. Category London is proud to attract her and provide her with a product that serves her desire to be the best version of her. They offer a range of styles and aim to continuously broaden their selection with rising and established brands. Category London currently ships to the US, UAE, and UK. They’re dedicated to shaping and incorporating new and innovative ways to shop. Their message of “good fashion, good vibes” aligns with the mission to empower authentic individuality and positivity from the inside out.
Visit shopcategorylondon.com to Shop
Created by an Art teacher turned designer, Dezired Dezigns is a brand created to express creativity through art and fashion. By providing the community with joy, interaction, and inspiration through painting gatherings and artistic retail merchandise, Dezired Dezigns features original artwork designs printed on fabric made into handmade bags. Dezired Dezigns also includes swimwear and head wraps made from Afrocentric prints.
Visit @Dezired.dezigns on IG to shop
BeBeads is an African brand based in UAE, they specialize in hand made accessories and apparel. BeBeads crafts are inspired by the deep diversity of African heritage and specialize in using exotic beads from Africa as the main material for its accessories. BeBeads derived from bertha beads and was founded in 2018. Discover Be_Beads where culture speaks loud.
Visit Bebeads.co to shop
At Eli’s Boots they craft the best quality pieces you can buy using the highest grade certified vegetable tanned camel and nappa leather. Each leather is died using a natural process that lasts over 8 weeks and they work the world’s leading ecological tanneries. Their leathers can be incinerated at the end of the products’ life without risks as they are chrome-free. If landfilled at the end of their life, Eli’s leathers will be biodegradable in 4 months.
Elis Boots started out as a small brand focused on quality shoes for babies and children. After a few years, they developed into making leather for the whole family. They make each piece by hand and without the use of large machinery. They rely on a lot of craftsmanship with little technology and are driven above all by a love and respect for leather. Eli’s produces everything from design to testing new materials and prototypes in our studio. In keeping with this ethos, we seek to continue to create unique handmade pieces for all the ages.
Visit Maisoneli.com to shop
BRUSH Class by K. Nicole
BRUSH Class by K.Nicole' is the brainchild of Makeup Artist/Educator, Kimberly Carey, and will be the hottest makeup brush system scheduled to hit the makeup scene this summer. As a part of the 'by K.Nicole-THE BRAND' makeup necessities line, 'BRUSH Class by K.Nicole' is the 9pc color-coded/ color "coated" brush system that makes the learning makeup easier and fun. Along with the 'Makeup As A Second Language' Masterclasses, 'BRUSH Class' is makeup education twist...color-by-color, step-by-step. Great for makeup beginners, makeup enthusiasts, and makeup pros. Your makeup journey will never be the same once you have 'BRUSH Class by K. Nicole' as your guide. Stay tuned to the Instagram page for more details. Website COMING SOON.
Visit @brushclass_knicole to shop
Specializing in children’s clothes, Hello Angel Designs believes that little girls should be able to enjoy themselves and wear fun, beautiful handmade clothing that makes them feel special. All of their adorable dresses and accessories feature carefully sourced fabrics in a broad range of vibrant colors and styles, including unique fabrics from West Africa, such as traditional wax prints. All of our one-of-a-kind garments are handmade in Dubai.
Visit helloangel.design to shop
Beauty by Promise is an interactive online community designed for every woman seeking to become the best version of herself. A platform where the definition of beauty is confidence through natural hair and skincare. At Beauty by Promise, they know that every woman is beautiful in her own way and they're here to embrace it and let you own what you've been blessed with. Dedicated to every woman, regardless of her culture, ethnicity, or background. You'll find beauty products dedicated to every skin type and every hair texture at affordable prices that could fit the tightest budgets. They give you no excuses for not feeling yourself today and every day.
Visit Beautybypromise.com to shop
Black Owned Restaurants Based in UAE
West to West Afro-Caribbean Kitchen
West to West kitchen is Abu Dhabi’s newest Afro-Caribbean Restaurant. This family business of wanderlusts is focused on bringing Sierra Leonean, Trinidadian and Jamaican inspired-cuisine and culture to the Nation’s capital. Their main effort is to serve delicious food that brings people together in celebration and leaves them invigorated. West to West serves a variety of mouthwatering flavorful dishes such as Awojoh Binch from Sierra Leone. Awojoh Binch consists of black-eyed beans soaked for an hour, boiled and then cooked with onions, herbs with a touch of bonnet pepper for spice, best served with fried plantain and West to West Salad. Another more popular dish only sold on weekends or by special request is a Trinidadian dish known as “doubles.” Doubles as a common street food “sandwich” made of two flatbreads known as bara, filled with a curried chickpea filling or channa, as it is known in Trinidad and India.
West to West Kitchen is located in Abu Dhabi and offers both dine-in and delivery options.
Oh Brgr is the first authentic Caribbean inspired burger brand in Dubai, with chefs who originate from the tropical Caribbean islands of Dominica and Jamaica who bring flair and flavor into all their homemade recipes. Burgers on the menu include Keep It Simple – which is a beef burger with caramelized red onions, Swiss cheese, and spicy island mayo. The Caribbean jerk burger, which is a chicken burger with pineapple chutney and pepper jack cheese. Lastly, there’s a homemade lentil burger with a Caribbean flair, that’s served with the restaurant’s signature beetroot ketchup. Oh Brgr has a variety of food that includes vegan options! They have Caribbean influenced dishes that the whole family will enjoy! ⠀
Oh Brgr offers delivery service in Dubai
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Gbemi’s Kitchen
Gbemi’s Kitchen is a Dubai based African restaurant located in the heart of JLT. Their menu celebrates the cuisines of Western Africa featuring dishes like Jollof, Eguisi, Suya, and many more. Their cozy interiors are reminiscent of mama’s home and they’re fast becoming a favorite for locals to meet friends for a quick lunch, lazy breakfast, or dinner dates. Their mission is simple-sharing the spirit of Africa one bite at a time.
There is always an extra seat at their table. #ComeChop
Gbemi’s Kitchen is based in Dubai and offers both delivery and dine-in services
Catfish is a culinary journey into the diversity, deliciousness, and healing powers of traditional African ingredients. Their kitchen is committed to exploring authentic dishes across Africa and preparing them with contemporary wellness techniques to create mouthwatering dishes that are bursting with flavor and vitality. Apart from Jollof, they are also crazy about our planet. That’s why their packaging is plastic free and they use bowls made from sugarcane and are 100% biodegradable. It means CatFish has to pay a bit more but they think it’s worth it. Don’t you?
Rooted in traditional African home cooking that emphasizes African-grown ingredients, Teranga is a culinary journey into the depth, diversity, and deliciousness that the motherland has to offer.
Catfish is based in Dubai and offers both delivery and dine-in services
KIZA is not just a Restaurant but a premium African hospitality brand and the number one place to enjoy phenomenal Pan African cuisine, Afrobeats music, and the African culture. The vision at KIZA is “Africa inspiring the World”. This propels them to put the KIZA brand on to the world stage, giving everyone the joy of experiencing a truly Pan-African adventure globally. KIZA focuses on bringing the African Experience to the world through sight, sound, and taste. From music to the arts and crafts scene, the emergence of African culture is clear and present, and they are leading in that. Once they get people through the doors of KIZA, the ambiance gets them. It does not matter whether you are African or not, in KIZA, there’s a sense of belonging that transcends cultures. Most people cannot describe it; we call it the ‘Spirit’ of Africa
“Discover Africa, it’s heritage, culture, and its mysteries at KIZA Restaurant & Lounge.”
KIZA is based in Dubai and offers both delivery and dine-in services
Boon Coffee is an organic specialty coffee roaster, providing the finest, freshest, and most skillfully roasted coffee beans available in the UAE. They are proud to be able to offer 100% pure, single-origin, Arabica coffee beans sourced directly from Ethiopia - the birthplace of coffee! With over three generations of coffee palate expertise, and with top quality European equipment to ensure their beans are roasted to perfection, Boon guarantees consistency, aroma, and flavor beyond belief! They like to call their winning formula the essence of great coffee, all born from a passion for perfection, pure & simple!
Boon Coffee is based in Dubai and offers both delivery and dine-in services
Other Black Owned Businesses Based in UAE
Out and About STYLE Magazine
Out and About STYLE Magazine is an online monthly fashion, beauty, lifestyle, talent, and culture magazine. It was launched in February 2019 to an amazing public response. They are currently based in Abu Dhabi, UAE, however, their message of fashion, beauty, business, cultural diversity, and acceptance is one that resonates around the world. There are not many magazines, if any, that are not plastered with celebrities, socialites, and or reality TV stars. Instead of trying to reinvent the proverbial wheel Out and About STYLE Mag is designed to highlight and celebrate the 'everyday individual' - “real people living extraordinary lives”.
In Out and About STYLE Magazine, they show people who we can all identify with and can get real inspiration from. Regular, working-class people, who use the same resources that most of us have to live their best life! And, even if they are a bit further up the food chain, they’ve worked their butts off to get there. With their dedication to real-life lives, they want to use their platform to inspire others to do things that they always wanted to do but were too afraid to try. They have recurring features for this: Fashion and Beauty, Lifestyle, Behind the Brand, Talent Pool, Taking Lesson, and For the Culture.
Visit OutandaboutSTYLEmag.com to read the latest issue
Dj Cory Centric is based in Dubai hailing from London, an experienced DJ, record collector and connoisseur of music, Cory Centric began DJing in the late 80s playing funk, disco, and soul before making his name on the underground house music scene in London during the late 90s. By the turn of the century, Cory ran two successful house music club nights in his hometown of London and began exploring the idea of starting up his own record label to produce and release consistent quality house music. This idea blossomed into the creation of Centric Music and the now flourishing Afrocentric Records. In late 2015, Cory launched his own club night Afrocentric, and quickly became the number one Afro House and Afro-Beat party in the Middle East, hosting guests such as Ralf Gum, Monique Bingham, Da Capo, Aluku Rebels, Vanco, Zakes Bantwini, Kususa, and Bucie.⠀
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With an ethos of Quality House Music with "NO FILLERS" Cory continues to spread the house sound not only via his DJ sets but with the creation of his new record label Afrocentric Records, which in a short space of time has dominated the Afro House charts, with releases and remixes from some of the scene’s leading names like Djeff, Kususa, Martin Landsky, Candy Man, Wilson Kentura and Pablo Fierro and has discovered new talent like Sky White & Kates L Café & Dj Cider. He also hosts a monthly radio show on Drums Radio.
Follow @iamafrocentric on IG for up to date party information
Innovative, motivated, and realistic are just three words that describe the award-winning Talent Manager and Music Consultant, Albert Carter. As a self-proclaimed culture shifter, Albert helps artists understand the value of their music and learn what it takes to make it in the music business. Co-founder of the Hip Hop University, he has built his reputation as a champion for artists within the music industry. Albert has hands-on, practical experience working in various genres of music globally and is adept at building sustainable relationships with record labels, brands and artists along with governmental agencies at the local, state, and federal levels. Influential and deeply entwined within hip-hop culture across multiple locations, he is a mentor and educator with a vision to enhance the quality of life through music
To work with Albert visit albertmcarter.com
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