Black households contributed $835 billion in consumer expenditures in 2019 alone and the combined spending of these households has increased by five percent annually over the last twenty years, according to reports. With the holiday season at our front door, the Black purchasing power is predicted to be at an all-time high. Although many companies will reap the benefits of the Black dollar, few are embracing representation in their products.
Black Paper Party is on a mission to create more inclusive items for Black families to shop for this year. Founded in September 2020 by Madia Willis (chief executive officer), J’Aaron “Jae” Merchant (chief product designer) and Jasmine Hudson (chief merchandising officer), the trio reckoned Black families were underrepresented each holiday. Combining their love for the culture with 25 years of experience in retail, product development, and creative design, they knew it was time to create products that were reflective of the Diaspora.
“Having spent about ten years working in corporate retail and design, creating graphics, print, and pattern, it’s often a struggle to advocate for Black characters that you see on products,” Willis shared with AfroTech. “The reasoning is, ‘That will not sell’ or, there is just not even enough people at the table to advocate for diversity in products, especially in the seasonal market. Being a person of color working in retail was one of the reasons to create the products we are launching now because it is an underserved and untapped market.”
Black Paper Party Offers Inclusive Products For Black Families
Black Paper Party’s 2021 Collection of Gift Wrap and Gift Bags is available now at Black Paper Party or at Target. The products embody the Black holiday experience with reflective designs such as Aunt Holly (everyone’s favorite aunt posed playfully in a Christmas wreath), Winter Scene (a Black Papa and Nana Klaus and Black families celebrating the season in a winter wonderland) and Nutcracker( a fashionably dressed Black Nutcracker in the millennial colors of the season).
You can purchase in multi-packs or individually. Gift bags are also available in sets of threes with different designs.
That’s not all, after placing your now decked-out gifts around the tree, you will need to make sure the tree is nicely decorated to set the tone for the big day. No worries, Black Paper Party has you covered with their ornament sets of the Gnomies (a set of three boys of fabric Gnomies or three girls), two Black children ice skating (a set of two poly-resin ornaments) or a Black Santa and a festive Black couple (a set of two poly-resin ornaments).
After the holidays, Black Paper Party plans to build on its commitment to provide inclusive products for families. Buyers can look forward to stationery items for birthdays, anniversaries and table decor as early as next year.
“We want to be a part of making those memories and helping families enjoy time together, which became even more important because of the pandemic. With everything going on in the world, we are happy to make products that delight in Black families and Black children,” Willis told AfroTech.
