Resource Roundup! The Ultimate Guide to Finding Black-Owned Planner and Planner Product Companies

Ever since I posted this article about the planner companies I am not supporting, I have been researching the answer to the question many people are asking: Now that we are not relying on our old standby planner companies, where should we take our business?

Planner and planner supplies are big business

My entry into the planner world pretty much started with Pinterest. There is no better place to scroll through photos and links to blog review of various planners than the ultimate vision board that is Pinterest.

I looked at the pros and cons of each planner that popped up on my feed and learned about how differently planners can vary. This meant understanding the different kinds of bindings (rings, discs, coils, book), covers (hard vs. soft covered, traveler’s notebooks, padded binders), and paper quality (different paper weights, Tomoe river paper, and the lovely scented Mohawk).

The next thing I knew, I was learning that people were using planner for more than to-do lists and appointments. I discovered goal planners, wellness planners, wedding planners, academic planners, and budget planners, in addition to planners that had monthly, weekly, and daily layouts.

It was a whole new world of shopping. That’s right. For many of us who enjoy planners, it’s as much about the retail therapy as it is about staying organized. And, we spend a lot of money on planners and planner supplies.

According to one article I found, in 2018, Americans spent over $380 million on paper planners and more than $3.6 million on planner accessories. That is a pretty decent sales market, considering we are in the digital age and most of our devices come with an electronic version of a calendar at no additional cost.

While you can easily find an inexpensive planner at big box retailers such as Target or Walmart, online stores like Amazon, and office supply stores like Staples or Office Depot, many women aspire to own high end planners.

Companies such as Simplified by Emily Ley, Erin Condren, and Day Designer all sell beautifully crafted planners with thick, luxurious paper, a variety of covers, and signature emblems. And, you can end up spending upwards of $60 or more on the planner alone.

And, because of that, as with any luxury item, planners have become objects of desire- much like a coveted high end purses or designer shoes. But, that means that just a few businesses are literally cornering the market on planners.

I have been no exception. I also came to appreciate well-designed planners, pretty paper, and fun accessories. But, I’m hoping this is the year I start to branch out a bit.

Why consider buying from Black-owned businesses?

As promised, I have been doing a lot of research on racism. While I have concentrated a good bit of my studies on the criminal justice system (I’m a criminal defense attorney, after all), I have also been looking into the true meaning of “systemic racism” or “institutional racism.”

Look up the term “systemic racism,” and you will find a ton of articles on the definition, some of which have been posted recently due to renewed interest following the inexcusable killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor.

They are all a version of this one that I found on USAToday.com. According to NAACP President Derrick Johnson, systemic racism refers to “systems and structures that have procedures or processes that disadvantages African Americans.”

The article further quotes Glenn Harris, president of Race Forward, who explains that “systemic racism creates disparities in many ‘success indicators’ including wealth, the criminal justice system, employment, housing, health care, politics and education.” 

So, while the news media seems to focus mostly on white supremacists’ defending confederate monuments or how law enforcement officers treat people of color, systemic racism touches upon other aspects of everyday life. And, there is no factor more pervasive than wealth and business.

When white people, like me, look up articles about “how we can help” combat systemic racism, one of the most recommended actions is to “buy black.”

As this CNBC.com article explains, supporting black businesses “is a way for non-black people to show true allyship, . . . rather than just saying they support Black Lives Matter or another movement.” In short, we can start to combat racism by putting our money where our mouths are.

I encourage folks to read this article from GreenAmerica.org, which explains how buying from Black businesses has benefits that include closing the racial wealth gap, strengthening local economies, creating jobs, celebrating Black culture, and holding other companies accountable. Besides, this is America, and we all know that competition is good for consumers!

So, when I thought about the amount of money I spend each year on planners and planner supplies, I knew that one way to start expanding my spending habits to include Black-owned businesses would be to start in the planner world. And, now that I’ve begun this work, I wish I had started a while ago. There are so many amazing options!

Where to find Black-owned planner businesses

I know I’ve said this before, but I love to research. And, I truly don’t know what I would do without the internet to provide me with the tools to research and find whatever it is that I am looking for.

That said, I am sure that in the past few weeks that I have been looking for Black-owned planner companies, I have only uncovered the tip of the iceberg. And, that is because there are so many ways to run a planner or planner accessory business.

I first stumbled upon recommendations for these planner supplies on Instagram (IG). In response to some planner companies that have been criticized for their racist or privileged practices, IG comments have included recommendations for companies that are either Black-owned or are committed to being allies.

This one by @Kelliplansitall, lists planner companies if you scroll to the right. These include both Black-owned companies and non-Black-owned companies that are engaged in anti-racism efforts:

View this post on Instagram

Hi planner community. There are lots of you who are dismayed with the behavior of @erincondren and are trying to make sense of where to go from here. I don’t claim to have all the answers, but these slides contain my thoughts as well as other planner brands to research. It’s not an exhaustive list – these are just the brands I am aware of. Please tag any other brands the community should consider in the comments. EC might be cancelled but YOU are not. I am holding grace for everyone who uses EC currently – you are allowed time to be mad, time to regroup, time to save up money and all of that before changing to another brand. Some of you with deeper pockets might be able to make the change in a month or two, others might not be able to make a change until the next planner launch. As long as you are making strides, we are gonna stumble through all this learning & growing together 🖤 Edited to add: There is a Plan Black story highlight on my profile now! I’ll continue to share more Black-owned planners & planner accessory brands there as I find them!

A post shared by Kelli 📒🖊 🎭 🎤 🏰🧜🏻‍♀️ (she/her) (@kelliplansitall) on Jun 18, 2020 at 1:34pm PDT

Instagram and Twitter

Moreover, if you use the search feature with these hashtags, “#buyblack,” “#blackowned,” and “#blackbusiness,” you will find all manner of Black-owned companies selling a variety of goods and services. And, you can use the same searches on Twitter!

I followed the trail, and once I found some black-owned planner supply companies, I looked to see which IG accounts they were following, which led me to more black-owned planner companies. The planner community is quite interconnected and supportive, so it’s not hard to uncover planner publishers, sticker makers, and other stationery creatives using this method.

Google Internet Searches

I also went with my old standby, Google. My search revealed a few articles that led me to additional planner companies through blog articles such as these:

• Shoppe Black’s article, (published in 2019) “Black Owned Stationery Businesses You Should Know.”
• 21Ninety.com’s article, (published in 2018) “Black Stationery Brands to Buy all Your 2018 Planning Goods From” (note that after checking the links, only the link to “Moe Melanin” had issues.)
• TheCulture.ForHarriet.com’s article, (published in 2016) “5 Black-Woman Owned Shops to Buy Your Stationery, Cards, and Notebooks From” (note that after checking the links, (only the link to “Special Touch Designs” had an issue).

A Starter List of Black-Owned Planner and Planner Accessory Shops

Online Websites

Some of these I found through Instagram, and others by pure luck. I know this list is in no way complete, but I urge you to check out the following sites (listed in no particular order):

• Cloth and Paper– found on IG @cloth_and_paper, has minimally designed but luxurious planners and accessories. They sell both ring and disc bounds planner and planner inserts, in addition to pens, stationery items, and a monthly subscription box. These are high end planners, and I will be saving up for shopping in this sophisticated store!
• Notiq– much like Cloth and Paper, this company sells gorgeous, luxury planners and planner accessories. They also carry pens, travel cases, notebooks, and other stationery items. See them on IG @notiqbrand.
• Ivory Paper Co.– also sells a variety of planner accessories, but what makes them so unique is their All in One paper planner. This o-ring bound planner has monthly, weekly, and daily layouts all in one planner! As someone who uses multiple planners, I’m intrigued! Check out their IG- @ivorypaperco.
• The Fabulously Creative– Known on IG @sofabulously_creative, this shop has beautiful stickers, die cuts, inserts and accessories to go in any planner.
• CondaXOXO Co. – sells stickers, dashboards and other merchandise. I love that they have both decorative and functional stickers! Check out their IG @condaxoxoco.
• Planneraesthetic– has an amazing collection of planner stickers, including functional, faith, posh, and “recharge,” which are beautiful stickers focusing on self-care. They’re on IG @planner_aesthetic.
• Mariposa Studios– sells both decorative and functional stickers, including figures in a range of skin tones. This is in addition to other accessories such as disc-bound covers, folders, and bookmarks. Found on IG @mariposastudios.
• Cookie Sticker Co.– obviously sells stickers, as its name implies, but this company also has washi tape and digital downloads. Check their IG @cookiestickerco.
• JD and Brooklyn– sells stickers, washi, and other planner accessories such as cute page markers, decorative paper clips, and adhesive pocket squares that you can personalize. Follow on IG @jdandbrooklyn.
• Dallas Gordon– known on IG as @dgjournalco is a blogger, business coach and marketing expert who sells notebooks and stationery supplies such as cute paper clips, beautiful pens, journals, sticky notes, and a host of other products.
• Goldmine & Coco– has an impressive collection of planner accessories including stickers, planner inserts, notebooks, erasable calendars, dashboards and other stationery items. (At the time of this post, they were moving, so inventory is low until they’re settled in their new shop). Follow on IG @goldmineandcoco.
• Oh So Paper Co.- Although closed until August 2020, this planner shop has a great collection of stickers, notebooks and other merchandise. To get a feel for their products, check out their IG @ohsopaperco.
• Vin Von Aly by Michelle Winter is a faith-based business that sells stickers, sticky notes, die cuts, and other supplies for both planning and bible journaling. Follow on IG @vinvonaly.

Etsy

One great place to find unique goods from small businesses is on Etsy.com. As they self-proclaim, Etsy “is a global online marketplace, where people come together to make, sell, buy, and collect unique items.”

Etsy has done a great job of promoting Black-owned businesses on its site. It has even devoted this page, where you can start shopping for everything from candles to furniture.

When I searched on its browser feature, I was able to find a ton of black-owned shops. Again, I’m sure this list is not comprehensive, but it should give folks some options for trying Black-owned businesses that sell planners and planner accessories. They are also in no particular order:

• Procrastiplanner Etc. – has planner supplies for writers who procrastinate. So, pretty much all writers. 😉 Seriously, I love all of the functional planner stickers in this collection!
• Copper and Brass Paper – sells stationery including notebooks, sticky notes, cards, and even gift wrap. You can find them on IG @copperandbrasspapergoods.
• Sparkle and Shine Designs Co.– has a great collection of planner stickers, charms, and decorative paper clips. The hand-lettered functional stickers are amazing. Check out their IG @sparkleandshinedesignsco.
• Inc Graphics– sells notebooks, agendas, and planners. They carry a great selection of notebooks with covers for historically Black colleges.
• Khaos and Kreations– sells stickers, die cuts, and printables that are both functional and decorative. Of all their stickers, I think the Starbucks ones are my favorite.
• QT Planner Co. – has a great selection of stickers and sticker collections for any occasion or theme. It is a great place to shop if you like to make a cohesive planner spread on your weekly or monthly layouts. Find them on IG @qtplannerco
• Naomi Love Designs– carries a wide assortment of planner accessories including stickers, dashboards, journaling cards, and hand-drawn characters. They are on IG @naomilovedesigns.
• Shays Budget Shop– If you use a budget planner, this is a great resource for budget-themed stickers. They sell budget stickers, budget sticker kits, and debt trackers. For more budgeting info, follow her on IG @shaybudgets.
• Krafted by Kayy– sells stickers, notebooks, journals, dashboards for 6-ring binder planners, and covers that fit the Happy Planner disc-bound planners.
• Stickers by Rhonda– carries a huge array of stickers and sticker packs, many of which come in various skin tones and hair styles. The stickers are both decorative and functional. You can find her on IG @stickersbyrhonda.
• Cbyfashionlistically– in addition to T-shirts and mugs, this company sells beautiful stickers and notebooks.
• Afro-Cutie Designs– sells planning sheets and habit trackers in addition to clipart and SVG graphics.
• xo Bliss– has a great variety of Happy Planner covers as well as its own planner, notebooks, printables, and stickers. Find on IG @shopxobliss.
• Elaine Michelle Studio– has a wide array of stickers. From elegant to cute characters as well as functional stickers and sticker bundles, there is something for every planner. Check out on IG @elainemichellestudio.
• Freckled Sticker Co. – known on IG as @freckledstickerco, carries a nice assortment of decorative and functional stickers and die cuts. The handlettered ones are particularly fun.
• Tawana Simone – for folks who are into paper doll decorative stickers for their planners, this shop has a great selection. Some even vary by skin tone and body shape. Follow on IG @tawanasimone.
• TwentyFive Collection– sells mostly character stickers. They women range from young and sassy to more mature and professional. Another great resource for those who like to add characters to their planners. Found on IG @twenty_five_collection.
• Pink Prescription – is yet another store that specializes in paper doll/character stickers. The artwork on these is truly beautiful and they come in a huge variety of themes. Check out IG @pinkprescriptionsc.

Buying from Black-owned businesses is one way we can help to close the race-wealth gap. If you are looking for more resources check out these websites:

• WeBuyBlack.com– touted as the Amazon.com marketplace of African-American owned businesses- you can find anything from clothing and accessories to home décor and body care essentials.
• Official Black Wallstreet – the largest app and digital platform helping consumers find, review, and support Black-owned businesses.
• ApartmentTherapy.com– Apartment Therapy has a listing of “83 Black-Owned Businesses in the Home Space To Support.”

When it comes to planner supplies, we can not only be loyal customers, but we can get into a rut- buying the same types of accessories from the same companies. By branching out and purchasing from Black-owned stores, we not only support these businesses, we can change up the look of our planners!

As I purchase products from these various shops, my plan is to review them in future articles. I’ve also included (wherever possible) the Instagram accounts for these shops, so I encourage following them as well! If I haven’t listed one, but you know the IG account, please leave a comment, and I’ll update this article accordingly.

Again, I know that I have only scratched the surface with the list I have provided here, but I hope it helps folks to branch out and try different planner companies. Which Black-owned planner brands did I miss and can add to this list? Leave a comment below!

*Photos by various artist on Pixabay.