The holiday season is upon us and this year it’s going to be a little different. Regardless of whether you’re doing a Zoom family get-together or braving the madness, we can all use a little something-something to keep the spirits high and anxiety real low.
Whether you’re getting gifts for your family, partner, friends, or just treating your own damn self (which you should be …you made it through this year so you deserve it) we’re here to help you support small independent businesses, which is why we put together a list of products that we not only love but whose founders and values we fuck with.
If this year has taught us anything, it’s the power of collective agency, and though we can all breathe a little easier after having voted in a new administration, the same intentional movement can apply to cannabis.
So WTF does voting with your dollar mean when it comes to your weed?
Supporting equitable and inclusive companies by purchasing products from them.
There are some crazy stats out there. Only 2.2% of venture capital funding went to womxn in 2018, less than .1% of funding has been allocated to Black womxn since 2009, less than 1% supports openly LGBTQ+ founders, and only about 1% of venture-backed companies have a Black founder or Latinx founder.
What that means is that in order for these companies to maintain their portion of the proverbial pie, they need to work harder and smarter with less support and less backing.
These products are primarily based in California. If your local CA dispensary does not carry them, you can support these small businesses by asking for them or requesting they be carried at your local spot.
JOINTS + FLOWER
It’s no secret that we’re a fan of SF Roots. Morris Kelly is an equity applicant and a self-funded founder. Morris has been dropping fire Al Ajo OG for an SF Roots x Al Freshko collab that sold out… but insider tip: a little 6’5 ft bird told us they may be doing a re-up.
Our Dream gift for: the cannabis connoisseur in your life.
This womxn-owned-and-operated company was founded by Nina Parks, an equity advocate out of the Bay Area. Gift of Doja’s love and intention shows in the quality of flower, packaging, and strain names they put out on the regular. If high vibration weed is a thing, this is it.
Our Dream gift for: your auntie, sister, mom, girlfriend, or partner.
This Black-owned and family operated brand out of Oakland is making waves with their sun-grown Legend OG strain – a classic, true-to-form Kush with reliably high potency. Their half-ounce jar is sure to be appreciated by the heavy smoker in your life. Did we mention that
Cannabis of Fire does delivery in the Bay Area? Last-minute gift shoppers rest easy!
Our Dream gift for: your brother, dad, cousin, or friend who appreciates quality indoor.
KGB Reserve’s sauce pens are some of the smoothest and tastiest pens we’ve tried. Mike Davila, KGB Reserve’s CEO, is a Cuban Miami native who grew up growing weed since he was young. We’re not gonna put him on blast and give you his age, but let’s just say he’s been doing this a really long time. Mike currently runs KGB Reserve out of the Bay Area and his dedication to ensuring that quality stays at its ultimate highest, oftentimes means that some of their Torpedo 1g joints and Bambino 1/2g kief-painted joints are often out of stock…. so if you see them available, we suggest copping a few.
Our Dream gift for: your uncle or friend who’s always complaining that there isn’t enough good weed available.
Smoking Paraphernalia
Munisa Ceramics by Isabela Muñoz are handmade smoking accessories made from ceramic and designed to look like vibrant pieces of ripe fruit. What we love about Isabela’s work is that all of her pipes also double as pieces of art that you’ll want to display on your coffee table, and that was her intention. Because cannabis is still taboo in her Mexican culture, which is why she’s making an effort to brake down those barriers with smoke-ware we’re proud of.
House of Puff is delivering the stylist smoking accessories you didn’t know were an option. Cue their Borealis Cigarette Holder, handcrafted by a Black artist in New Mexico, an opera-inspired accessory that makes any joint looks that much more fabulous.
Our Dream gift for: A perfect gift for the little sister or chic cousin who used to hit you up for that loud in highschool.
Womxn-and-minority-founded accessory company Nekktar’s BUZZBOX is the answer to all your on-the-go cannabis storage needs. Its stylish odor and water resistant double compartment design means you can discreetly store up to three full-size prerolls in the top and either a gram of loose leaf or a few of your favorite edible products in the bottom.
Our Dream gift for: the chronic smoker who always has one rolled for the road.
Vancouver, BC native Emily Leung is taking the Great White North by storm with her accessory brand Ohai. Support this womxn-led small business while gifting their classy Jayde crystal pipe. This sleek, bougie friend rests perfectly on the edge of the bathtub for the self-care guru in your life.
Our Dream gift for: the glamorous smoker in your life.
EDIBLES
Our friends over at Sonder, an LGBTQ+ owned and operated company, cooked up a new product this year that’s literally popping off and delivering sweet 90’s nostalgia. We challenge you to not break a smile from ear to ear as their THC-infused Space Crystals (yes, cannabis Pop Rocks) sizzle and pop on your tongue. This sweet treat offers an amazing low-dose experience making a perfect stocking-stuffer. Hot tip: sprinkle the Stoned Fruit Space Crystals on vanilla ice cream. You can thank us later.
Our Dream gift for: your millennial friend who needs a little snack, crackle, and pop in their lives.
Talk about a collab of our dream(s). Both Potli and Aster Farms are womxn-led companies that have teamed up to come out with a limited release extra virgin olive oil. Their EVOO is cold-pressed, sustainably sourced, and infused with a full spectrum of cannabinoids from Aster Farms. For those who are tripped out about dosing properly, the Potli x Aster Farms collab contains 8 mg of THC per serving and conveniently comes with 20ml dosing spoons to ensure you’re not over or undergoing it.
Our Dream gift for: the chef in your life who’s looking to get a lil more creative with their edibles.
Where do we even begin? Calexo has something for everyone: a rich and wholesome story, stunning design, and an all-natural way to enjoy cannabis without smoking. These sparkling drinks marry fruit juices, botanicals, and 10mg of nano-emulsified THC into an adorable bottle for your social enjoyment. Designed as an alcohol alternative, Calexo’s onset is around 15 minutes, and offset is about an hour. Calexo comes in two flavors: Citrus Rose and Cucumber Citron spritzers
Our Dream gift for: the canna-curious friend, aunt, or parent.
TOPICALS
Ojo De La Sol is a Latina owned and operated medicinal cannabis business founded by Dania Cabello, a former professional athlete who has spent over a decade studying the plant. Ojo De La Sol’s relief salve is sustainably made and created to help reduce inflammation for those with joint pain or even for those of us with cramps or just need a little relief after a hard workout.
For your bath-enthusiast-friend, Ojo De La Sol also has infused bath salts that will help flush those holiday toxins and ease muscle tension.
Our Dream gifts for: your best friend that is a die hard workout enthusiast or parents with arthritis…..Ojo De La Sol is age-inclusive!
CBD
Xula (pronounced “choo-luh”) is a BIPOC womxn-led hemp brand that is centering wellness and empowering womxn “…and femmes feel good in their bodies through the transformative power of herb” and their product do just that. Their thoughtful line of tinctures includes different types of herbs support different needs. We particularly are fans of their “ah!” tincture that is a mix of CBD, passionflower, damania, and blue vervain to help restore a sense of clarity and calmness. And for those who are new to what these herbs do, you can check out their site and click each ingredient to see what it has traditionally been used for.
Our Dream gift for: your mom, sister, aunt, or girlfriend.
Kimberly Dillon is a powerhouse who has created a beauty line that takes into account our mental health. What does that even mean? It’s simple, when we’re stressed out and feeling anxious, it takes a toll on our physical appearance. The Attuning Face Potion is a nourishing face oil with full spectrum cannabidiol (CBD) oil and omega-rich sea buckthorn oil to soothe any inflammation while protecting the skin’s moisture barrier. It’s also non-comedogenic, smells like a spa, and you can feel good knowing that it’s also in an amber bottle to ensure it doesn’t oxidize.
Our Dream gift for: the skincare guru in your life.
It’s no secret we love Barbari co-founders Meryl Montgomery and Valarie Sakota. These ladies have taken over the herbal spliff market – so you don’t need to worry about smoking a full cannabis preroll if you don’t want to. Barbari offers fun blends like Airplane Mode, Car Sex, and Muse to take your smoking game to the next level.
Our Dream gift for: the artistic, creative friend who’s so hard to shop for.
Who doesn’t love chocolate in their stocking? The new Glow Bar by Undefined Beauty is made of vegan chocolate with full spectrum CBD, adaptogens, and has a low glycemic index to help restore a more tranquil headspace and ensure there’s no blood sugar spike after your afternoon sweet-tooth-craving.
