Origins of YAM
Our story starts like many of the brands you'll find here: with a dream of building something of our own. Something made in our own image, built to last, and able to lift others as we lift ourselves. That something became YAM, a marketplace where Black-owned brands are the standard, not a category.
Our Mission
Our mission is simple: make it effortless to find and support Black-owned brands without compromising on quality. Every brand here is independently owned and verified. Every order puts money directly in the hands of the people who built it. We succeed when you leave with something you love and a brand you'll come back to.
Our Vision
We're building the premier destination for Black-owned brands: a place where shopping Black-owned isn't a scavenger hunt across the internet, but one store with one cart. As the roster grows, the promise stays the same. Independent brands. Verified ownership. Quality first.
Our Brands
YAM's story isn't ours alone. Every brand on this marketplace is independently owned, and every one is here because we'd buy from it ourselves. A few of our founding brands below, and the full roster after them.
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Be first to know when new Black-owned brands and new pieces land on the marketplace.
Lakay Goods
Lakay is a woman-owned, family-operated business with deep ties to northern Haiti, particularly L'Artibonite. Like many Haitian Americans across the U.S., their bond to home remains strong. Lakay is more than a business. It's a bridge to ancestral roots, traditions, and well-being, through teas, honey, and Haitian staples.
Krèm au Krèm
Krèm au Krèm handcrafts beauty products for sensitive skin, born from frustration with greenwashing in the beauty industry and its real mental, physical, and financial cost. Small batches, honest ingredients.
YAM
YAM's own line carries the essence of the marketplace: quality pieces and an ode to culture, from the Monochrome collection to limited runs made for the moments that matter.
The Full Roster
DESERI — structured handbags and clutches: Rosa, Maya, Halo, Diva.
The Bag Icon — statement bags, from trunk bags to woven clutches.
DIALLO — menswear built on classic American sportswear.
SIROBÈ — skincare matched to your skin type.
L'Jai Amor — handmade statement capes.
Black Renaissance — art classics reimagined with Black subjects.
Stroke of Art — original paintings on canvas, poster, and apparel.
OMAGE — tees and prints honoring Black icons.
Alaffia — fair-trade body care rooted in West African ingredients.
DrinkO'kra — the world's first sparkling okra water
Shop the marketplace
Every purchase supports an independent Black-owned brand directly.