This Wednesday,听the day before Thanksgiving, a group of companies with women founders or CEOs are banding together to encourage people to shop one another鈥檚 brands.听
Called , it鈥檚 the brainchild of 听cofounder Cassie Abel, who began planning the campaign just last month when she and her business partner decided to launch their holiday sale the week before Thanksgiving.
There must be a women鈥檚 shopping holiday, she thought. There wasn鈥檛. So she decided to start one. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of conversation about the pay gap, and there鈥檚 a lot of conversation about the lack of women at the top,鈥 she says.听Abel wanted to balance that out by helping boost exposure for the numerous brands that already have women in charge.
Over 80 brands are on board this year. The only requirement for participation is to promote the campaign and encourage customers and followers to shop women-led brands, similar to Small Business Saturday. (Because of the short notice, not all are offering sales, though that鈥檚 the intention for future years.) Abel says she hopes Women-Led Wednesday will become an annual holiday听and that the website will serve as a hub for consumers looking for companies led by women.
Here are a few products we love from this year鈥檚 participating brands.
Kate鈥檚 Real Food Ten-Bar Gift Box ($30)
In the years she spent听ski-bumming in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Kate Shade developed a homemade energy-bar recipe that kept her energized and happy during long days lapping the resort鈥檚 famous tram. Now those bars have turned into a business. This 听features a sampling of the company鈥檚 six flavors鈥攁ll made in small batches with ingredients like oats, brown rice, chocolate, and dried fruit鈥攊ncluding the original Tram Bar that started it all.
Wild Rye Mauna Kea Raglan Base Layer ($109)
Abel and fellow cofounder Katy Hover-Smoot left jobs at Smith and Specialized, respectively, to start Wild Rye, a company that makes ski base layers and mountain-bike apparel for women. Their muted colorways, fun prints, and spot-on fit have earned them fast popularity. The latest addition to their line is听the , made of superfine, supersoft merino wool with a slightly loose fit that鈥檚 comfortable without being baggy.
Sherpa Kalpana Hike Tights ($80)
High mountains and Himalayan culture run deep in this brand, which was founded by a Sherpa听(and now has a woman CEO). But the company makes more than just technical mountaineering apparel. We love the , which feature an abrasion-resistant nylon-Spandex blend, a wide waistband, and zippered pockets on each thigh.
Sh*t That I Knit Carlisle Beanie ($100)
This high-end hat company grew out of founder Christina Fagan鈥檚 lifelong passion for knitting. Fagan designs the hats and then outsources the knitting to a group of Peruvian women who work from their homes. We love all the styles and their soft Peruvian wool and hand-knit quality, but the is an instant classic.
Pappy and Company Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon-Barrel-Aged Pure Maple Syrup ($38)
Old Rip Van Winkle is some of the most sought-after whiskey in the country (premium distiller听Pappy Van Winkle听releases just a few thousand bottles once a year). Pappy Van Winkle鈥檚 triplet great-granddaughters now run a spin-off business of their own, selling everything from bourbon-barrel cutting boards to this , which sits in Pappy Van Winkle barrels before being bottled.