Absynia
Absynia offers artisan jewelry inspired by the African diaspora handcrafted by designer Elle Lewis. Lewis got her start by repurposing broken jewelry, and soon began making her own using ethically sourced materials. Eyes, suns and ginkgo leaves are common motifs in her designs.
Chalises Heavenly Inspired sells skin care items at the 22nd Hot Corner Celebration & Soul Food Festival in downtown Athens, Georgia, on Saturday, June 11, 2022. Hosted by the Hot Corner Association, the annual festival held at the corner of Washington and Hull streets celebrates African-American businesses in the community. (Photo/Jessica Gratigny; @jgratphoto)
Chalises Heavenly Inspired
Founder Adrienne Chappell makes natural skin and hair care products like homemade soaps, bath bars, sugar scrubs, men’s grooming goods and more. Chalises has a permanent location in Winterville and can often be found at pop-ups and farmers markets around Athens.
MEplusTEA
Precious Jones has been perfecting her curation of loose-leaf tea since 2017. Her company, MEplusTEA, combines high quality tea from around the world with locally grown herbs to create a wide range of flavors. You can find their loose-leaf tea, as well as gift sets, iced teas, brewing tools and their medicinal Tea.pothecary line at the Athens Farmers Market every Saturday. They also offer tea tasting for private events, allowing guests to sample their flavors and take a gift set home.
Precious Jones, founder of MEplusTEA, poses for a portrait at Beechwood in Athens, Georgia, on Monday, Feb. 19, 2024. MEplusTEA is grounded in herbal wellness by combining loose-leaf teas from around the world with locally grown herbs, creating a powerful unity of community near and far. (Photo/Landen Todd @whats_landophoto)
Shalom Silkies
UGA junior Gabrielle Adekogbe founded Shalom Silkies in 2020, turning her passion for sewing into a custom bonnet brand. They offer adjustable and reversible silk bonnets, pillowcases and scrunchies in dozens of colors, all made by hand.
Charles Pinckney
Charles Pinckney is a metalsmith from South Carolina. Predominantly a self-taught artist, he crafts jewelry and small sculptures out of metal, wood and stone, mediums he first began using at only nine years old. Find him at local festivals and markets.
This article was originally published in The Red & Black spring/summer 2024 Visitors Guide.