Worker-Owned Alternatives
Same products you already buy, from businesses owned by the people who make them.
Instead of Amazon
These worker-owned businesses sell the same products and ship nationwide.
Coffee, tea, and chocolate from a pioneer worker co-op since 1986.
Flours, baking mixes, and ingredients. Employee-owned since 2004.
Outdoor gear, clothing, candy, and housewares. Employee-owned general store.
Pharmacy, health, and wellness products. Employee-owned since 1952.
Handmade ceramics, jewelry, textiles, and art. A co-op alternative to Etsy.
Durable workwear and everyday clothing. Worker-owned in the US.
Fair-trade organic coffee roasted in Madison, WI since 2001.
Books, zines, and coffee from a worker-owned bookstore in Baltimore.
Whole grains, oats, flours, and baking staples. Employee-owned.
Spices, seasonings, and bulk herbs. Member-owned co-op since 1976.
Instead of Etsy
Etsy takes up to 15% in fees from makers. These worker-owned shops sell handmade goods directly, keeping 100% of the sale.
Handmade ceramics, jewelry, textiles, and art. A co-op marketplace built by the makers themselves.
Art prints, posters, and social movement graphics. Worker-owned artist collective since 1998.
Yarn and fiber arts supplies. Worker-owned mill in Vermont since 1981.
Handcrafted shoes and sandals. Worker-owned, made by hand in Oregon.
Handwoven textiles and clothing. Women-owned weaving cooperative in Guatemala.
Artist paints and supplies. Employee-owned manufacturer in New York.
Custom furniture and woodworking. Worker-owned shop in Brooklyn.
Books, zines, patches, and stickers. Worker-owned indie publisher in Portland.
Instead of Spotify
These worker-owned platforms let you support musicians directly.
Music downloads and streaming. Worker-owned platform where artists set their own prices.
Music marketplace for records and digital downloads. Multi-stakeholder co-op connecting fans to artists.
Music streaming with a listen-to-own model. Co-op owned by artists and listeners.
Experimental and improvised music recordings. Artist-owned cooperative label.
Instead of Audible
Audible is Amazon. Libro.fm is 100% employee-owned and splits profits with an independent bookstore you choose.
DRM-free audiobooks from a catalog of 600,000+ titles. 100% employee-owned, B Corp. 28% of revenue stays local vs 4% with Amazon.
Instead of Corporate News
These media outlets are owned by the journalists and writers who produce them.
Sports and culture journalism. Worker-owned since the staff walked out of Deadspin in 2020.
Investigative tech and internet journalism. Worker-owned by former Motherboard reporters.
Video game journalism and criticism. Worker-owned, independent, no ads.
New York City local news. Worker-owned newsroom covering NYC.
Statewide news and investigative reporting. Journalist-owned, nonprofit.
Minneapolis arts, culture, and local news. Worker-owned local media.
Streaming video and documentaries. Worker-owned streaming service.
Podcast network with dozens of shows. Employee-owned since 2023.
Why shop worker-owned?
- Workers keep the profits. At a co-op, revenue is shared among the people who do the work.
- Better wages, better conditions. Worker-owners set their own pay and working conditions together.
- Same products, different model. These co-ops sell the same coffee, books, and clothing you already buy. The difference is where the money goes.
- Local and sustainable. Most worker co-ops are small, community-rooted businesses.