12 Swaps For Radically Progressive Brands So You Can Feel Good About Where You Spend Your Money

Day in and day out, Americans from opposing sides of the political spectrum butt heads about policy. We simply can’t help being like oil and vinegar, with each side standing their ground on which piece of legislation they think would best suit our nation’s values. Should we expand social welfare programs or defund them entirely? Should we boost our defense budget or tone down our military spending? Our worsening polarization is only further exemplified by today’s spiciest social issues: gender identity discourse, race relations, environmental justice, and more.

Where the crowd gathers, major corporations will follow. The marketing direction du jour is overtly selling out to political agendas, and spoiler alert: corporations aren’t catering to right-leaning ideology. “Wokeness” in business apparently matters more than profits, and this fire is fueled by executives adopting environmental, social, and governance (ESG) policies. These days, left-leaning companies love to virtue signal with black squares, political flags in their bios, and by paying thousands for polarizing spokespeople to represent their products. In response, politically neutral and right-of-center individuals feel forced to go on the defensive.

Last August, now-presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy (founder of Strive) told Newsweek that “the role of a depoliticized private sector is to bring us together, whether we are black or white, red or blue. A divided body politic is dangerous, and this problem is caused in part by asset managers who demand that CEOs engage in a political agenda.”

Until mainstream corporations can understand such a simple notion, it’s up to us to embrace the “put your money where your mouth is” mentality as often as possible. Whether these companies more closely match your political values or are politically neutral and have made the (paradoxically) bold statement to not sell out to social justice, these are a few brands you can feel better about shopping with.

Ditch: Nike

This one shouldn’t come as a surprise at all. In the past, Nike stood by Colin Kaepernick while the NFL staged race-baiting protests and made firm promises to cover travel costs for employees seeking abortions. Recently, the sportswear brand enlisted transgender-identified TikTok influencer Dylan Mulvaney as a sports bra model.

Switch: Saysh

Saysh founder Allyson Felix was handed a 70% pay cut from prior sponsor Nike when renegotiating her contract after pursuing motherhood. Disenfranchised by the leading brand, Felix took it upon herself to create her own values-based brand. The Saysh One and Saysh Two sneakers are beautifully designed for women from all walks of life, but the company’s support for pregnant women is particularly notable: If your shoe size changes during pregnancy, Saysh will send you a pair in your new size for free.

Ditch: Target

After 2020’s summer of love, Target proudly embraced accelerating its “diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy” by establishing its Racial Equity Action and Change (REACH) committee. Shortly thereafter, Target decided to sell a prayer book that includes a line that reads: “Dear God, Please help me to hate white people. Or at least to want to hate them… I want to stop caring about their misguided, racist souls, to stop believing that they can be better, that they can stop being racist.”

Books that don’t conform to left-leaning ideologies face outright removal (though are later brought back) from store shelves, like Abigail Shrier’s book Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughters, which questions hormonal and surgical experimentation on children. It appears to be more important for the retail chain to sell “gender-affirming” products such as chest binders, packing underwear, and genderless swimsuits as part of its Pride collaborations!

Let’s also not forget that Target was one of the major brands leading the charge post Roe v. Wade to fund abortion-related travel costs for their employees. 

Switch: Kitson LA

Los Angeles-based retailer Kitson has been made famous by countless Hollywood celebs, especially with the resurgence of the Y2K era trends, but they still actually sell a wide range of men’s and women’s apparel, accessories, and home goods. Interestingly enough, during widespread facial masking mandates in Southern California, Kitson took a genuinely bold stance by banning masks from their retail locations. Other than its now notoriously “red-pilled” social media feed, the company has otherwise maintained a trendy, pop culture focus in its branding that rivals mall staples like Urban Outfitters.

Ditch: Instacart

Last year, singer Lizzo appeared in an Instacart ad during the MTV Video Music Awards to promote their feature Carts. The in-app service curates content from retailers and celebrities like Lizzo, whose cart had Takis, Impossible Meat, and Skittles, among other grocery goods. I don’t know about you, but since I’m a health-minded individual I won’t be shopping Lizzo’s recommendations any time soon.

Instacart was also exposed during the 2020 election for allegedly asking their workers to distribute campaign materials for a California ballot proposition. Instacart’s founder and CEO once also signed his name to a letter in opposition of identification for absentee ballots in Georgia. Furthermore, the brand is no stranger to gender-based and race-based virtue signaling.

Switch: Azure Standard

Though it won’t come as quickly as your Instacart order, Azure Standard is an online grocery retailer with over 12,000 health-focused products. What started as a small, family-owned organic farm grew into a full-scale food delivery service. 

You can either opt to have your bulk grains, fresh and frozen veg, canned goods, grass-fed meats, or whatever groceries you may need shipped directly to your house or you can participate in a community drop. I’m personally a fan of participating in my local Azure Standard community drop, but if you don’t live near a drop location, you can’t go wrong with home delivery – or perhaps you could start your own drop location!

Azure Standard touts productive, wholesome values and has very high standards for selling quality brands. If you’re a health nut like me who also happens to prefer buying quality bulk products and cleaner labels when purchasing packaged, processed food, you’ll love their lineup of goods!

Ditch: Anheuser-Busch

Bud Light is, or perhaps was, the largest beer brand in America. After its recent controversy signing previously mentioned transgender-identified influencer Dylan Mulvaney as a spokesperson, the market value for Bud Light’s parent company Anheuser-Busch has decreased significantly. 

Bud Light placed Mulvaney’s face on commemorative cans, and the company’s VP Alissa Heinerscheid vowed to swap Bud’s “fratty,” “out of touch” branding with a more “inclusive” swap.

In response, music star Kid Rock released a now-viral video where he shot cans of the light beer. Even transgender celebrity Caitlyn Jenner spoke out on Twitter, suggesting people buy Happy Dad Hard Seltzer instead.

Switch: Yuengling

Independent and family-owned Yuengling is considered the oldest brewery in America and sells traditional and light lagers (among many other types of brews) that can be a one-for-one Bud swap.

Even brands like Guinness are distributed by companies that have fallen victim to DEI initiatives, but you’ve actually got a lot of options if you’re looking to imbibe! No, you don’t need “anti-woke” Bud Light knockoffs – your best bet (if not trying Yuengling) is to shop small when it comes to alcoholic beverages.

Bud-boycotters have also recommended Benedictine monastery-brewed Birra Nursia, libertarian-friendly Flying Dog, and though it’s whiskey and not beer, Mike Rowe’s Knobel.

Ditch: Ben & Jerry’s

It’s no secret that Ben & Jerry’s is the darling of the far left. They released an anti-cop ice cream flavor that supported Democrat congressional representative Cori Bush’s campaign. They’ve also randomly spoken out on the Ukraine-Russia crisis and urged customers to participate in a protest march about the Rwandan migrant crisis. Well-known models for corporate activism, this ice cream brand has no shortage of politically-charged ice cream flavors, from a Barack Obama-inspired “Yes Pecan!” to a pro-Colin Kaepernick “Change the Whirled.”

Switch: Cold Stone Creamery

Regional brands are likely the least political, but if you’re looking for a mainstream Ben & Jerry’s swap I’d recommend Cold Stone. The brand’s former CEO is conservative governor of Arizona Doug Ducey, but Cold Stone itself remains mostly a-political. It is worth noting that Cold Stone does engage in some community activism with Best Buddies International and Bethenny Frankel’s bstrong disaster relief initiative. Each location is locally owned and operated.

Ditch: Coca-Cola

Beverage oligopoly Coca-Cola faced scrutiny after siding with Democrats in a legislative fight about election security. They’re a favorite of the World Economic Forum, have followed in lockstep with PepsiCo to “accelerate racial equity” through DEI initiatives, and proudly sell their own Pride Collection.

Switch: Virgil’s

Virgil’s sodas don’t have artificial colors or preservatives, or use GMO-sourced ingredients. Sweetened by plain old cane sugar or a sweetener blend of erythritol and stevia for their zero-sugar line, these sodas are likely better for your health than Coca-Cola’s offerings anyway. As someone who worked in a candy/soda shop, I assure you that taste-wise you can’t go wrong with Virgil’s. All sodas are made in the United States and are part of craft ginger beer manufacturer Reed’s lineup of brands.

Ditch: Lululemon

Remember when Lulu virtue-signaled so hard that they actually posted on Instagram about a workshop on how to “resist capitalism,” despite clearly benefiting from the free market? Well, Lululemon’s diversity and inclusion agenda goes even further. Apparently, the athleisure brand wants to artificially inflate its racial diversity and launched its own Centre for Social Impact to “disrupt inequity.” What’s more, they even work in partnership with far-left LGBT organization The Trevor Project.

Switch: Alphalete

No other piece of activewear has been such a solid one-for-one Lulu swap for me than Alphalete. The materials are buttery-soft and hug your body in all the most figure-flattering ways. 

Texas-based Alphalete was created by fitness YouTuber Christian Guzman who now also operates Houston’s 30,000 sq. ft. gym campus Alphaland, dubbed a fitness fanatic’s Disneyland. This brand is focused on quality athletic attire and inspiring consumers to constantly improve their physical fitness through hard work. 

Ditch: Tampax

Though I would personally warn against most tampon brands, Tampax has made it clear it’s not in alignment with my values time and time again. In 2020, Tampax tweeted, “Fact: Not all women have periods. Also a fact: Not all people with periods are women. Let’s celebrate the diversity of all people who bleed!” 

While they’re certainly correct about the first fact as hormonal imbalances, amenorrhea, menopause, or pregnancy can cause menstrual irregularities, the second “fact” and included “#transisbeautiful” hashtag paints a pretty clear picture of what political message they were trying to convey. After all, if you’ve got a brand ambassador like progressive actress (and considered comedian, by some) Amy Schumer, you’re making a clearly partisan statement.

Switch: Garnuu

It’s kind of puzzling that in today’s political climate, it’s considered controversial to say that only women “menstruate and create life,” but that’s exactly what feminine hygiene brand Garnuu stands by.

Founded in 2020 by Macy Maxson, the brand offers a subscription service for its 100% GOTS Certified and OCS Certified organic cotton tampons. They don’t use fragrance, dyes, or chlorine bleach, and the applicator tube is BPA-free and made from sugar cane. Garnuu also sells 100% medical grade silicone menstrual cups made without BPA, latex, chlorine, or pesticides. 

What’s more, a portion of Garnuu’s subscription sales goes toward Venture, an anti-human trafficking organization in Nepal that promotes feminine hygiene and female entrepreneurship. 

Ditch: The Hershey Company

After pushing women to the wayside on International Women’s Day, #BoycottHersey boomed across social media. The candy company released “HER for SHE” chocolate bars this past March 8, but one of the bars featured the face of a transgender-identified progressive activist named Fae Johnstone. 

Though faced with backlash, the brand doubled down on this political statement, which is unsurprising considering their history of lofty environmental goals, prioritizing Pride Month, and standing in “solidarity” during riots sparked by the death of George Floyd.

Switch: Lily’s

While you certainly could purchase Jeremy Boreing’s chocolate bars, created as a direct reaction to the Hershey controversy, a less politically-charged confectionary option (and objectively healthier, which may or may not matter to you) would be Lily’s. 

Certified Fair Trade, non-GMO, gluten-free, and sweetened without processed or refined sugars, Lily’s was founded in 2010 by founders Cynthia and Chuck, whose niece Lily survived childhood brain cancer. As such, a portion of Lily's proceeds goes toward non-profit childhood cancer organizations. 

Ditch: KIND

No, not even backpack snacks are safe from politics. Last year, KIND partnered with brand ambassador Dylan Mulvaney for World Kindness Day. Mulvaney wrote in one TikTok video caption that KIND was part of a “trans welcome basket” for celebrating the occasion.

In the past, KIND has also been very forthcoming about addressing “racial inequities” by partnering with the National Collaborative for Health Equity, donating $100,000 to racial justice organizations, releasing a KIND EQUALITY-branded bar, and changing its packaging for the KIND Kids products to be more diverse.

Switch: Bulletproof

Originally founded in 2011 by Dave Asprey for the quickly-famous beverage Bulletproof Coffee, Bulletproof has expanded its product lineup to snack bars, protein bars, powdered collagen peptides, supplements, and more. The science behind low-carb, high-fat diets is certainly not settled, but these bars are arguably a better replacement for KIND products for using grass-fed collagen protein and quality fats. 

Though Asprey stepped down as CEO in 2019, his involvement with the brand is worth noting in this list since he later went on the record criticizing Covid-19 lockdown protocols.

Ditch: Kate Spade

Clearly, Dylan Mulvaney’s recent amassing of brand ambassador deals has tipped us off to more politically progressive aligned brands than we could have even imagined! Kate Spade just partnered with Mulvaney in a video to promote their spring collection, in which Mulvaney tried on a pink, feminine dress and paired it with a purse and shoes. Though Kate Spade is arguably less political than the other brands on this list, it is worth including as this partnership comes at a controversial time.

Switch: Vince Camuto

It’s quite challenging to find a fashion brand that isn’t overtly progressive without it also being a major splurge for most consumers. That said, Vince Camuto appears to have not made any definitive political moves and is a fabulous swap for stylish, timeless handbags and shoes, though they are most well-known for the latter. 

First-generation Italian-American Vince Camuto drew inspiration from his European roots for his brand’s creative vision. According to their website, the Vince Camuto brand remains “committed to his values,” which include his “Italian roots, his craftsman’s eye, and genius for design.”

Ditch: Maybelline

Unsurprisingly, we have another brand that’s okay with womanhood being used as a costume. Many cosmetics companies are very socially progressive, but Maybelline took it a step further recently by also partnering with Dylan Mulvaney. To get “glam” for Day 365 of “being a girl,” Mulvaney dressed in a fluffy, tulle dress and grinned in excitement while putting on Maybelline products.

This isn’t Maybelline’s only venture into activism, however. Though their post is now deleted, Maybelline joined other top beauty brands in the 2020 racially-charged movement to donate funds for “inclusivity, equality, and justice.” More recently, Maybelline worked in partnership with an Australian gaming tournament to tackle gender-related bullying.

“Since the launch of our Brave Together initiative in 2022, it has been our passion to learn more about the lived experiences of women, non-binary people and other LGBTQIA+ communities to understand where more work needs to be done,” said Maybelline marketing director Alexandra Shadbolt.

Switch: Hope Beauty

Founded by White House alum Hope Harvard, this cosmetics brand is rooted in firm values. According to their website, Hope Beauty products are “inspired by the Biblical beauty of the women in Scripture,” made in America with Passover-friendly products, and use ethically-sourced, cruelty-free, paraben-free ingredients. 

Closing Thoughts

Let me be abundantly clear, I’ve grown weary of the word “woke.” Calling a brand “woke” obscures the actual issue at hand. The word gets used warmly by progressives to praise their socially-aware activists, but since that social awareness is manufactured, it really means nothing. Companies aren’t just “going woke” to capitalize on trendy consumeristic habits either; they’re falling in lockstep with an unorganized, but seemingly coordinated effort between consumer industries, government agencies, and educational institutions to set ESG as America’s new standard. 

Though our nation was founded in direct opposition to totalitarian overreach, our government now works directly with ESG investors to redefine our free market. Corporate America is now an ideological war zone, and consumers aren’t having it. In a recent survey, over three-quarters of Americans said they are more likely to support politically neutral businesses that tolerate customer and employee viewpoints from both sides of the aisle. I do value brands that are unapologetically American, but frankly, we don’t need to create conservative alternatives to companies that have sold out to progressivism. We need more ideologically neutral brands that care more about delivering amazing products to their customers than exploiting the social justice trend of the day.

Readers make our world go round. Make your voice heard in the official Evie reader survey.