International Women’s Day on 8th March is a global moment of reflection, recognition and action. It’s a day that celebrates the achievements of women across all industries, while also shining a light on the work still needed to create true equality.
At Mash + Mint, International Women’s Day is more than a date in the calendar. It’s a reminder of why we exist, who we champion, and the kind of future we want to help shape. As a small business built on thoughtful curation, creativity and community, we’re proud members of Buy Women Built, a collective that exists to make women-founded brands more visible, accessible and supported.
This International Women’s Day, we’re exploring the history behind the movement, why women-built brands matter so deeply, and how conscious shopping choices can help drive meaningful change.
The History of International Women’s Day
International Women’s Day has its roots in the early 20th century, emerging from labour movements led by women who were campaigning for better working conditions, fair pay and the right to vote. The first National Women’s Day was observed in the United States in 1909, inspired by protests led by women garment workers.
By 1911, International Women’s Day was marked across several European countries, with over one million people taking part in rallies advocating for women’s rights. The movement continued to grow throughout the decades, often closely linked to wider conversations around equality, education, employment and representation.
In 1977, the United Nations officially recognised International Women’s Day, cementing 8th March as a global day of action and awareness. Today, it is celebrated worldwide, uniting individuals, communities and businesses around shared goals: equality, opportunity and visibility for women.
While progress has been made, International Women’s Day continues to exist because inequality still does. And in the world of business and entrepreneurship, those gaps remain particularly stark.
Read MadeKind Founders Story here
Why Women-Built Brands Need Visibility
Despite women founding nearly half of all small businesses in the UK, women-led brands continue to face disproportionate challenges when it comes to funding, exposure and growth.
In simple terms: women are building incredible businesses, but they’re doing it with fewer resources, less investment and less visibility.
Research consistently shows that women-founded businesses receive only a tiny fraction of total investment funding. In the UK, for every £100 of venture capital investment, only around £2 goes to all-female founding teams. That imbalance isn’t a reflection of talent or ambition - it’s a reflection of systemic barriers.
The result? Many women-built brands rely on organic growth, community support and direct-to-consumer sales to survive and thrive. Visibility isn’t just helpful - it’s essential.
This is where movements like Buy Women Built play such a vital role.
Read Spacemasks Story here
What Is Buy Women Built?
Buy Women Built is a UK-based collective created to help shoppers easily discover and support women-founded consumer brands. Their mission is simple but powerful: make it easier for people to buy from businesses built by women.
Buy Women Built works to amplify women-led brands through campaigns, partnerships, education and advocacy. By creating a recognisable movement, they help shift consumer behaviour and encourage people to think more consciously about where their money goes.
Supporting women-built brands isn’t about exclusion - it’s about balance. It’s about addressing historic underrepresentation and giving brilliant businesses the chance to be seen, stocked and celebrated.
Mash + Mint is proud to be part of this community, standing alongside other women-founded brands that prioritise quality, creativity and thoughtful design.
Read Remnant Revolutions Founder Story here
Why Mash + Mint Supports Women-Founded Brands
From the very beginning, Mash + Mint has been about more than products. We exist to tell stories, support makers and curate items with meaning. Many of the brands we stock are founded by women who are redefining what modern business looks like - building with intention, sustainability and creativity at the heart.
Women-built brands often bring a different perspective to product design and business values. They are frequently community-led, ethically focused and deeply personal. These businesses are not driven by mass production or fast trends, but by purpose, craft and longevity.
By choosing to support women-founded brands, we’re helping to:
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Increase visibility for underrepresented founders
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Support independent, values-led businesses
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Encourage diversity within the retail landscape
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Keep creativity and craftsmanship alive
For us, being a Buy Women Built member aligns naturally with our ethos. It reflects the kind of retail we believe in - conscious, curated and community-driven.
Read Helen's story here
The Power of Conscious Shopping
Every purchase is a vote. Where you spend your money matters.
When shoppers actively seek out women-built brands, they help level the playing field in a tangible way. Increased sales lead to growth, sustainability and opportunity - not just for individual businesses, but for the wider ecosystem of women entrepreneurs.
Supporting women-founded brands can help close funding gaps, create employment, and inspire the next generation of founders. It’s a ripple effect that starts with awareness and intention.
International Women’s Day is a powerful reminder that small, everyday actions can contribute to larger systemic change. Shopping thoughtfully is one of the most accessible ways to make an impact.
Women, Creativity and the Home
Many women-founded brands operate within the home, lifestyle and interiors space - a sector where creativity and emotional connection play a huge role. These brands often design products that enhance daily rituals, bring joy to ordinary moments and create a sense of belonging within the home.
At Mash + Mint, we celebrate this intersection of creativity, wellbeing and thoughtful living. The women behind the brands we stock are not only designers and founders - they are storytellers, problem-solvers and innovators.
International Women’s Day gives us the opportunity to celebrate that creativity and acknowledge the work that often happens quietly behind the scenes.
Read Pauline's Story here
Looking Forward: Beyond International Women’s Day
While International Women’s Day is an important annual moment, supporting women-built brands shouldn’t stop on 8th March.
True progress comes from sustained action - from retailers choosing to stock women-founded brands, from consumers seeking them out, and from communities continuing to champion them year-round.
As a Buy Women Built member, Mash + Mint is committed to ongoing visibility, not just seasonal celebration. We believe that when women-built brands thrive, the retail landscape becomes richer, more diverse and more inspiring for everyone.
This International Women’s Day, we invite you to explore, discover and support women-founded brands - not just today, but always.
Because when women build, communities grow. Read our Founders stories on our homepage here
