Mah Melanin, the primary African American–owned stationery model in Sam’s Membership, Lowe’s, and Hallmark within the present wrap class, faces knockoffs after viral TikTok success.
Nationwide — Ardean Miller-Marbley, Founder and CEO of Mah Melanin, the trailblazing African American–owned stationery and present wrap model, is elevating alarm after discovering that a number of Chinese language and different abroad firms are copying her signature designs and deceptive shoppers with counterfeit merchandise.
Mah Melanin is greater than a viral TikTok sensation. It’s the first Black-owned stationery model to safe nationwide retail placement in Sam’s Membership, Lowe’s, and Hallmark within the present wrap class. This 12 months marks Mah Melanin’s fourth consecutive vacation season in Sam’s Membership, underscoring the retailer’s dedication to range and genuine partnerships.
However Miller-Marbley says that success has include a devastating price. After Mah Melanin’s culturally impressed present wrap designs went viral on TikTok, abroad firms started lifting the art work, misusing Mah Melanin’s movies, and even misrepresenting their abroad model as Black-owned to trick clients.
“All my life I needed to combat, and right here I’m nonetheless combating,” mentioned Miller-Marbley. “I fought to interrupt right into a class the place nearly no African Individuals are represented. I constructed Mah Melanin to replicate our tradition, our households, our tales. And now, abroad firms are stealing not simply my designs, however items of my heritage.”
The counterfeits are greater than an mental property violation, they danger damaging shopper belief. Prospects who unknowingly buy knockoff wrapping paper could affiliate poor high quality with Mah Melanin’s title, though the model’s merchandise are trademarked, copyrighted, and distributed completely by means of its retail companions and official web site.
Miller-Marbley factors out that Mah Melanin’s characters carry deep private which means:
• The grandmother determine on the inexperienced wrap was impressed by her owngrandmother.
• The character sporting a gold chain and sneakers has change into a cultural icon, featured by Grasp P and endorsed by Teddy Riley.
• One other design displays Miller-Marbley’s mom.
“These designs are born from lived expertise within the Black group,” mentioned Miller-Marbley. “They will’t be replicated by firms that haven’t any ties to our tradition. It’s not simply theft—it’s erasure.”
Miller-Marbley says counterfeiters at the moment are siphoning clients, earnings, and tradition. “We’re a trademarked model, protected by copyright, and but we’re nonetheless compelled to show time and again that these are our designs,” mentioned Miller-Marbley. “In the meantime, counterfeiters function unchecked. It’s an unfair combat, and one that might bankrupt small companies like mine.”
The difficulty is just not remoted. Miller-Marbley highlights the broader financial toll and related with one other small enterprise proprietor who lately reported over $235,000 in misplaced gross sales to counterfeit sellers. “If left unchecked, this drawback threatens not solely creativity but additionally livelihoods,” Miller-Marbley mentioned.
Mah Melanin is urging shoppers to stay vigilant by buying solely from trusted retailers resembling Sam’s Membership, Hallmark, ShoptheHood.com, Mah Melanin’s official TikTok store and the official Mah Melanin web site. Prospects are inspired to report counterfeit adverts on Fb, TikTok, and Amazon.
“This combat is greater than me,” Miller-Marbley added. “It’s about defending small companies, defending tradition, and defending what we’ve constructed. I’m grateful to my clients, group, and retail companions for standing with Mah Melanin. Collectively, we will be sure our genuine designs—and our story—stay ours.”
Listed here are the names of a few of the abroad firms which have stolen her designs: Hedition-y, Merely By All Means, Limitedous, CeremonyK, Uniteous, Welfarek, Chicclos, Defnpacious-S, Trovetidy, and varied accounts on TikTok together with EminentKnown (@EM5028156), Family Each day Requirements 0.1, Silver Etoile, and Harbor Etoile.
AboutMah Melanin is the primary African American–owned stationery and present wrap model to safe nationwide retail partnerships in Sam’s Membership, Lowe’s, and Hallmark. Based by New Orleans native Ardean Miller-Marbley, the model celebrates Black tradition and heritage by means of high- high quality, culturally impressed present wrap designs which have gone viral throughout social media. Mah Melanin’s mission is to carry illustration, authenticity, and pleasure to each celebration. Study extra at MahMelanin.com
For press inquiries, contact Kenyelle Ash at kenyelle@theletslaunchagency.com
