Published on
March 11, 2026
Image generated with Ai
Manitobah’s roots as an Indigenous brand have shone this past year brightly, as they released their 2025 Social Impact Report, showing yet another year of positive impacts for Indigenous communities. Located in Winnipeg, Manitoba, they have excelled in four major areas: Education for Change, Trade for Community, Art in Action, and Sovereignty Through Leadership. Manitoba’s commitment is greatly appreciated when it comes to cultural economic reconciliation, supporting Indigenous artisans, and fostering economic reconciliation. Manitobah, in 2025, alone, has set a record for the rest of the country by generating more than $700,000 for the Indigenous artists and communities. Manitobah’s focus set new expectations for the businesses focusing on sustainability and inclusivity.
A Year Full of Meaning and Progress
This year, Manitobah has more than ever committed to social impact, and it is evident in the results. Daman Morissette, VP of Social Impact at the company, expressed pride and joy in the significant impact the brand has made and the milestones achieved in each of the core initiatives. Manitobah has not only built on and reinforced the existing initiatives that had an impact, but she has also expanded the initiatives to create a snowball effect toward an even more inclusive future. The main focus for the company this year has been the Indigenous communities, enriching cross-cultural equity and financial autonomy for Indigenous artists.
Education for Change: Empowering Future Generations of Artisans
In 2025, the Manitobah Storyboot School, a key participant in the “Education for Change” program, experienced exceptional growth. With 177 graduates, the program saw a 136% increase compared to last year. This success can be attributed in part to the expanding network of alumni who returned as facilitators to assist the next generation of artisans. Additionally, the program has retained almost 2,000 graduates since 2013. This program’s dual focus on experiential and cultural education has been an extraordinary success.
In 2025, Manitobah offered 11 courses and 41 classes for a total of 165 hours of training. Manitobah is committed to preserving and promoting Indigenous arts and the skills needed for the cultural sustainability of these important communities. Additionally, the Storyboot School acts as a community confidence builder and a heritage showcase for the ongoing value of these skills.
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Trade for Community: Increasing Revenue Streams for Indigenous Artists
Manitobah’s Indigenous Market is focused on Economic Empowerment. In 2025, the Market brought 57 artisans from North America $272,000 in sales. These artists retain 100% of the profit from their sales. Manitobah gives Indigenous artists another opportunity to earn a living.
With Indigenous Markets, Manitobah displays its dedication to creating a fair trade system. Manitobah’s Indigenous Market has paid out over $1.4 million since 2012 to the Indigenous artisan community. In the last five years, they paid out $1 million, demonstrating the growing demand for the woven baskets and other handcrafted goods. This Market provides artisans stable income and the opportunity for customers to appreciate their craftsmanship.
Art in Action: How to Support Indigenous Artists Monetarily
Along with Cultural Exchange and Story Telling, Manitobah focuses on the need for Equity in the sponsoring of Indigenous Artists. Manitobah’s Art in Action program sponsored $111,000 to collaborating artists in 2025. This initiative was with 9 of 16 Indigenous Nations Artists. This partnership was for special collaborations with custom prints on Manitobah’s shoes, so that the Artists could teach their culture and get paid.
Manitobah is, for the first time, teaching the fashion industry about positive relations with Indigenous Artists. Working with Indigenous communities helps to teach the importance of respecting and paying artists.
Sovereignty Through Leadership: Manitobah’s B Corp Certification
One of the great successes for Manitobah in 2025 was achieving its first B Corporation (B Corp) certification on the first attempt at a score of 89.8. B Corp Certification is granted to companies that demonstrate social and environmental stewardship, accountability, and transparency. Being committed to economic sovereignty, cultural preservation, and ethical business practices earned Manitobah a place of honor.
Manitobah is a B Corp, so they show that it is possible to be profitable while making a positive social impact, and clearly show that business can be successful while doing socially positive things. Aside from being the first B Certified Corp, they show their leadership in their field and provide a benchmark to other businesses regarding how to balance social impact and sustainability, and how to be responsible in their business practices.
Conclusion
Manitobah is still honoring its commitments to its principles of responsibility, reciprocity, impact, and intention. They know there is still a lot of work to be done, and they are committed to continuing their work with Indigenous people and will continue to support Indigenous art. To show a part of the work they have done, they provided a social impact report that shows their work, which is a part of economic reconciliation, self-determination, and the positive impact of saving and restoring the culture and heritage of the First Nations people. Manitobah intends to further develop its initiatives in the years to come, including forming new partnerships and providing more avenues for Indigenous artists to succeed. Each step forward gives Manitobah more of a chance to realize its vision for a future where the celebration of Indigenous cultural sovereignty and voice remains for generations to come.
