Black Good
  • Our Story
  • Shop Black Brands
    • By Location
      • Washington DC Metro
    • By Category
      • Apparel and Accessories
      • Beauty
      • Food and Drink
      • Technology
    • Apparel and Accessories
    • Beauty
    • Food and Drink
    • Technology
  • How It Works
  • Submit Your Brand
  • FAQ
  • Blog
  • Sign The Pledge
Black Good

Directory of Black-Owned Brands and Services

Subscribe
Black Good
  • Our Story
  • Shop Black Brands
    • By Location
      • Washington DC Metro
    • By Category
      • Apparel and Accessories
      • Beauty
      • Food and Drink
      • Technology
    • Apparel and Accessories
    • Beauty
    • Food and Drink
    • Technology
  • How It Works
  • Submit Your Brand
  • FAQ
  • Blog
  • Sign The Pledge
  • Apparel and Accessories
  • Fashion

The Woman Behind Mess in a Bottle, a Thriving T-shirt Company

  • 57 views
  • 2 minute read
BlackGood - Mess In A Bottle
BlackGood – Mess In A Bottle
Total
0
Shares
0
0
0
Total
0
Shares
Share 0
Tweet 0
Pin it 0

Kalilah Wright is the founder of Mess in a Bottle, a black-owned business that features tshirts printed with bold statements that come uniquely packaged in reusable bottles. With shirts displaying messages like “100% Black-Owned” and masks that say “Freedom Ain’t Free”, you know you’re supporting and communicating strong, important messages when you wear her products.

An immigrant from Jamaica, Kalilah came to the United States at the age of four with no parents and was raised in Brooklyn. Even though she had a difficult start to life, Kalilah graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Pennsylvania State University and then worked her way through a night program while working full time and went on to get a Master of Architecture degree from Morgan State University. But Kalilah’s credentials are not the only impressive thing about her.

After graduating, Kalilah began to work for Kevin Plank of Under Armour as a store planner and architect. However, although she had a great salary, a husband and a beautiful baby, she simply didn’t feel fulfilled. She was eventually led to quit her six-figure architect career to start her own business.

The 2015 riots in Baltimore for Freddie Gray, a Black man who was detained and killed in police custody, inspired Kalilah to want to do more to help people communicate. During the riots, she came up with the concept of Message in a Bottle, a t-shirt company that spreads MESSages to start important conversations. Her goal was to “create a company that allowed people to be vocal without saying anything at all” according to a recent interview with Teen Vogue.

Mess In a Bottle shirts feature statements like “A Black Woman Created This” and “As strong as the woman next to me” and come in reusable bottles. Some of the shirts, like her “This is AMERICA” shirt focus on racism, violence and bigotry. By supporting this black-owned business and wearing these shirts, we can bring important topics to the forefront of the conversation without having to say a word.

But it hasn’t been an easy road, at one point Kalilah was held hostage in her own store for twenty minutes while the robbers attempted to use her debit card at an ATM. While this understandably shook Kalilah, instead of allowing it to give her a reason to give up, she used that experience to push forward and continue to use her voice within her messages.

Much of Mess in a Bottle’s success has come from word of mouth and customers posting their shirts on social media. But Kalilah was also able to go on The Harry Show which amplified the success of Mess in a Bottle into a well-known tshirt line worn by influencers and celebrities.

Since finding success with Mess in a Bottle, Kalilah has begun teaching others to start their own tshirt companies as well. In her courses, Tee Class, she helps others go from prelaunch to starting their own businesses and becoming their own boss.

You can support Kalilah’s business by shopping her MESSage tshirts and other products at Mess in a Bottle.

Total
0
Shares
Share 0
Tweet 0
Pin it 0
Related Topics
  • fashion
  • Kalilah Wright
Previous Article
BlackGood - Black Girl Sunscreen
  • Beauty
  • Skincare

Black-Owned Business Spotlight: Black Girl Sunscreen

View Post
Next Article
Black Good - Diversity
  • Promotion

Add Your Business to the Directory

View Post

Subscribe

Updates and news on black-owned businesses

You May Also Like
Black Good - Fenty Beauty
View Post
  • 52
  • Beauty

Fenty Skin and 10 Other Black-Owned Skincare Brands to Try

Black Good - High Fashion
View Post
  • 11
  • Fashion

New York Fashion Week is Still On For September 2020

Black Good - Diversity
View Post
  • 40
  • Promotion

Add Your Business to the Directory

BlackGood - Black Girl Sunscreen
View Post
  • 16
  • Beauty
  • Skincare

Black-Owned Business Spotlight: Black Girl Sunscreen

Black Good - La Fete Rosé
View Post
  • 18
  • Alcohol
  • Food and Drink

Move Over Dom Pérignon, Donae Burston is the New Life of the Party

Black Good - Directory Promotion
View Post
  • 72
  • Promotion

The Black Good Brand Directory

Black Good - Andrew Roby - Event Services
View Post
  • 4
  • Professional Services

Andrew Roby – Pioneering Beauty and Diversity Within Event Planning

RECENT POSTS
  • Black Good - Fenty Beauty

    Fenty Skin and 10 Other Black-Owned Skincare Brands to Try

    View Post
  • Black Good - High Fashion

    New York Fashion Week is Still On For September 2020

    View Post
  • Black Good - Diversity

    Add Your Business to the Directory

    View Post
TRENDING POSTS
  • Black Good - Directory Promotion 1
    The Black Good Brand Directory
  • BlackGood - Mess In A Bottle 2
    The Woman Behind Mess in a Bottle, a Thriving T-shirt Company
  • Black Good - Fenty Beauty 3
    Fenty Skin and 10 Other Black-Owned Skincare Brands to Try
  • Black Good - Diversity 4
    Add Your Business to the Directory
  • Black Good - La Fete Rosé 5
    Move Over Dom Pérignon, Donae Burston is the New Life of the Party
Instagram
avatar
blackgoodco
Directory of blackowned brands
2K Followers
If you love Jamaica 🇯🇲 you will want a pair of these. 29 4
Everyone loves a good glass of wine; that's why a beautiful bottle of Theopolis Vineyards wine can make a great gift! 30 0
If you like to travel, you'll love this stylish leather accessory made by @ashya.co 9 0
What is a lifestyle entrepreneur? 25 2
We love the warm service of our local business here in Washington, DC. That's why when we need an eyebrow retouch, we don't heasitate to visit Simone. 33 1
"Marketing is no longer about the stuff that you make but about the stories you tell" –––Seth Godin. 9 0
Follow
If you love Jamaica 🇯🇲 you will want a pair of these. 29 4
Everyone loves a good glass of wine; that's why a beautiful bottle of Theopolis Vineyards wine can make a great gift! 30 0
If you like to travel, you'll love this stylish leather accessory made by @ashya.co 9 0
What is a lifestyle entrepreneur? 25 2
We love the warm service of our local business here in Washington, DC. That's why when we need an eyebrow retouch, we don't heasitate to visit Simone. 33 1
"Marketing is no longer about the stuff that you make but about the stories you tell" –––Seth Godin. 9 0

Sign Up for Our Newsletters

Weekly updates and news on the black-owned businesses

Black Good
  • Our Story
  • Shop
  • How It Works
  • Submit Your Brand
  • FAQ
  • Blog
  • Contact Us
  • Sign The Pledge
Directory of Black-Owned Brands and Services

Input your search keywords and press Enter.