Ashley Alexis McFarlane

Ashley Alexis MacFarlane is the founder and creative director of Omi Woods, a jewelry company that creates contemporary heirlooms that celebrate connections to Africa and its diaspora. The company’s jewelry is individually and ethically handmade using fair trade African gold and globally sourced recycled and conflict-free fine metals. The brand’s name, “Omi,” meaning water in the Yoruba language, and “Woods” pay tribute to MacFarlane’s Jamaican-Ashanti-Maroon roots. Before starting Omi Woods, MacFarlane founded Asikere Afana, which means Sugar Machete in Twi, a West African language spoken by the Asante people from Ghana. With her previous business, MacFarlane primarily sold a collection of dresses made from African fabrics that helped women feel seen. She eventually pivoted to create jewelry inspired by her grandmother, which led to the launch of Omi Woods in 2018. In 2022, Omi Woods was selected as one of 45 Women-Owned Canadian Businesses You Need to Know by Complex CA.