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Each water bottle sold by GiveMeTap provides a person in Ghana with clean drinking water for five years. Edwin Broni-Mensah founded GiveMeTap after having difficulty finding a water refill station in his homebase of London. Edwin built an app to showcase the eateries and establishments that offered free water refills to reduce the use of disposable bottled waters. With the dual commitment of reducing single-use plastic bottles and providing water to those in need, Give Me Tap has provided over 50,000 individuals with clean water for life and reduced about 45 million plastic bottles as of late 2019.
Mel Wells took more than two years to craft and launch Beefcake Swimwear, a line of sustainable and ethically made suits inspired by 1920s fashion. These thoughtfully produced, androgynous pieces are manufactured by people making a living wage in Portland, Oregon. Staying as transparent as possible, Mel has openly shared how the cost of making a piece for Beefcake Swimwear breaks down.
Silk and Willow is a sustainable wedding decor boutique designed for the environmentally conscious. Founder Shellie Pomery began her career as a graphic designer before finding her calling creating fabrics with natural dyes. Silk and Willow carries plant-dyed silk ribbons, table linens, and handmade stationery and is a place to get lost within each beautiful detail associated with planning a wedding.
Life and business partners Alex Whitmore and Kathleen Fulton are the founders behind Taza Chocolate. Inspired by the rustic taste and texture of Mexican chocolate, Taza stone grinds its ingredients for a gritty and intense flavor. Taza Chocolate works directly with farmers to ensure fairness and ethical treatment and has set up a third-party direct-trade certification. The company’s payments, farming partners, and impacts can all be found in its annual transparency reports.
When founder Stacia Guzzo’s mother discovered she had breast cancer after noticing a lump in her armpit, Stacia began deeply researching cancer risk factors. After learning about the link between aluminum in antiperspirants and breast cancer, Stacia set out to create deodorants of her own. SmartyPits was born to create a safer alternative to traditional deodorants and antiperspirants by eliminating paraben, phthalate, talc, and aluminum, while also being cruelty free and packed in 100% recyclable materials.
When Rick Pollack began experimenting with 3D printing in the early 2000s, he was working full time while making parts and fixing homemade printers in his spare time. Finally, in 2009, Rick started MakerGear to provide parts and eventually create his own line of 3D printers. Since then, MarkerGear has received many accolades, provided a source of local employment in Ohio, and, above all, helped creators make products of their own.
Founded in 2015, Parkland turns plastic into backpacks and accessories. All of its exterior fabrics are made from 100% recycled water bottles, while its “leather” accents are made from apples. Merging functional design with purpose, each item is a way to buy better and waste less.
The Honey Pot is an all-natural feminine care company powered by herbs, made by women, and backed by science. Founder Bea Dixon wanted to help other women find relief when she experienced discomfort from bacterial vaginosis for months. With products designed for specific use cases like expecting or current moms, or those on the go, or looking to sooth, heal, or rejuvenate, The Honey Pot provides natural ways to calm itch and irritation and handle menstruation.
Topper Luciani founded Goodfair to give clothing headed to landfills a second chance. Unlike most vintage or secondhand clothing retailers, Goodfair doesn’t list each item individually. Instead, customers buy mystery bundles. This process saves time and money for the company and the savings are passed on to the customers. Combating the culture of fast fashion, this low-carbon initiative is changing the way people are buying preloved fashion pieces.
Kristen Quigley founded Lunchskins as a way to eliminate the use of plastic wrappers, bags, and containers when packing lunches and snacks for her kids. The reusable bags are dishwasher safe and grease and moisture proof, while the line of paper bags are unbleached and compostable. Every online order raises funds for the Oceanic Preservation Society, and since 2015, Lunchskins has also designed a cause bag, where 10% of its proceeds are donated to various conservation organizations, such as the Sea Turtle Conservancy and 5Gyres.
