In Honor of Earth Day: 5 Eco-Conscious Brands We Love
It’s Earth Day, and we at TA feel strongly about celebrating in a meaningful way. The official theme of this year’s Earth Day is #InvestInOurPlanet. As a business, we’re passionate about sustainable commerce, and we’re always on the lookout for fellow brands that create beautiful products for conscious consumers. The cherry on top: It just so happens that these eco-friendly companies were all founded by women. Here’s a list of our top 5 favorite brands leading us in the right direction.
1. KORA Organics
KORA Organics is a robust line of certified organic skincare products that are not only free of GMOs, sulfates, and parabens, but are also packed with antioxidants that actively nourish the skin. CEO and supermodel Miranda Kerr launched KORA Organics back in Australia in 2009, and has since expanded the brand across the globe.
Her mission? To inspire people to be the healthiest versions of themselves inside and out: “Beauty and wellness have been things I’ve invested in for myself, especially as a model. It was really important for me to take care of my skin and body, both from the inside out and outside in. So in that way, KORA was a natural evolution in my career.”
KORA Organics is also committed to sustainable business practices. Last Earth Day, they announced that they’re officially a Climate Neutral Certified Brand, and continue to follow steps to become even more sustainable in the future. In Miranda’s words, their “ultimate goal is to continue finding new ways to lower our carbon footprint with more sustainable business and manufacturing processes … I believe it’s so important to invest in brands that are committed to making a difference for the future, as they are the ones setting new standards for their industries and reinforcing change from the ground up.”
2. Amini Swim
Amini Swim is a sustainable swimwear line, designed around showing love and respect for the ocean. Amini means “believe” in Swahili, as the brand pledges to take care of our oceans, our earth, and our people. Their ethos is definitely one we at TA believe in.
The founder of the brand, Cierra Porter, launched the swimwear collection with sustainability in mind.
“Our big hope for Amini is to help facilitate a change in the fashion industry and by doing that, a change in the world,” she tells us. “So many lives are affected by the way we consume fast fashion, and most of the world has the luxury of turning a blind eye to it because it isn’t something that they are seeing firsthand. But if we can find a way to get people to care about the lives of the people that are creating the clothes they are wearing or the products they are buying, we believe it will translate into deeper care and connection throughout all of humanity.”
All of the swimsuits are recycled material. Ocean waste, like plastic bottles and fishing nets, are regenerated into plastic flakes and chips that are melted into fabric fibers, and finally transformed into nylon yarn. In addition to 100% sustainable fabric, all the packaging is entirely biodegradable. On top of that, 10 percent of Amini Swim’s profits goes to organizations that care for our planet, including Child Rescue Coalition, Food for the Hungry, and Ocean Cleanup. Every step in their business practice is carefully considered to maximize the positive impact on our environment. Plus, the cuts are chic, the colors are vibrant, and the fits are designed for moving bodies. It’s a win-win.
3. OneSun Farms
OneSun Farms is a Malibu-based independently-run farm that grows organic, non-GMO food. They specialize in small-batch granola, ethically sourced and preservative-free. Founder Kelly Meyer has been an environmental activist all her life and throughout her work as the co-founder of the American Heart Association Teaching Gardens. OneSun Farms is the fruit of her advocacy, as the products embody all she stands for: honest ingredients, sustainable sources, and sharing love through food.
In an exclusive interview, Kelly shares how her daughter, Carson Meyer, inspired the business: “Carson was my muse for OneSun Farms. She was the one during the pandemic who encouraged me to start selling my granola. She said, ‘Mom, you should make that great granola we always had as kids.You can make a healthy product and talk about food and create a business.'”
4. C & The Moon
C & The Moon is an environmentally conscious, organic skincare line. The guiding principle behind the brand is that the way we care for ourselves reflects and impacts how we care for our planet. Carson Meyer is not only the inspiration behind her mom’s brand OneSun Farms–she’s the founder of this sustainable brand that’s all about pure ingredients.
Carson was deeply influenced by her work as a certified doula. Exploring the most natural life process, she gained meaningful insight: “Working with newborns, I saw firsthand how the skin, our largest organ, takes in information from the environment around us and how the human body is itself a delicate ecosystem.” All C & The Moon products have organic, natural ingredients, free of parabens, dyes, and heavy metals.
C & The Moon is also committed to environmental packaging. They donate a portion of their proceeds to the Natural Resources Defense Council, and they minimize plastic waste using reusable glass jars and recycled paper packaging. We love a good skincare line that heals both our bodies and our planet.
5. Brightly
Brightly is a discovery platform that features content, community, and brand recommendations that ignite change via conscious consumerism. Their goal is to empower conscious consumers around the world, and encourage the small, daily actions that contribute to global change.
Founder and CEO Laura Wittig has spent her career building, designing, and writing for companies like Google, Amazon, Adobe, and more. With Brightly, she’s championing brands and products that are ethically and sustainably created. “Starting your eco-conscious journey can be daunting—especially when there’s a plethora of data telling us the sizable impact every facet of our lives has on the planet and the life living upon it,” Wittig tells us. “That’s why I founded Brightly—to help people like you and me become more conscious about the choices we make and how those choices impact the environment.”
The platform is the one-stop-shop for sustainable content and products. At the end of the day, Brightly is a community where everyone can learn, share, shop, and engage in an eco-friendly way. Laura Wittig explains, “At Brightly, there’s no judgment; so whether you’re just getting started with eco-conscious living or you’ve already taken steps in a more sustainable direction, we’re all in this together. We value the planet over perfection, meaning we approach the journey to eco-conscious living from a realistic perspective.”
