Sea Bottle’s Coastal Lavender Natural Hand Wash moisturizes with an enticing formulation of organic aloe, pure argan oil and refreshing botanicals while you luxuriate in the elements of calming lavender essential oils. Housed in a unisex, frosted, 100% degradable glass bottle, the product’s sleek appearance on the outside is just as divine as the ingredients inside.
 
The company, started in 2016 by co-founders Jaeson Plon and Bradd Kern, provides premium, natural products that are free of sulfates (SLS), phthalates and parabens. Packaged in sustainable, recyclable materials, Sea Bottle continues to support the environment by donating a portion of every sale directly to non-profit groups committed to protecting marine life through education and research. Products are sold at www.seabottlestore.com and in independent retailers in Southern California and the Pacific Northwest. 

Kern and Plon are “beauty industry outsiders” with backgrounds in finance and academia—Kern has an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business while Plon holds a Masters of Theological Studies degree from Harvard Divinity School. The duo set out to create a natural product brand that as part of its core mission, would raise awareness of plastic pollution’s impact on the ocean.
 
“We formulated the abstract tagline ‘For Bodies of Water’ to draw a comparison between the composition of the human body, which is about 60% water, and the fact that over 70% of the earth’s surface is covered by water.  Unfortunately many of the products we use to cleanse and nourish ourselves end up in the ocean, where they harm marine life. We set out to make a product that was better for your body, but also better for the ocean,” said Kern, Newport Beach, CA.

Also a native southern Californian, Plon is an avid surfer and free diver who has been to some of the most remote coastlines on the planet, but no matter where he went, Plon couldn’t escape the appalling sight of plastic pollution washing up on shore.

“My initial interest was in creating a natural product line featuring edgy, graphical packaging. When I shared the idea with Jaeson, he opened my eyes to this major, underappreciated problem of ocean plastic and suggested that we focus on eco-friendly packaging. We ended up combining our visions to create a thoughtfully designed, eco-friendly frosted glass bottle that would evoke the texture and aesthetic of sea glass, and Sea Bottle was born,” Kern told Happi.

According to Kern, what makes Sea Bottle different from other natural product companies is the central importance of its social mission. The coordinates of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch are part of the company logo and are featured prominently on the hand wash bottle.

Sea Bottle is working on a lotion for 2017 to complement the hand wash, as well as more “technically oriented” products, said Kern. Sea Bottle products will continue to feature marine ingredients and essential oils that encourage consumers to reconnect with the natural environment. It will also be packaging in other types of eco-friendly materials besides glass.