B Corps, for the uninitiated, are essentially for-profit companies certified to have met comprehensive standards of social and environmental criteria, accountability, and transparency.
These businesses are collective effort to make voting with your dollar a little easier and more effective. Here are a few B Corps we want to make sure you know about:
• Alaska Glacial Mud Co.
Before founding Alaskan Glacial Mud Co. in 2006, Lauren Padawar worked at a geriatric spa for the elderly and as a Boston community organizer to ensure lower-income folks had access to affordable housing.
Padawar’s company, based out of Cordova, Alaska, “sustainably hand-harvests pure glacial mineral mud from the vast Copper River Delta where it is deposited by the river at the impressive rate of 60-100 million tons annually by timeless glaciers that have ground remote mountains into pure mineral-rich powder.”
Go get your facial mask game on.
• One World Play Project
Here’s one for the kids. This B Corp harnesses the power of play in a sustainable way. One World Play Project makes ultra-durable, non-toxic footballs and dog toys. They work under a “buy one, give one” model, so with every item you purchase another is given to someone who wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford it.
“Play is in our DNA—a need as important as food, medicine, and shelter. It’s an intrinsic part of our lives, regardless of geography or culture, and through play, we become stronger individuals, build better communities and create a more positive future.”
Peep their shop and start having some fun.
• Mafia Bags
Former kite-surfer, Marcos Mafia, and his sister, Paz, needed a waterproof bag to stow their wetsuits and came up with the idea to use old kites. Mafia Bags was born.
“It started as a community-based brand where friends both donated sails and used our packs, and we learned along the way – but quickly realized we had something here,” Marcos Mafia told Transworld Business.
Cut and sewn by local Californians, these beachy peeps now make bags and totes for the seafaring and city folk alike using leftover materials from kite surfers. Each pattern is cut out individually and guaranteed by a lifetime warranty. You can now get one of a kind duffles, totes, backpacks and more.
“Our belief in a low-impact lifestyle guides every decision we make—from reusing cardboard shipping boxes to guaranteeing every product we make with a lifetime warranty,” said Marcos.
Check out their bags.
Feature photo: KKS Website
