This is the first of a series of posts with one of our eco-friendly suppliers, Stream2Sea, a mineral based sunscreen company. Many ingredients found in chemical sunscreens are toxic to our fragile aquatic ecosystem and even to us. Therefore, we are so excited to partner with Stream2Sea as it is the only body care brand tested and proven safe for our coral reefs.
The Stream2Sea Story
Stream2Sea was founded in 2015 in Wauchula, Florida, when CEO & Founder Autumn Blum realised that the products we put on our bodies have many ingredients that could be highly toxic to our fragile aquatic ecosystem and even to us.
The idea for this skin care line came to Autumn after a diving trip to Palau. “We were showering on deck with fragrant suds running right overboard, putting leave-in conditioner in our hair, slathering on chemical-based sunscreens, then jumping back in the ocean only to repeat the process.”
Autumn Bloom, Stream2Sea CEO & Founder
Simple habits like this can take a toll—it’s estimated that 14,000 tons of sunscreen lotion alone ends up in coral reefs each year. But if more people start to think critically about what products they use on a daily basis, we can make a profound difference. Today, Stream2Sea is the only mineral based sunscreen on the planet that’s been tested and proven safe for freshwater fish, saltwater fish, and coral larvae, and has passed the stringent HEL Labs Protect Land + Sea certification.
What we put in our Ocean matters.
Certain ingredients commonly used in sunscreen, cosmetics, and soaps are highly toxic to corals and marine life. These include benzophenone-2, oxybenzone, octinoxate and parabens—as well as coatings used on zinc oxide to reduce whitening. When these chemicals are introduced to our waters, the coral can get sick and expel their life-giving algae. Without these algae, the coral can “bleach” (turn white) and may even die. This, in turn, affects thousands of species of fish, which eventually affects us.
The Ocean Agency/XL Catlin Seaview Survey/Richard Vevers and Christophe Bailhache. Before and after – Coral Bleaching
Some ingredients in biodegradable sunscreens are toxic to corals and reef fish, but are labeled reef safe. Ingredients in shampoos and other personal care products can be just as toxic to the reefs. Modern waste water treatment facilities do not typically remove harmful chemicals from conventional sunscreens and body care products. To be truly eco-conscious, we need to think about everything we use on our bodies.
All products in the Stream2Sea line have passed an extensive range of tests – from microscopic C. elegans and freshwater fish to sensitive coral larva in the Florida Keys. Many products out there now claim to be reef-safe, and some of which are and some aren’t because ‘reef-safe’ is not a government-regulated term. Stream2Sea has done the rigorous, expensive, scientific work to prove that their formulations are safe for our waters, making them the marine professionals choice, and hopefully yours too.
Their mission is to supply outdoor lovers with products that work great, keep them feeling good and healthy, and give them confidence they are supporting a safe, sustainable, and science-based company.
Ingredients in body care products are more than just words on a bottle.
Fact #1
Some common ingredients in body care products are systemically absorbed into your body and are passed through urine, blood, and breast milk.
Fact #2
Some common, FDA approved ingredients in body care products are linked to cancer, hormone imbalances, cellular damage, and more. They can disrupt the body’s natural functions.
Fact #3
There are healthier choices you can make when it comes to products and the ingredients within them…but it starts with education. Every ingredient in Stream2Sea’s body care products is consciously chosen for its non-harming influences and protection. They are the only mineral sunscreen and body care brand tested and proven safe for our reefs!
They don’t just talk the talk.
Knowing that every product we use on our bodies ultimately reaches the ocean, Stream2Sea products have been tested for biodegradability, aquatic toxicity and coral reef safety so that those who enjoy exploring our planet can rely on a brand whose ingredients are truly safe for their body and our waters.
Stream2Sea use sugarcane resin packaging because they don’t want to contribute to plastic, and their 32oz bottles are made from 97% recycled milk jugs.
And while it isn’t foolproof yet (their caps are still plastic—although they were able to move to low-profile caps which reduced the overall material used by 45%!) the point is they choose eco conscious options as consistently as they can because they truly believe in what they are doing.
Protect Land + Sea.
Stream2Sea is the only company to have a product pass the Protect Land + Sea certification and be tested and proven not to harm coral larvae. These stringent certifications and tests are designed to protect you and what you love. Without tests like these, you don’t know what contamination has occurred or what chemicals have been introduced in the manufacturing process or in the raw ingredients.
Stream2Sea’s SPF 30 has passed the Protect Land + Sea certification and does not contain any chemicals that are known pollutants in many different environments (freshwater, streams, rivers, beaches, and ocean systems) or wildlife (e.g., coral, fish, birds, marine mammals, sea turtles), which pose a threat to ecosystem health.
The Stream2Sea Product Line.
Formulas that are good for your body…
• Active, nutrient-rich antioxidant blend of organic Wakame, Green Tea, Tulsi, & Olive Leaf as the core of all our products.
• Healthy ingredients formulated to be in compliance with EcoCert and other natural standards
Formulas that are good for the planet.
• Readily biodegradable in both fresh and salt water
• The only sunscreen that has been tested to be non-toxic to freshwater fish, saltwater fish, C. elegans and coral larvae
It is important to the team at OceanЯ that we work with like minded businesses whose mission is to invest in nature. No smoke and mirrors – just working with people who have created businesses that are actively making a difference and having a positive impact on the environment. Together our efforts grow stronger and we hope we can make a bigger difference.
Stay tuned for future eco-friendly collabs with other like minded businesses!