Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps Explained

Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps
Industry:Soaps
Founded: in Los Angeles, California
Founder:Emanuel Bronner
Hq Location City:Vista, California
Hq Location Country:U.S.

Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps is an American producer of organic soap and personal care products headquartered in Vista, California. The company was founded in the late 1940s by Emanuel Bronner and continues to be run by members of the Bronner family. The company's products are known for their text-heavy labels and the variety of their advertised uses for a single product (e.g., one soap advertises eighteen uses, from toothpaste and shampoo to toilet scrubber and insecticide).[1] [2] The company's 2017 annual revenue was $120 million.

History

Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps was founded by Emanuel Bronner, who was not a doctor. He was a Jewish immigrant soap-maker who emigrated from Germany in 1928. His family, who stayed behind, were murdered in the Holocaust. After escaping from a mental institution in 1945, Bronner went into business.[3]

Bronner created his own syncretic spiritual ideology and originally distributed the soap to those who attended lectures on his 'All One' philosophy; however, he soon became convinced that attendees were seeking soap rather than spiritual enlightenment. After this realization, Bronner began to print key tenets of his teachings on the soap bottles as a way to proselytize.[4] The labels still include lengthy diatribes on the unity of humankind and the need to "unite spaceship earth". An 88-minute documentary film directed by Sara Lamm, titled Dr. Bronner's Magic Soapbox, was released in 2006,[5] and in 2017, the company released a spoken word album of Bronner's spiritual teachings.[6]

For a period of time, Bronner ran the company as a tax-exempt religious organization, but it was not in compliance with this designation and was levied $1.3 million in back taxes in 1985.[7] Following this, Emmanuel Bronner's son Jim started working, and in 1988, it was recapitalized as a for-profit business. In 1997, Jim Bronner's son, David, began working for the company.[8]

In 1999, the company rebranded as "social and natural." The soap had long included caramel coloring, but the company had never disclosed this ingredient. In the rebranding, David Bronner faced a choice: declare the ingredient or omit it. He decided to replace the caramel color with hemp oil. From then on, David Bronner also campaigned intensively for the legalization of hemp.

David Bronner's brother, Michael, began working for the company in 2000. Michael Bronner assumed the presidency of the company in 2015 and promoted his brother David Bronner to the position of CEO, which stands for Cosmic Engagement Officer at the company.[9]

Supply chain

The major ingredients (mainly vegetable oils, lye, and essential oils) in Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps products are organic and fair trade.[10] The company has developed a number of fair trade and organic production systems in Ghana, Sri Lanka, Samoa, India, and Kenya through its sister LLC, Serendiworld.[11]

Activism and philanthropy

Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps has championed a number of causes related to drug policy reform,[12] animal rights,[13] genetically modified organisms[14] and fair trade practices. The company has self-imposed caps on executive pay, with executive salaries not to exceed five times the wage of its lowest paid workers. Roughly a third of the company's profits are dedicated to charitable giving and activist causes annually.[15]

In 2018, the company joined Patagonia, Inc. and The Rodale Institute in promoting the development of the Regenerative Organic Certification label, a more stringent certification than 'organic' that requires companies to utilize only ingredients that have been produced under conditions that foster workers' rights, animal welfare, and environmental sustainability.[16] In 2013, the company donated $1.8 million to the campaign to pass a proposition requiring the labeling of foods containing genetically modified organisms in Washington State.[17]

In 2017, Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps donated $600,000 to animal rights causes. Notably, the company purchased a boat for Sea Shepherd Conservation Society operations in Germany, the MV Emanuel Bronner. For the company's national and international experience in sustainable development, and eco-friendly products, the Environment Possibility Award conferred the "Award of Earth Defender" to Dr. Bronner's in 2020.[18]

CEO David Bronner is a critic of drug prohibition and an activist for the legalization of a number of psychoactive substances.[19] In 2004, the company sued the Drug Enforcement Administration with the goal of changing rules regarding the importation of hemp oil. A federal judge ruled in favor of the plaintiffs.[20] David Bronner has been arrested twice for civil disobedience protesting limitations on the domestic production of hemp. In 2004, he planted hemp seeds on the lawn of the Drug Enforcement Administration headquarters, and in 2012, he harvested hemp while locked in a metal cage in front of the White House.[21] In 2015, he was named Cannabis Activist of the Year by the Seattle Hempfest.[22]

Bronner is a member of the Board of Directors of the organization Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies,[23] and at his behest the company has pledged to donate $5 million to the organization between 2017 and 2022, principally for their work in support of the therapeutic use of MDMA for posttraumatic stress disorder.[24] In 2019, David Bronner pledged company contributions of $1 million to Oregon's statewide ballot initiative to legalize psilocybin-assisted therapy, alongside nonprofits like SPORE and ERIE.[25] [26] By the time Oregon Ballot Measure 109 was approved by voters in November 2020, legalizing psilocybin in therapeutic settings, Dr. Bronner's had donated more than $2 million in support of the measure.[27]

Notes and References

  1. News: Harris . Kathleen . Naturally.... Dr Bronner's soap can clean nearly anything . The Irish Times . en . 2020-05-11 . 2016-11-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161122023414/http://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/fashion/naturally-dr-bronner-s-soap-can-clean-nearly-anything-1.2355270 . live .
  2. Web site: Willett . Megan . 14 things you can do with Dr. Bronner's magic soaps . Business Insider . 2020-05-11 . 2020-09-28 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200928180955/https://www.businessinsider.com/uses-for-dr-bronners-soap-2016-5 . live .
  3. News: How Dr. Bronner's Soap Turned Activism Into Good Clean Fun . Harkinson . Josh . May 24, 2014 . Mother Jones . November 23, 2018 . November 24, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181124003706/https://www.motherjones.com/environment/2014/05/dr-bronners-magic-soap-david-bronner-gmo-hemp/ . live .
  4. News: Is Dr. Bronner's All-Natural Soap A $50 Million Company Or An Activist Platform? Yes . Zax . David . May 2, 2013 . Fast Company . November 23, 2018 . November 23, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181123201200/https://www.fastcompany.com/3009080/is-dr-bronners-all-natural-soap-a-50-million-company-or-an-activist-platfo . live .
  5. Dr. Bronner's Magic Soapbox . Lamm, Sara (Director) . November 23, 2018.
  6. News: Soapmaker Dr. Bronner Releases Posthumous Album Of His Own Words . February 9, 2017 . Andrew . Limbong . NPR.org . November 23, 2018 . November 23, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181123200927/https://www.npr.org/2017/02/09/514365563/soapmaker-dr-bronner-releases-posthumous-album-of-his-own-words . live .
  7. News: The Undiluted Genius of Dr. Bronner's . April 3, 2012 . Foster . Tom . Inc.com . November 23, 2018 . October 1, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181001170255/https://www.inc.com/magazine/201204/tom-foster/the-undiluted-genius-of-dr-bronners.html . live .
  8. News: How a hemp-clad hippie turned Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap into an unlikely commercial hit . Usborne . Simon . June 12, 2014 . The Independent . November 23, 2018 . November 23, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181123200947/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/analysis-and-features/how-a-hemp-clad-hippie-turned-dr-bronners-magic-soap-into-an-unlikely-commercial-hit-9533377.html . live .
  9. Web site: Mike Bronner Media Profile. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20181123200901/https://www.drbronner.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Mike-Bronner-Media-Profile.pdf. November 23, 2018. November 23, 2018.
  10. News: 150 years and 5 generations of family soapmaking . Dr. Bronner's . November 23, 2018 . October 16, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181016165145/https://www.drbronner.com/about/ourselves/the-dr-bronners-story/ . live .
  11. News: How Dr. Bronner's is cleaning up its agricultural supply chain . Gaeta . Ana Christina . August 13, 2018 . GreenBiz . November 23, 2018 . October 16, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181016165244/https://www.greenbiz.com/article/how-dr-bronners-cleaning-its-agricultural-supply-chain . live .
  12. News: Dr. Bronner's Just Made A Dank Donation In Fight For Legal Weed . Kaufman . Alexander C. . September 20, 2016 . Huffington Post . November 23, 2018 . February 14, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170214183721/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/dr-bronners-marijuana_us_57e1695ee4b08cb140983ef3 . live .
  13. News: Dr. Bronner's Donates $600K to Animal-Rights Causes . Starostinetskaya . Anna . October 26, 2017 . VegNews.com . November 23, 2018 . November 23, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181123201010/https://vegnews.com/2017/10/dr-bronners-donates-600k-to-animal-rights-causes . live .
  14. News: Why Did Top Scientific Journals Reject This Dr. Bronner's Ad? . Philpott . Tom . October 20, 2014 . Mother Jones . November 23, 2018 . November 24, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181124003631/https://www.motherjones.com/food/2014/10/read-dr-bronners-gmo-ad-thats-too-hot-nature-and-science/ . live .
  15. Web site: 70 years after its founding, Dr. Bronner's Soap is a trendy $120 million company . Stolzoff . Simone . September 4, 2018 . qz.com . November 23, 2018 . November 23, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181123201034/https://qz.com/quartzy/1374780/dr-bronners-soap-is-a-trendy-120-million-company/ . live .
  16. News: Regenerative Organic Certification Wants To Be The Ethical Standard To Rule Them All . Anzilotti . Eillie . March 14, 2018 . Fast Company . November 23, 2018 . November 23, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181123200840/https://www.fastcompany.com/40541750/regenerative-organic-certification-wants-to-be-the-ethical-label-to-rule-them-all . live .
  17. News: How Dr. Bronner's Got All Lathered Up About GMOs . Harkinson . Josh . November 4, 2013 . Mother Jones . November 23, 2018 . November 23, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181123200946/https://www.motherjones.com/environment/2013/11/dr-bronners-soap-gmo-labeling-washington/ . live .
  18. Web site: ORGANIC SUGAR SOAPS won the 2020 Award of Earth Defender . A.A. Environment Possibility Award. en-US. 2020-12-27. 2021-02-02. https://web.archive.org/web/20210202104349/https://www.ep-a.org/medal-2021/en/dr-bronners-organic-sugar-soaps. live.
  19. News: Podcast with Dr. Bronner's CEO and Visionary Activist David Bronner . August 21, 2018 . Psychedelic Times . November 23, 2018 . October 16, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181016165242/https://psychedelictimes.com/podcasts/podcast-with-dr-bronners-ceo-and-visionary-activist-david-bronner/ . live .
  20. Web site: U.S. Hemp Industry Wins Battle with DEA . https://web.archive.org/web/20050217222826/http://newstandardnews.net/content/index.cfm/items/1485 . 2005-02-17 . dead . Chepesiuk . Ron . February 16, 2005 . newstandardnews.net . November 23, 2018.
  21. Web site: Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps CEO arrested in hemp protest . Ely . Margaret . June 11, 2012 . The Washington Post . November 23, 2018 . October 16, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181016165335/https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dr-bronners-magic-soaps-ceo-arrested-in-hemp-protest/2012/06/11/gJQAhwLwUV_story.html . live .
  22. News: David Bronner, Cannabis Activist of the Year . Heyward . Anna . February 29, 2016 . The New Yorker . November 23, 2018 . October 16, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181016222039/https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/02/29/david-bronner-cannabis-activist-of-the-year . live .
  23. News: Board of Directors . . November 23, 2018 . November 15, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181115215827/https://maps.org/about/board/ . live .
  24. News: A soap empire, Burning Man, and Bitcoin riches: MDMA's unlikely shot at legalization . Martyn . Amy . July 31, 2018 . ConsumerAffairs . November 23, 2018 . October 16, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181016165211/https://www.consumeraffairs.com/news/a-soap-empire-burning-man-and-bitcoin-riches-mdmas-unlikely-shot-at-legalization-073118.html . live .
  25. Web site: Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap Company Supports The 2020 Legalize Psilocybin Initiative . Somerset . Sara Brittany . Forbes. en. 2019-10-05. 2019-10-05. https://web.archive.org/web/20191005150517/https://www.forbes.com/sites/sarabrittanysomerset/2019/09/30/dr-bronners-magic-soap-company-supports-the-2020-legalize-psilocybin-initiative/ . live.
  26. Web site: Dr. Bronner's Support of Psychedelic Therapy & Drug Policy Reform . Bronner . David . 2019-12-05 . Dr. Bronner's . en-US. 2020-01-13. 2020-01-13. https://web.archive.org/web/20200113205942/https://www.drbronner.com/all-one-blog/2019/12/dr-bronners-support-psychedelic-therapy-drug-policy-reform/. live.
  27. News: Acker . Lizzy . Oregon becomes first state to legalize psychedelic mushrooms . 2020-11-06 . The Oregonian . 2020-11-03 . 2020-11-15 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201115222446/https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2020/11/oregon-becomes-first-state-to-legalize-psychedelic-mushrooms.html . live .

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.