I was excited to attend the Consumer Products event held at the JW Marriott Le Merigot in Santa Monica. It’s an opportunity to meet some innovative entrepreneurs and see the products that have created to sell to the public. Here are some of the people I met and products I learned about –

1. COCOFLOSS – “Flossing is Fun” This is a new type of high-intensity superior dental floss that is coconut oil infused. “It removes more plaque on your teeth than any other floss,” said Dr. Chrystle Cu. “The container is appealing and coconut flavored is pleasing and inspires you to keep your teeth beautiful and healthy.” Dr. Cu and her sister Catherine Cu started the company in 2014 in the San Francisco Bay area. To learn more – cocofloss.com or email team@cocofloss.com. Catherine Cu can be reached at (415)851-5611.

   

   2. Green Queen – Celebrities Jessica Alba, Rihanna, Pop singers Christina Aguilera and Pink have walked the red-carpet in Deborah Lindquist eco-couture. She has come a long way since 1983 when she had some cashmere and made a belt out of recycled materials.

   Growing up in a 100-year-old farmhouse she learned how to sew and create fashion. Moving to California in the 1990s, she started designing and making clothing from recycled fabrics that included curtains and cashmere. After a trip to the Pasadena Rose Bowl Flea Market, she found more cashmere and created a sweater. “I was named the ‘Green Queen,’ because of my eco-fashion” she told me. Since the weather is warm in California, she started designing sleeveless cashmere shirts and arm socks in case it got chilly.  “People get rid of a cashmere sweater if it has a stain or hole,” Lindquist said to me, “I take these items and turn them into something pretty.”  She now has a line of cashmere home decor, emoji sweaters, bustiers, ultra-feminine shrugs and wedding dresses made from hemp silk. To learn more, go to:  www.deborahlindquist.com.

   

   3. 4LOVE is a socially conscious company created by Lindsey Parry. She empowers, employs and educates indigenous women from Panama. She utilizes the tribe’s traditional clothing to create pretty, bold and unique pants, belts, dresses and accessories. The intention is to connect two cultures to create change. Parry donates a portion of proceeds from each sale to help support the non-profit Sowing Seeds of Love (www.sowingseedsoflove.org) to provide resources that empower indigenous women, children and orphans through education, creative arts, reading programs and recreational activities. To learn more, email Lindsey at 4LOVECLOTHING@GMAIL.COM.

   

   4. Pedego Electric Bicycles – Pedego was founded in 2009 by Don DiCostanzo and Terry Sherry. “There are 10 different types of Pedego bicycles,” Paul Auclair, Product Manager of Pedego shared with me. After graduating from University of Southern Maine in Business, Management and Marketing, he soon started working at the company. He helps design and manage the bikes, while working with suppliers in the US, Shanghai, Japan and Italy. From the easy access Boomerang with cruiser bars, to a Ridge Rider for climbing hills or sophisticated tandeem bicycle, every Pedego is designed in California and built with quality, brand name components from the ground up. The battery on the bike can last from 2 to 4 years and takes between 2-6 hours to charge with a standard wall outlet. At full speed these bikes max out at 20 mph. They have a Get Healthy Pedaling Pedego campaign with success stories of how Pedego helped people reach their fitness goals. Get inspired by reading their stories – http://www.pedegoelectricbikes.com/customer-stories/. Click on this link to see the different bikes http://www.pedegoelectricbikes.com/products/ 

   5. Robanda International is headquartered in San Diego and formed in 1999 by David Leib (President and CEO) and Anthony Leib (Vice President Sales). David’s Cousin Shawn joined them a few years later and now heads up International sales. David’s daughter helps with marketing at this family owned and operated company. Robanda currently owns and distributes 22 brands to over 50 markets worldwide. They import beauty products from France to S. Africa. One of their innovative products is the Twirler classic ball brush which is the only spaceship looking traditional 360 degree round brush in the US. “It’s great for making beach waves in your hair,” said  The brush allows you to hold it in a position that feels comfortable for you while still reaching all of your hair. You can roll it, twirl it, flip it, feather it, lift it. One has a thermal component, as a curling iron.

The Hydra Oil is good for scars and their Mood Lips change color depending on your lip chemistry. They condition lips with antioxidant Vitamins A, C, & E and Aloe Vera for moisture and protection. Each shade provides a full 12 hours of lip color.

Their Bodyography Professional Cosmetics is popular with some of the  biggest names in makeup artistry. They offer 24 lipsticks and more than 200 products in recyclable packaging, that are paraben-free formulas, age-defying minerals and full of anti-oxidant.

6. The Oakland based Back To The Roots company was created by two innovative students from UC Berkeley – Alejandro & Nikhil. They learned in a college class that you can grow mushrooms on recycled coffee grounds. With a $5,000 grant and collected used coffee grounds from local restaurants. In return they gave the restaurants freshly grown mushrooms 10 days later. Soon, this duo became mushroom farmers in 2009.

They had on display, their Mushroom in a Box kit. Anyone can grow gourmet, organic oyster mushrooms in just 10 days! Just open the box, mist with water, and harvest. It’s a great gift for kids, foodies & chefs. The kit includes organic plant-based soil, oyster mushroom spawn, a spray mister and organic heirloom tomato seeds to grow with your composted mushroom kit.

With their success, they created herbs in a can. They also sell a four-pack organic herb garden in cans. All you need is water & sun to watch basil, cilantro, sage and dill grow. The kit come with organic seeds, nutrient rich soil from biochar – charred remnants of organic agricultural waste. Its highly moisture retentive capacity helps avoid over-watering issues, aerates the soil for quick root growth, and increases nutrient absorption and microbial activity in the soil.

With their success, they created herbs in a can. They also sell a four-pack organic herb garden in cans. All you need is water & sun to watch basil, cilantro, sage and dill grow. The kit come with organic seeds, nutrient rich soil from biochar – charred remnants of organic agricultural waste. Its highly moisture retentive capacity helps avoid over-watering issues, aerates the soil for quick root growth, and increases nutrient absorption and microbial activity in the soil.

Another clever product is the Aquaponics Kit – You can grow herbs and lettuce, plus have a pet fish in a self-cleaning fish tank. It’s a closed-loop ecosystem—the fish feed the plants and plants clean the water! The Water Garden comes with a Fish tank and gravel, organic seeds and grow stones, natural fertilizer, fish food, a silent, submersible water pump and even a coupon for a Betta fish. It’s designed and manufactured in the USA!

This company gives back to the community, by offering a Grow One, Give One and Pour It Forward campaign. Purchase one of the Ready to Grow or Ready to Eat products, Take a photo with your product and upload it. For every photo shared with Back to the Roots, they will donate a product to a classroom of your choice in the U.S. Want to know where to buy these products? Go to http://backtotheroots.com.