Eco Lips

Type: Producer

Produces: Lip Balms

Location: Marion, IA

Miles from Coop: 6

steve-and-andrea.jpg

Steve and Andrea, Eco Lips founders

"Eco Lips is deeply connected with nature, applying what we know about beneficial organic ingredients to better people’s lives."

"We believe in the power of natural, organic ingredients over products that are petroleum-based or loaded with chemicals.

This extends to packaging – our lip balms are packed in our exclusive Plant Pod. It’s 100% plastic free. 

Plus, our production facility runs on solar power. 

Clearly, we don’t give lip service to sustainability – we live it every day.”

eco-lips-tour07.jpg


Founded with Love

In the early 90s, Andrea Danielson began brewing small batches of natural lip balm in her kitchen for her friends and family. She took great care in handcrafting the balm and packaging it in small amber glass jars to preserve the freshness of the pure ingredients.

Andrea didn’t realize that by giving a sample of her natural lip creation to Steve Shriver her life would be changed forever.

In 1997 they married and began building a private label natural body care company focused on making high quality products for many other successful brands. Their company rapidly became a leading natural body care manufacturer in the Natural Products industry.

Later on, the team pivoted from making products for other companies to making their own. 

Eco Lips had arrived.

mongo-kiss_image.jpg

"We’re restless at heart, so we keep exploring every corner of the world to seek out even better ways forward.”

One of those ways forward was in 2021, when Eco Lips purchased Simply Soother, the makers of the well-loved local brand "Bug Soother." The natural bug repellant has become an Iowa household staple, and the acquisition has allowed Eco Lips to expand distribution. 

Now in their expanded manufacturing facility in Cedar Rapids, Eco Lips is able to formulate and produce new lines of natural bodycare products with sustainability in mind. Our team was able to tour the facility recently and was inspired by the large scale operation Eco Lips has grown into!

eco-lips-collage.jpg


Other Local Producers

Be sure to check out these others great local producers!

Trowel and Error Farm

Trowel and Error Farm

Carly Andrews was inspired to start farming after attending The University of Vermont, and learning about the local foods movement. After seeing a panel of all women farmers in her undergrad, she decided to try it out for herself.

Iowa City, IA

Dogpatch Urban Gardens

Dogpatch Urban Gardens

Jenny Quiner is showing how a plot of land in her community can be transformed into an Urban Oasis.

Des Moines, IA

Thousand Hills Cattle Co.

Thousand Hills Cattle Co.

Thousand Hills sources beef from small Midwestern independent family farms that must meet the most stringent requirements around.

Cannon Falls, MN

Hue Hill

Hue Hill

Hue Hill crafts farm grown vegetables into vibrant, live cultured, powerfully probiotic fermented foods.

Iowa City, IA

Rot's Bounty Gourmet Fungi

Rot's Bounty Gourmet Fungi

Rot’s Bounty is a small, family-owned mushroom farm in Iowa City that seeks to provide delicious, fresh, and beautiful fungi to local grocers and restaurants.

Iowa City, Iowa

Marmalade Sky

Marmalade Sky

I had a mission: to find a way to bake everyone’s favorite treats without sacrificing anything to taste or texture. Malak Nour is a local artisanal baker specializing in gluten-free baked treats.

Fairfield, IA

Coffalo Coffee

Coffalo Coffee

In 2020, Chris James turned to coffee roasting and never looked back. His flavorful brews and charming bike deliveries with his pug Bugsy have made his brand a local favorite.

West Des Moines, Iowa

Hedge Apple Kombucha

Hedge Apple Kombucha

Lindsey and Kyle operate their kombucha micro-brewery with sustainability and harmony with the land in mind. Using locally sourced medicinal plants, they aim to celebrate 1-2 ingredients in their recipes.

Fairfield, IA