Scream Frozen Desserts
When the pandemic had everyday life restricted, Kate Vigmostad began envisioning an ice cream brand to spark joy and humor while keeping a small carbon footprint with local ingredients.
Fairfield, IA
Eco Lips
Type: Producer
Produces: Lip Balms
Location: Marion, IA
Miles from Coop: 6
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.”
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.
"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 Products
Checkout these great products from Eco Lips
Other Local Producers
Be sure to check out these others great local producers!
Old Capitol Tofu
Jake, Matthew, and the gang at Old Capitol Food Co. make their local organic tofu in Iowa City with organic Iowa soybeans and pure, reverse osmosis water for the freshest, cleanest tasting tofu around.
Iowa City, IA
Larry Schultz Organic Farm
“They have that old-fashioned flavor, the way turkeys used to taste. I think you’ll agree there isn’t a more tasty bird around!”
Owatonna, MN
Cortado
People would say, ‘Show me what you can do,’ and I would make them a Cortado. The balance of it is great.
Iowa City, IA
Early Morning Harvest
Earl, Ronda (above), & son Jeff Haffner grow organic grains and stone grind them whole – germ intact (unlike commercial flour). Their organic grains are in many of New Pi’s breads, prepared foods, and on New Pi shelves
Panora, IA
Wake Up Iowa
What we love is what we do best. “I’m a light roast single origin guy – no blends.
Iowa City, IA
Friendly Farm
Friendly Farm is a hidden paradise in Iowa City known for a variety of divine veggies and colorful flower bouquets.
Iowa City, IA
Kerns Homegrown
Our local source for non-GMO sweet corn! In 1999, at the age of 15, Blake Kerns rented two acres of abandoned crop land, borrowed a planter, and seeded sweet corn. Twenty years later he's still planting, picking, and delivering fresh picked homegrown produce.
Oelwein, IA