Celebrities have a long history of putting their names or faces on campaigns, charities, and social causes. In the past, however, these initiatives were usually managed by separate companies or non-profit organizations.
Things are changing now, and more and more celebrities are starting their own businesses to support social, environmental, and philanthropic causes. Here are 10 of such businesses.
#1 Master & Muse (Amber Valletta)
Master & Muse is a clothing and accessories brand curated by model and actress Amber Valletta. It gathers top designers from around the world to create conscious shopping collections.
Products are conceived with the goal of being both fashionable and socially responsible. It targets shoppers who want to make sure the products they buy are good for them and the community at large.
It does so by sourcing raw materials like 100% organic cotton, recycled polyester, cork and dead-stock textiles. By utilizing these sustainable materials, they can produce garments that have a minimal impact on the environment while also looking stylish.
It may not be the most affordable fashion brand around, but it takes its environmental goals very seriously.
#2 Just Water (Jaden Smith)
Just Water is an eco-friendly water brand founded by talented young actor Jaden Smith when he was still in his teen years. Driven by the desire to fight plastic pollution, Jaden’s company sells its water in cartons that are 90% derived from plant-based materials, and half of which are made from responsibly harvested paper that is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council.
In addition to reducing the spread of plastic, this type of packaging also helps cut emissions as Just Water can transport 1.5 million cartons in flat rolls with one single truck when it would take 13 tracks to transport an identical amount of plastic bottles.
Just Water is also sustainably sourced and bottled in ways that tend to contain water and energy wastes compared to traditional tap water purification processes.
#3 FLOWER Beauty (Drew Barrymore)
Founded by popular actress Drew Barrymore, FLOWER Beauty is a very affordable cosmetics line that prides itself on being cruelty-free, that is, not testing any of its products or ingredients on animals or associating with any third party that does it.
Drew Barrymore founded Flower Beauty with the aim of providing consumers with cosmetics and tools that empower them to look and feel their best. Its products include eyeshadows, mascaras, and lipsticks. The company believes that everyone is beautiful in their own way, and their makeup products and tools are designed to enhance your features instead of masking them.
#4 Kylie Cosmetics (Kylie Jenner)
Founded by American media personality and businesswoman Kylie Jenner and her mother, this company has been selling beauty products since 2015 and was valued at $900 million in 2019.
It’s a cruelty-free company that doesn’t test its products and ingredients on animals and doesn’t sell its products in places where the law requires animal testing.
Kylie Cosmetics is also vegan, gluten-free, and sulfate free, thus making its products accessible to various customers. It was named the most popular celebrity beauty brand by StyleCraze.
#5 The North Circular (Lily Cole)
Founded by British model Lily Cole, the North Circular was launched in 2009 at London Fashion Week. This designer collection believes in using sustainable materials and respecting artisan skills to craft luxury knitwear.
It also hopes to restore the connection between the producer and buyer by providing high-value local hand-knit products.
The collection is a combination of traditional production techniques with a modern twist, resulting in unique bespoke knits. All beanies, bobbles, snoods and scarves are handmade, and their entire production process is traceable.
#6 Bionic Yarn (Pharrell Williams)
Popular musician Pharrell Williams works as creative director at Bionic Yarn, a company converting plastic waste into high-grade textiles.
It supplies both the consumer and industrial market with traceable textiles and polymers made with marine and coastal plastic, thus tackling the severe issue of 11 million metric tons of plastic entering our marine environment each year.
The company sells apparel, bags, luggage, footwear and interior textiles. Its production process follows multiple steps, starting with the identification of coastlines in need before collecting, transporting, pelletizing, spinning the yard, and fabricating the final product.
#7 Imagination Library (Dolly Parton)
American country singer and songwriter Dolly Parton is the founder of Imagination Library, a foundation that inspires a love of reading in children by giving free books to children from birth to five with the help of its partners in the US, Canada, UK, Ireland and Australia.
It was created in 1995 with the goal of helping kids in Dolly’s home county of East Tennessee, and it gradually expanded its reach across the world.
Children registering with Imagination Library will receive an age-appropriate book each month until they turn five.
#8 Laughing Man Coffee (Hugh Jackman)
The famous Australian actor co-founded the company Laughing Man Coffee back in 2011. The organization’s mission is empowering communities and contributing to eliminating poverty through Fair Trade Certified-supported farming.
It helps communities that grow coffee by ensuring that farmers receive fair compensation for the product they help bring to the market. At the same time, it incentivizes environmentally friendly farming practices and sustainable growth.
Laughing Man Coffee also finances educational programs and social entrepreneurs around the globe, thus contributing to a more equal and just planet.
#9 The Honest Company (Jessica Alba)
Founded by American actress Jessica Alba, The Honest Company is an LA-based digital-first consumer goods company founded in 2011. Its sales amounted to $319 million in 2021.
With a history of child illness herself, Jessica Alba wanted to give parents an alternative to baby products containing synthetic fragrances and petrochemicals. It strives to create products with responsibly sourced ingredients.
Nowadays, the company has expanded its range to a variety of affordable beauty products, including skincare and makeup.
Its products can be found in multiple physical and online retailers, including Target, Walmart and Amazon. Thanks to her founding role in the Honest Company, Jessica Alba has been named America’s richest self-made woman by Forbes.