A Lifelong Commitment, Not a Marketing Line
How We Care for the Place We Call Home
Someone once told me that adding something about the environment to our website would be “good for optics.” WOW, I was stunned.
Environmental stewardship has never been a buzzword for me. It’s not a marketing angle, a political stance, or a trend to follow. It’s simply the way I’ve lived my life — long before Chagrin Valley Soap & Salve existed.
As a young city girl in the early 60s, I felt a connection with nature. I could spend hours wandering around a small neighborhood park, completely absorbed in the details — the lichen on a tree, the smell of damp soil, the delicate architecture of a spiderweb. I didn’t know why I felt so connected; I just knew it felt like home.
As a mother, I tried to pass along something simple but important—that we share this world with other living things, and our actions matter.
I made homemade baby food because natural options didn’t exist. My kids wore cloth diapers because I couldn’t imagine where all those disposable ones would go. I even put bricks in our toilet tank to save water.
And I taught my children to notice the world around them — to smell the dirt, listen to the birds, and put a rock back where they found it because “it might be part of someone’s home.”
Whatever I have done — as a mother, a teacher, an individual, or a business owner — I have done because I believe caring for our planet and all who share it is simply the right thing to do.
That belief is the foundation of our company.
The Values That Guide Us
Our business began in my home on the Chagrin River, where the connection between daily choices and environmental impact was impossible to ignore.
That river, that valley, and the natural world around us shaped the way we operate.
As a family and as a family‑run business, we try to be mindful of the footprint we leave behind.
We believe that even the smallest business can be a force for good, and that simple, steady actions can ripple outward in meaningful ways.
What follows are the commitments that guide us, the actions we take, and the values we refuse to compromise.
Commitments to Decrease Our Environmental Impact
Much of what we do is simple. But simple, done consistently, matters.
Each day, we look for little ways to reduce waste, reuse what we can, and keep materials out of landfills. Here are a few of the simple everyday practices that guide us:
- We use real dishes, glassware, and utensils instead of disposables
- We use rags and towels instead of paper products
- We provide a water cooler rather than bottled water
- We recycle whenever possible
- Shredded office paper is reused as packaging material
- We reuse incoming packaging materials
- Even our “trash cans” are repurposed containers
- Our product packaging is nearly plastic-free
- We use cleaning products that avoid harsh or unnecessary chemicals
We also look beyond daily habits.
We furnished our space with rescued and repurposed furniture — nearly 90% of what we have came from companies remodeling or from friends and family who no longer needed it. Perfectly good tables, chairs, and desks shouldn’t end up in landfills when they can continue to serve a purpose.
These choices may seem small, but they reflect a mindset: waste less, reuse more, stay mindful.
There is a Native American proverb that reminds us:
I have children and grandchildren. The future belongs to them. That is why we strive to live—and run our business—in a way that reflects care for the world they will inherit.
Commitment to Sustainability
What Is Sustainability?
Sustainability is often defined as meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. (The Brundtland Commission, 1987)
A Native American proverb expresses this idea in a simpler, more visual way:
“The frog does not drink up the pond in which it lives.”
The pond is our Earth—and we are the frogs.
We have a responsibility to use our resources wisely, to care for them, and to ensure they remain available for future generations.
At Chagrin Valley Soap & Salve, sustainability is not a single action—it is a way of thinking that guides how we choose ingredients, how we run our business, and how we evaluate our impact.
While we may be only one small frog in a very large pond, we believe responsibility matters at every level.
How We Put Sustainability Into Practice
Sustainability begins long before a product is packaged. It begins with the ingredients themselves.
We choose raw materials that are grown, harvested, and processed in ways that respect the environment and the people who produce them.
That means using Certified Sustainable Palm Oil, avoiding ingredients from endangered or threatened plants, and supporting organic agriculture.
Organic farming protects soil, water, and biodiversity. It reduces chemical runoff and supports healthier ecosystems. We also make a point to buy from local farmers and small businesses when we can, and we seek out suppliers who share our commitment to environmental stewardship and ethical practices.
Fair Trade matters to us — not as a label, but as a way of ensuring that the people and communities behind our ingredients are treated with dignity and paid fairly.
Our goal is simple: to use only what we need, and to use it thoughtfully—so the pond we share remains healthy for generations to come.
🌴 Learn More: Will A Palm Oil Boycott Help Protect Our Rainforests?
Commitment to Decrease Our Impact on Climate Change
Climate change is no longer a distant concern—it is a reality that affects people, ecosystems, and all forms of life on our planet.
I believe each of us has a responsibility to do what we can, in whatever way we can, to help protect the world we share.
Our planet is an interconnected system of air, water, soil, plants, and animals. Nature provides everything we need to survive. So even if there are differing views on the causes of climate change, taking steps to care for our environment can only help—not harm.
The Role of Small Business
When conversations turn to climate change, large corporations often receive the most attention. But small businesses matter too.
Individually, a small business may use fewer resources—but collectively, small businesses represent a significant environmental footprint. Just as important, they help shape the culture of their communities.
We believe small businesses can lead by example and inspire meaningful change.
Doing Our Part
Since moving into our current space in 2014, we’ve made countless improvements.
We installed programmable thermostats and motion‑sensing lights, replaced older appliances with energy‑efficient models, upgraded warehouse heaters, and added large fans to reduce air conditioning use.
We restored natural areas on our property and planted pollinator gardens to support biodiversity.
After participating in an energy audit in 2018, we took even bigger steps. We replaced every light fixture in our 20,000‑square‑foot space with LEDs, added skylights to reduce lighting needs, and replaced our black tar roof with a cool white one that doubled the insulation value and helps reduce the urban heat island effect.
And we’re not done. We plan to plant more trees, remove sections of asphalt to create gardens and permeable surfaces, and install solar panels that will generate more electricity than we use during the summer months.
We may be a small company, but we believe our choices matter.
By making thoughtful changes—both large and small—we can reduce our impact and contribute to a healthier, more balanced environment for future generations.
Commitment to Biodegradable Ingredients
What Does Biodegradable Mean?
Biodegradable simply means that a material can be broken down by living organisms — usually soil‑based bacteria — into simple, harmless substances. It’s the way nature has always handled organic matter.
All of our soaps are biodegradable, but it’s not just the soaps. The skincare products we make with familiar natural ingredients — things like shea butter, cocoa butter, coconut oil, almond oil, sunflower oil, and other plant‑based oils and butters — also break down naturally over time. These are ingredients the environment already knows how to process.
Because of that, the small amounts of product that wash off your hands or rinse down the drain become part of a natural cycle—broken down by microorganisms into simpler substances that do not linger as forever chemicals in the environment.
A Note for Campers and Backpackers
Bringing a biodegradable soap on a camping or backpacking trip is a wonderful way to stay comfortable and refreshed outdoors. However, even biodegradable soap should never be used directly in lakes, rivers, or streams.
The bacteria responsible for breaking down natural soap live primarily in soil, not water. That means soap — even biodegradable soap — breaks down most effectively when it comes into contact with organic soil, not freshwater sources.
⛺ Learn More: How to Use Biodegradable Soap Responsibly Outdoors
Commitment to Cruelty-Free
Chagrin Valley Soap & Salve is certified cruelty-free by the Leaping Bunny Program.
The Leaping Bunny Program was established in 1996 by the Coalition for Consumer Information on Cosmetics (CCIC), a group of animal protection organizations dedicated to ending animal testing in the cosmetics industry.
What Cruelty-Free Really Means
Many companies state that their finished products are not tested on animals.
But that alone does not guarantee that the ingredients used in those products are also free from animal testing.
Our Leaping Bunny certification means no animal testing at any stage — not on finished products, not on raw ingredients, and not by our suppliers. We also do not sell in markets that require animal testing.
Cruelty-free is not just a label—it is a commitment to more responsible and compassionate practices throughout the entire supply chain.
It’s simple: animals should never suffer for skincare.
Commitment to Pollinators
Pollinators—like bees and butterflies—play a vital role in the health of our planet.
They are responsible for helping plants reproduce, supporting ecosystems, and contributing to the growth of a large portion of the fruits and vegetables we rely on every day.
Without pollinators, our food systems and natural environments would not be able to thrive.
Pollinators also play a role in maintaining healthy ecosystems that help support clean air and balanced natural cycles.
A Growing Concern
In recent years, pollinator populations have declined at alarming rates.
Factors such as habitat loss, pesticide use, and changing weather patterns have all contributed to this decline.
Because pollinators are so closely tied to the health of our environment, their decline affects far more than just individual species—it impacts entire ecosystems.
What We Are Doing
We are committed to creating and supporting pollinator-friendly habitats both at our homes and at our soap factory.
Over the years, we’ve created pollinator‑friendly habitats at home and at our factory by planting native species, restoring lawn areas to natural meadows, and providing food, shelter, and water for bees, butterflies, and other pollinators.
At my home, I have planted native milkweed to support monarch butterflies, creating a space where they can feed and reproduce.
Protecting pollinators is one of the simplest, most beautiful ways to support biodiversity.
🦋 Learn More: Butterflies & Bees Need Our Help!
Commitment to Non-GMO Ingredients
GMO stands for genetically modified organisms—plants, animals, or microorganisms that have been altered at the genetic level using laboratory techniques.
This is actually an easy one for us. We are a USDA Certified Organic company, and organic standards prohibit GMOs at every stage — from seed to finished product — and we support that wholeheartedly.
While our skincare products are not consumed, we are mindful of the broader environmental impact of how our ingredients are grown.
GMOs raise environmental concerns, including increased herbicide use, which can affect soil health and contribute to runoff into groundwater, lakes, and rivers. Choosing organic is one way we help protect the land and water we all depend on.
For us, choosing non-GMO ingredients is part of a larger commitment to supporting agricultural practices that are more in balance with the environment.
👉 Learn More: At Chagrin Valley Soap, We Do NOT use GMO Ingredients!
Commitment to Eco-Friendly & Zero-Waste Packaging
Packaging matters. It plays an important role in our overall environmental impact —and the choices we make about it matter too.
Plastic pollution is a global crisis, but the solution isn’t as simple as “plastic is bad — use something else.”
True sustainability requires looking at the entire lifecycle of packaging: how it’s made, how it’s transported, how it performs, and what happens to it at the end of its life.
We focus on materials that are reusable, recyclable, biodegradable, or part of a circular system. We avoid unnecessary packaging and choose the simplest, most responsible option that still protects the product.
My promise is simple: to choose what works, use only what’s needed, and stay honest about the impact.
By focusing on materials and ingredients that protect your products and respect the planet, we’re doing our part to keep resources in circulation and waste out of the environment — one thoughtful choice at a time.
👉 Learn More: The Truth About Plastic Recycling
👉 Learn More: Sustainable, Zero Waste, Plastic-Free Packaging: What It Really Means
A Simple Promise
I have spent my whole life trying to pay attention to the world around me — the soil, the water, the small living things that depend on us to make good choices.
Over time, that quiet attention grew into something deeper — a way of seeing our place in the world, and our responsibility to care for it.
Chagrin Valley grew out of the simple hope that my work could honor that — to live in a way that respects the place we call home.
Every decision we make, from ingredients to packaging to the way we run our building, is rooted in the same simple promise: do what’s right, even when no one is watching.
We can’t fix everything, but we can care deeply, act responsibly, and keep moving in the direction of a healthier planet.
That’s the commitment we stand on.