Britta Nelson and Rachel McNulty have known each other for decades and share a love of nature. “We’ve been friends since we were three years old. We are well into our 30s,” laughs Nelson. Having grown up in a small town in Washington, most of their entertainment derived from the outdoors. “We grew up running around in the woods, and with parents and families that are very nature focused. [Our community consists of] botanists, biologists, and naturalists, so it was just in us.”
Fast forward to 2022, when McNulty sent Nelson a message that said, “We should start an apothecary,” and Nelson answered with, “I was just thinking that.”
The dream became a reality shortly thereafter, and Fern & Fog Apothecary has now been on the scene for about two years. Straddling “the science of herbalism and the magic of the natural world,” they create products to help you feel beautiful and healthy inside and out. You’ll find tinctures and loose-leaf teas, bath products, herbal salves for skin nutrition and pain management, hair oils, and lotion bars.”
Photograph by Rachel Reijm
From their dainty light-green fern logo to their earth toned packaging, these products are clearly nature-focused. From the beginning, Nelson and McNulty have prioritized sustainability; they are always looking for more ways to make their products better for our planet and more ethically sourced.
“We’ve been looking into more reusable, recyclable, eco-conscious packaging within the last year,” says Nelson. While purchasing eco-conscious packaging may seem straightforward, there is one significant challenge.
“Being eco-friendly is very important to us, but there is definitely a cost barrier. If you’re trying to build a business, sometimes having the capital to buy the quality of certain things you want can be a limitation,” says McNulty, which means that sometimes it might take a bit longer for a product to go out because they need to save up a bit to have the money for sustainable packaging.
Not only is Fern & Fog’s packaging eco-friendly, but McNulty and Nelson make sure that they are only sourcing plants that are not endangered.
“I would rather that plant exist in nature than I have the ability to use them. It’s better that it exists in its natural form than in a bottle on my shelf,” says McNulty.
The friends take care to acknowledge that much of their knowledge of plants comes from the internet, and much of online herbalism understanding originates in Indigenous communities.
Photograph by Rachel Reijm
“Traditional Western herbalism knowledge comes from Indigenous and BIPOC practitioners. The only reason that we have any access to it is because they have chosen to share. [We are] infinitely grateful for the folks who come before us,” says Nelson.
McNulty wants people to see “how cool plants are and all the amazing things they can do for us. Whether we are looking at it from a spiritual side or from a scientific perspective, plants are better studied than a lot of people think they are.”
Fern & Fog Apothecary sells their products at pop-up markets around Whatcom, King, and Skagit counties. You can always find their products in Bellingham at Goods Nursery and Produce or at Poppy and Pomegranate, and in Ferndale at Feather Hill Farm’s farmstand. fernandfogapothecary.com
