From skincare to medical salves, Moon Valley’s personal care products are an eco-friendly addition to any self-care regime. Since the late ‘90s, Owners Kim and Aaron Otto have gone from selling vegetables at farmers markets to distributing value-added beauty products nationally under the Moon Valley brand– but if you ask them, the company is just getting started.
“We make everything on our farm in Deming. We have a giant 10,000-square-foot barn, and another 4 or 5,000-square-foot production area– but we’ve outgrown it,” Otto says.
After getting their start in Seattle (and selling at Pike Place Market for many years), the Ottos moved their home base to Deming in 2009. They’re now planning to move the farm closer into Bellingham, but even as the company continues to grow, the majority of Moon Valley’s herbal ingredients will still be produced on-site.
“That’s what makes us unique: We actually grow a lot of the herbs we use in the products,” Kim says. “We do bring in some herbs that we can’t grow in this region, though anything we can grow, we do. Our biggest crops are calendula and comfrey, and that’s pretty much in all of our products.”
Beyond the labor involved in producing ingredients, every product is packaged by hand, and the production process can also be labor-intensive. While Moon Valley makes thousands of lip balms and lotion bars per day, Kim notes that soaps can take two to four weeks to cure.
Another thing that sets Moon Valley apart is their commitment to clean, sustainable, and organic ingredients. Moon Valley is a certified B corporation, and the farm as a whole is certified organic. Even product packaging is chosen with sustainability in mind, as everything is either biodegradable, reusable, or recyclable. Moreover, the Ottos don’t use pesticides and utilize their company’s influence to advocate for the protection of pollinators like bees.
“We donate to organizations that help with legislation and education around pollinator habitat and pesticide use, and how people– even on a small level– can do little things to help preserve pollinators,” Kim says.
While Moon Valley makes a variety of products, from lip balms to soaps and even honey, the lotion bar continues to be a No. 1 seller. Kim describes the product as sustainable, travel-friendly, and longer-lasting than most water-based lotions– and best of all, it doesn’t come in a plastic bottle.
Kim’s new personal favorite, however, is Moon Valley’s new Organic Hair Therapy oils. Made with organic MCT oils, these treatments are meant to soothe frizz, flyaways, and dryness.
“It pairs with our shampoo bar and the conditioner that’s going to come out shortly, so we’ll have a whole line of hair care products that are not in plastic bottles,” Kim says.
No matter what product you choose, you can rest assured that your money is going to a good cause: Moon Valley Organics donates 10% of all profits through both direct action and contributions to nonprofits like the Pesticide Action Network and the People & Pollinators Action Network. Moon Valley products are available everywhere from Community Food Co-ops to Whole Foods, Fred Meyer, and most natural grocers. Deming, 360.595.0500, moonvalleyorganics.com
