Keeping America Green… One Pet at a Time…

What does it mean to be a “green company”?  What is a “green company” anyway?  I’m really wondering, because to some folks, especially looking back to the greenwashed Nature's Pathway at Superzoo last September, apparently just wearing green shirts in the trade show booth was enough to qualify.

At DERMagic, we have a different idea about what “green” means, or rather, what it should mean.  But, as Kermit says, “It ain’t easy being green.” 

Below are some of the green things we actually do now.  Every effort we make, and that anybody makes, really matters. 

... Recycling and reusing materials, like cartons and cases, used and reused styrofoam peanuts, natural cornstarch packing peanuts, printing on both sides of the paper, etc. Everything gets a second and third chance around here.  Not only is this a very practical Green practice, it helps keep costs down and the savings are passed on to our customers.

...Creating packaging for all our products that is recycled, recyclable, reusable or from renewable sources.  Our organic shampoo bars are an excellent example, packaged in simple recycled cardboard boxes.

... Seeking manufacturers who adopt an Earth-friendly philosophy in their practices, procedures and products.  One example, Oregon Soap Company, our shampoo bar manufacturer, plants a native tree for every ten shampoo bars that we sell.  (Hint:  Help us reforest the Oregon wilderness!  Buy more shampoo bars!)

... Using vendors and service providers who are conscious of their carbon footprints and are doing something about it.  We use UPS for most of our shipping, and for a very small additional investment (pennies, in fact), we completely offset the carbon footprint of all our packages sent out via UPS.

... Using natural and organic ingredients in our products... rather than synthetic and "artificial."  Example: our Cell Restoration Crème contains only five ingredients, all organic.  And nothing else -- no preservatives, emulsifiers, texturizers, stabilizers, or any of that stuff.

... Manufacturing all our products exclusively in the USA.  This is a "green" practice because the carbon footprint from shipping pallets of inventory from a manufacturer across the ocean is excessive and unnecessary. Further, we do this to help protect jobs here in the US.  And further, we are more able to monitor the quality of products supplied by our vendors and manufacturers when they are close by.

Well, maybe it ain’t easy being green, but it’s what we do and what we all must do much more of.

Best to all!

 - Adelia

The Earth in Crisis

Peak Soil

The Silent Global Crisis,   BY STEPHEN LEAHY

 

Folks,  here at DERMagic we worry a lot about ingredients.  We look at what they are and where they come from, their quality and purity, the sustainability of their source.  And we look at whether or not these ingredients are organic or from organic farms.

For just one example, we use natural beeswax in some of our formulations, and we are deeply concerned about what is happening to our pollinating honeybees in the last decade.  Our lives literally depend on the health of these tiny creatures.  If they disappear, the absence of beeswax will be the smallest of our problems.  There is no replacement for beeswax, and certainly not for honeybees.

But looking even deeper, beyond the creatures, beneath the vegetation, what is the nature of the soil that our plant materials come from?  How are these materials processed to preserve and protect the natural goodness in them?  And where and under what conditions will these plants be grown next year or in ten years?  

We are gravely concerned about what is happening globally to the soil that allows us to exist.  Yes, for now, we think about maintaining the high quality of our products through natural and organic ingredients, and through buying only from suppliers who share our ideals.  But looking ahead, we are concerned, not just about our company and our products, but about the future of our existence.

I ask you to click on the link below and read about what is happening around our planet.  We are not asking for anything... no donations, no sign-up, no email address.  Just read this excellent, carefully researched paper and let this awareness sink in.  I still believe it's not too late.

http://www.earthisland.org/journal/index.php/eij/article/peak_soil/

Got a Stinky Dog? Is Bathing the Answer?

Do you bathe your dog too often?  Most people do, especially those with small dogs.

The Daily Kibble blog for today talks about stinky dogs and bathing.  If your dog is seriously smelly, if you see chunky dandruff, especially around the rump and tail area, or if his coat is dull and greasy feeling, your dog isn't dirty.  He has an infection causing an excessive production of sebum (from sebaceous glands in the skin).  Bathing will do nothing for this problem except make it worse.

Take a look underneath your dog, around the belly, teats and genitals.  If you see specks that you may have mistaken for dirt or "old age", and they don't rub off or disappear with bathing, your pet is infected with a common fungus of the yeast variety, and you've probably also had some problems with yeast in the ears.

This calls for DERMagic Skin Rescue Lotion.  Bathing will not solve this problem, but this amazing product will get rid of the fungus, clear up your dog's skin, end the seborrhea, and restore your furry love to beautiful condition, without steroids or harsh veterinary shampoos.

Give it a try with no risk.  All DERMagic products are guaranteed to end skin problems, fast!

DERMagic Awarded FIDO FRIENDLY Top 100 Pet Products!

DERMagic Skin Care for Animals product line is awarded Fido Friendly magazine 2010 Top 100 pet products of the year!  Best skin care products for dogs and cats on the market.   Buy your issue now and read about Holly Madison and her dog Napoleon in the Vegas Hei$t!  www.fidofriendly.com

DERMagic's Going to SuperZoo!!

Hi Folks!

Come to Vegas and visit us at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center September 15-17! We are in Booth 2312 and very excited to introduce our new Feline Skin Rescue Lotion!

Until recently, this wonderful product was called "Hot Spot Lotion" but it does so much more and deserved a much bigger name and new packaging, which will also be unveiled at SuperZoo.

We hope to see you there! ~ Best, Dr Adelia

Lunch with Sean Fay, Envision Response

It's finally summer in Seattle (and Bellevue!), WA, and it's de rigeur to dine outdoors every chance you get. Today was one of those perfect days... warm, sun shining, a handsome and talented entrepreneur to have lunch with and trade ideas with... In other words, a perfect afternoon.

Sean Fay is the CEO, Founder, Chief Creative Director of Envision Response, an award-winning direct response marketing firm in Seattle. We will all be at SuperZoo together too, one of the largest pet product trade shows in the world, coming soon to Las Vegas!

Hanging out with interesting and talented folks like this makes entrepreneurship so fun and exciting. I vow to do more!

Enjoy your summer...

Dr Adelia

DERMagic takes steps to maintain low carbon footprint.

As part of our corporate goal to be as Earth-friendly as possible, not only with our products and packaging, but also in our processes, we are taking a fresh look from a new perspective at how we do everything at DERMagic Skin Care for Animals, Inc.

Right now we are looking at our packing and shipping operation in the contexts of “What is our carbon footprint?” and “How can we reduce waste?” and “What steps can we take to minimize our consumption of natural resources?”

These are huge questions, and we will be continuously on the alert for better ways to address them. Meanwhile, we already recycle or reuse everything we possibly can, and we buy materials that can be recycled or reused whenever possible. If we receive a shipment packed in Styrofoam peanuts, for example, we will save every one and pack your shipments with them! The additional benefit of this is that we keep our costs low and our prices low.  

One of our most recent revelations is all about shipping and its hidden costs to our planet… specifically, it’s about getting DERMagic items from our warehouse to your home or shop. Moving products around the USA is normal and expected, but we see a consumer trend toward favoring locally produced products, and certainly toward domestic products, to save money if nothing else. This is one of the reasons we buy all of our ingredients domestically (with the only exception being Dead Sea salts, which only come from the Dead Sea!). And all our products are manufactured in the USA too. Both of these things will always be the case.

But these kinds of things are obvious, and everyone should already be managing their businesses and personal lives this way. We intend to look much deeper than this, and we will keep you informed of our ideas and actions on this subject.

In the meantime, you can be assured that DERMagic products are all-natural, and made with organic ingredients, and made in the USA, and these ingredients are from producers right here in the USA! Not only that, DERMagic works! And we guarantee it.

Best wishes, naturally…
Dr. Adelia

New! Certified Organic Shampoo Bars for Dogs!

What could be more fun than washing your dog with DERMagic Peppermint and Tea Tree Oil Shampoo? We have the answer! And it’s brand new: Certified Organic DERMagic Peppermint and Tea Tree Oil Shampoo Bars! Also available in Lemon/Eucalyptus and Rosemary/Lavender, all three are scented with organic essential oils and contain no sulfates.

Our customers have been asking us for these for a long time, but it has taken us time and effort to find a manufacturer whose quality ingredients and high manufacturing standards met our strict requirements. Our very popular SLS-free shampoo and conditioner are still available at your favorite local pet supply shop or groomer (check our website for a location near you), or online at www.DERMagic.com.

Here are just a few of the advantages of our shampoo bars compared to liquids:

· A shampoo bar is small but oh-so-powerful. We find that they last longer than a 16-oz bottle of shampoo!

· When you have a wriggly pup in the sink, you need at least three hands to deal with the dog and the shampoo bottle and the hand that’s doing the washing. With a bar, one hand does double duty!

· Shampoo bars are lightweight, compared to liquids, and cost much less to ship.

· Our shampoo bars are Certified Organic!

· Bars are portable… and perfect for travel. No spills!

· We can ship shampoo bars anywhere in the world without feeling guilty about the environment. Compared to shipping shampoo, which is mostly water, the carbon footprint is reduced at least 75%!

· Our bars are packaged in natural cardboard boxes, which are post-consumer recycled and recyclable, with the added benefit of allowing the shampoo bar to breathe (which makes your home smell like heaven).

• And, my favorite, for every 10 shampoo bars sold, a tree is planted!  Totally green...

· We’re sure there are more benefits! Send us your thoughts and we’ll post them here!

Best wishes,

Dr Adelia