the unwash: impact
Many brands featured on The Unwash embody a vote with your dollar mentality. Every purchase we make or company we support has an impact – one that could be detrimental or one that supports local communities, climate action, minority business owners, and more. It’s up to you how you use your purchasing power. It’s up to us to take political action outside of election cycles. It can be as simple as taking power away from billion-dollar corporations that continue to fuel the climate crisis. Our favorite brands are those who are vocal with their beliefs and aren’t afraid to put their values on full display. To get out the vote for reproductive rights and climate action, we partnered with Saie Beauty, Julie, and August to educate prospective voters on local and national issues that are on the ballot.
After the overturn of Roe v. Wade, Saie Beauty launched the Every Body Campaign in partnership with SisterSong, a women of color reproductive justice collective. The Every Body Campaign is the largest beauty industry-back initiative and highlights a moment where brands of all sizes are coming together to use their platform for change. Founder of Saie Beauty Laney Crowell chooses not to shy away from political hot buttons but rather to stand firm in her and the brand’s values to use their platform for advocacy and education. With reproductive rights in a continuous limbo, emergency contractive brand Julie is pushing to reduce the stigma around reproductive care. Julie is a new healthcare brand, founded by the brains behind Starface and Futurewise, Julie Schott. Julie, an emergency contraceptive, is working to make the morning-after pill accessible for all without judgment. The brand is hoping to ensure equal access to contraception regardless of what state you reside in. The gen-z geared brand, August, took the internet by storm with their mission of destigmatizing periods. The brand’s products are completely biodegradable – a stark change from traditional period products that take years to decompose. Founder, Nadya Okamoto uses her platform to educate on reproductive disparities and reduce the stigma associated.
“Whatever you do, take action. If not for yourself then for the women you love.” – Laney Crowell, Founder of Saie Beauty
We chose to partner with these brands as their values are deeply rooted in their mission and each of these companies has rallied together to get out the vote for the 2024 election. We hosted a voter outreach gathering to connect with prospective voters and create a community to connect on issues that are important to us. Climate issues, reproductive access, voting rights, and LGBTQIA+ freedoms are continually debated contenders on the ballot as issues as simple as one’s livelihood have become political hot buttons. To us, these shouldn’t be debatable topics. Access to proper health care, voting in free and fair elections, the ability to love or live your life as you choose, and taking action to preserve the environment are basic equalities that should be ascertained. We gathered our community to write personalized over 60 postcards to swing state voters that touched on why voting is so important to us and what is at stake this election.
When it comes to voting, think of your neighbor, the people around you, and the people hundreds of miles from you who are represented by the same politicians. Putting Democrat and progressive candidates in office allows us to voice our vote and in turn push for more progressive legislation that focuses on the needs of our citizens. For more information on what’s on your ballot visit Ballotpedia.
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August
August offers a wide range of menstrual products all made from organic cotton and focused on functionality with designs that are far more comfortable for the user. Periods are a much larger issue to tackle than just reconceptualizing a product – August is committed to helping those with periods feel more confident, comfortable and educated in their experience.
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Saie Beauty
Climate-neutral brand Saie Beauty has taken the industry by storm, with nearly all of its products going viral. Saie is making beauty products that are good for you and the environment. Saie is transparent about its ingredients, production process, and the most effective ways to dispose of its products. It makes Saie stand out in the crowd with its commitment to education and transparency.
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Julie
Julie can be purchased in all 50 U.S. states across 4,500 Walmart locations. No prescription for this over-the-counter medication is needed, and it retails at $43. Regarding formulation, the brand is no different from Plan B One-Step and other generic brands, containing 1.5 mg of Levonorgestrel – a progestin-only emergency contraceptive. There is no age restriction for this product; it can be purchased without an ID.
