Hollywood movie stars are famous, successful and creative.
Here are 3 businesses founded by Hollywood stars to fuel your inspiration and entrepreneurial drive:
1. Nikki Reed – BaYou with Love
Twilight series actress and conservationist Nikki Reed started her company BaYou with Love when she couldn’t find products in the fashion industry that were ethically made, sustainable, chemical-free.
She partnered with Morgan Bogle, founder of Freedom of Animals and together they spent a year developing BaYou with Love.
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Ethical business – Conscious sourcing and sustainable production
Nikki and Morgan design jewellery, women clothing line and beauty products.
The company uses eco-friendly materials and technologically advanced production of recycling plastic for fabric.
The core value which drives BaYou with Love forward is the ethical decision to not harm the planet, the people and the animals. Therefore the company uses conscious sourcing and works with a Los Angeles based manufacturing facility that prioritizes ethical and sustainable production within their facility.
Their designs are made from natural and sustainable fabrics like cupro, recycled cotton canvas, tencel, post-consumer plastic, low chemical content chambrays and organic cotton.
Sustainable fashion is now, not later, and conscious consumption is an every day opportunity to make a better world. Bayou with Love is here to help pave the way.
Latest reports show only around 12.5% of electronics are responsibly recycled globally. It is estimated that our phones alone contain more than $60 million in gold and/or silver which are thrown away every year.
Electronics contain many valuable resources that can be recycled and upcycled. Dell and their partners have a process for extracting gold from old computer motherboards that is 99% more environmentally friendly than extracting gold from the earth. Not to mention the ethical benefits by avoiding the harsh labour conditions where gold is so often mined.
BaYou with Love jewellery collection is made from e-waste in collaboration with Dell which provided Nikki with gold responsibly extracted from recovered technology. She created two 14-18 karat gold jewellery collections (The Circular Collection and The One Earth Collection) from upcycled gold and conflict-free gemstones.
2. Hugh Jackman – Laughing Man Coffee
Hollywood actor Hugh Jackman rose to global fame thanks to his amazing portrayal of Wolverine, the comics action hero. His personal interests outside the film industry have lead the Australian actor to social entrepreneurship.
Here’s the story:
In 2009, Hugh and his wife Deborra were filming a documentary in Ethiopia on fair trade coffee. The actor was interested to learn the difference fair trade makes to the coffee farmers and the environment. Here he meets Dukale, an Ethiopian coffee farmer who works hard to provide for his family. Hugh is impressed with Dukale’s struggle and returns to America to share his story and tell the world how vital fair trade coffee is to these farmers, their families and their communities overall.
Hugh Jackman and Dukale / dukalesdream.com
In 2011, Hugh founded The Laughing Man Coffee company. The company’s mission is to deliver premium fair trade coffee and give back to the farmers who produce it.
Fair Trade Coffee – Premium coffee and Support for the coffee farmers and their families
Hugh also started The Laughing Man Foundation which supports coffee farming communities by investing in social programs. The foundation is currently running two programs in Huila, Colombia: 100 homes will benefit from housing improvements and 40 families will be able to access college scholarships.
Regram @mylostdejavu (IG): Nothing better to continue with my day than a cappuccino made with @laughingmancoffee created from the best coffee of Colombia, supporting the farmers and their families ☕.#LaughingManCoffee #makeeverycupcount pic.twitter.com/PH5byRlMNu
— Laughing Man Coffee Company (@laughingmanco) March 19, 2019
The Laughing Man Coffee brand is sold in two Laughing Man cafes located in New York. The cafes are successful and the customers love the coffee.
In 2014, the brand was acquired by Keurig Green Mountain, the world’s largest purchaser of Fair Trade Certified coffee in the world. Hugh said this acquisition rescued The Laughing Man Coffee brand from getting into franchising and risk losing quality control.
Hugh donates all his profits to the foundation.
3. Jennifer Garner – Once Upon a Farm
Actress Jennifer Garner acquired worldwide fame with her lead roles on the television series Alias and Hollywood film Elektra. Jennifer grew up on the family’s eighty-three-year-old farm; her mother would prepare delicious and healthy homemade meals for Jennifer and her six siblings using exclusively the vegetables and fruits provided by the land.
Now a mother of three, Jennifer became increasingly concerned with the quality of food she was feeding her babies. She remembered her own childhood at the farm and in 2018 she joined Once Upon a Farm as co-founder and Chief Brand Officer.
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⛱The unofficial start to summer starts now. #picnicseason // : @secondcitymom #feedfresh
Healthier food for a healthier world
Once Upon a Farm prepares and sells organic, cold-pressed baby food blends. Each blend is made from organic ingredients which can be traced right back to the source and don’t contain preservatives, colours, concentrates or added sugars. Some of the fruits and vegetables in the blends are grown on Jennifer’s own family farm in Oklahoma.
Our mission is to nurture our children, each other and the earth in order to pass along a healthier and happier world for the next generation.
Once Upon a Farm is a member of the Organic Trade Association and a Certified B Corporation which means the company meets the highest standards of overall social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability.
Since Jennifer joined the company, the business grew 10x. Once Upon a Farm smoothies and apple juices are currently sold in 8,500 grocery stores in the U.S and recently the company received a $20 million Series B investment.
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