Corinne Lefebvre is the founder of River Organics, a Top Rated brand in our Sustainable Jungle Brand Rating System. Based in North Carolina, River Organics creates vegan, cruelty-free, and plastic-free makeup made from mostly certified organic, plant-based ingredients, using lab-made, conflict-free mica and compostable packaging.

In this episode of the Sustainable Jungle Podcast, Joy speaks with Corinne about her personal journey, from art history student to beauty founder, how she’s continuing the mission she began with her late husband Fabien Scorza, and what it’s been like building a small-batch brand that is prioritizing both health and impact (an unusual combo!).

🎥 Watch the full video and join the discussion on our Substack.

🎧 Or listen to the audio version right here, in the show notes (or wherever you get your podcasts).

• Corinne’s personal background and path from art history to sustainable, plastic-free beauty
• The founding story of River Organics
• Corinne’s clear passion for creating high performing products from organic ingredients & compostable packaging
• Lessons from running a zero-waste, small-batch operation
• Why River Organics earned our Disrupting (Top-Rated) badge in our Brand Rating System
• Corinne’s reflections on the beauty industry today and the changes she’d like to see in the industry

In the bonus segment, Corinne shares a deeply personal look at what it’s been like to carry River Organics forward, the toughest moments she’s faced, and the values that continue to guide her work.

Access the bonus content by becoming a member on Substack.

If you enjoyed this episode, we’d love your support:

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• Leave a review, we’d love your feedback!

Julian Silva is the founder of Plastno, a Top Rated brand in our Sustainable Jungle Brand Rating System that’s tackling waste in the household essentials space. Through compostable trash bags, refillable cleaning products, and the Plastnofy app, Plastno is making it easier for consumers to reduce waste and live more sustainably—all while prioritizing transparency and ethical production.

In this episode of the Sustainable Jungle Podcast, Joy speaks with Julian about his personal journey into sustainability, the origins of Plastno, and what it’s like to build a sustainability-focused company in an industry often filled with misleading claims.

You’ll hear about:

• Julian’s personal background and path into sustainability

• The founding story and mission behind Plastno

• Compostable trash bags, refillable cleaning products & the Plastnofy app

• Challenges, wins, and values shaping Plastno’s journey

• Why Plastno earned our Top Rated badge and the importance of transparency

• Reflections on the waste and cleaning industries and what the future could hold

Members-only bonus:

In the bonus segment, Julian opens up with his personal reflections on managing a business like Plastno, navigating tough tradeoffs between values and growth, and what he’d do with unlimited resources. He also shares his hopes for Plastno and the wider low-waste movement.

To access this bonus content, you can become a member at https://members.sustainablejungle.com/become-a-member/ or as a paid subscriber on our Substack: https://sustainablejungle.substack.com/subscribe

• Plastno: https://www.sustainablejungle.com/plastno-brand-rating-review/

• See the brand rating: https://www.sustainablejungle.com/brand-ratings/plastno/

• Watch the video: https://sustainablejungle.substack.com/p/julian-silva-plastno-81

• Show notes: https://www.sustainablejungle.com/podcast/episode-81/

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please:

• Follow or subscribe wherever you listen
• Leave a review
• Share this episode

Annick Ireland is the co-founder of Immaculate Vegan, a pioneering online marketplace for ethical and vegan fashion. Since launching in 2018, Immaculate Vegan has become a global destination for stylish, animal-free, and more sustainable alternatives to mainstream fashion—curating brands that align with strict ethical and environmental standards.

In this episode of the Sustainable Jungle Podcast, Joy speaks with Annick about her journey into vegan fashion, the origins of Immaculate Vegan, and the evolving vegan fashion space.

You’ll hear about:

• Annick’s personal journey and career path leading up to Immaculate Vegan

• The founding story and mission behind the platform

• Common misconceptions about vegan leather and animal leather

• How Immaculate Vegan assesses materials and brand partners

• Annick’s vision for the future of sustainable and ethical fashion

Members-only bonus: In the bonus segment, Annick gets personal about managing overwhelm, navigating tricky tradeoffs, and what she’d do differently with unlimited resources. She also shares her hopes for the platform’s future. To access this bonus content, you can become a member at https://members.sustainablejungle.com/become-a-member/ or as a paid subscriber on our Substack: https://sustainablejungle.substack.com/p/bonus-episode-80-annick-ireland

Important Links: Immaculate Vegan: https://www.immaculatevegan.com/ Watch the video: https://sustainablejungle.substack.com/p/annick-ireland-80 Show notes: https://www.sustainablejungle.com/podcast/episode-80/

How to Support the Podcast: Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please:

• Follow or subscribe wherever you listen

• Leave a review

• Share this episode with someone who cares about conscious fashion

Allison Callaway is the founder of Activist Skincare, a refill-first beauty brand on a mission to reduce waste, promote ingredient transparency, and deliver truly effective skincare. Since launching in 2018, Allison has formulated every product herself —balancing ethical sourcing, small-batch production, and thoughtful packaging choices. Activist Skincare has since earned our Top Rated badge for its commitment to sustainability, product performance, and ingredient integrity.

In this episode of the Sustainable Jungle Podcast, Joy speaks with Allison about her journey into sustainability, the origins of Activist Skincare, and more...

You’ll hear about:

• Allison’s career path to ultimately founding Activist Skincare
• How Activist Skincare’s refillable model works—and why it matters
• Highlights from our brand rating and what makes the brand stand out
• Lessons from a solo founder building a purpose-led skincare company
• Reflections on the beauty industry

Members-only bonus: In the bonus segment, Allison gets personal about the challenges of running an activist-led beauty brand, balancing motherhood with mission, and thoughts on where we're at as a society right now. She also shares honest advice for other purpose-led founders—and what she’d do differently with unlimited resources. To access this bonus content, you can sign up to become a member here.

Important Links:

• Shop Activist Skincare: https://www.sustainablejungle.com/activist-skincare-rating/
• See the brand rating: https://www.sustainablejungle.com/brand-ratings/activist-skincare/
• Become a member to access bonus content: https://members.sustainablejungle.com/become-a-member/
• Watch the video: https://youtu.be/vRtpxQRfU4Q
• Sign up to our newsletter: https://www.sustainablejungle.com/newsletter/
• Show notes: https://www.sustainablejungle.com/podcast/episode-79/
• Find other rated brands: https://www.sustainablejungle.com/brand-directory/

How to Support the Podcast:

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please:

• Follow or subscribe wherever you listen
• Leave a review
• Share this episode with someone who cares about conscious consumption

Lindsey McCoy is the co-founder of Plaine Products, a pioneering zero-waste personal care brand born from a desire to tackle plastic pollution. After witnessing firsthand the impact of plastic waste while living in the Bahamas, Lindsey and her sister launched a line of refillable aluminum bottles to replace single-use packaging in the bathroom.

In this episode of the Sustainable Jungle Podcast, Joy speaks with Lindsey about the origins of Plaine Products, the evolution of the refill model, and how the brand earned our Top Rated badge through exceptional sustainability practices.

You’ll hear about: 🌴 Lindsey’s personal journey from nonprofit work to sustainable beauty ♻️ How Plaine Products’ refill system works and why aluminum was the material of choice 🏆 Key insights from our brand rating process 💡 Challenges and wins of building a mission-led brand 🌍 What the future of zero-waste beauty might look like

Watch the video: https://youtu.be/-kq0YaVMyOU

Important Links:

👇 Shop Plaine Products: https://www.sustainablejungle.com/plaine-products-brand-rating/ 🔍 See the brand rating: https://www.sustainablejungle.com/brand-ratings/plaine-products/ 🌱 Register your interest to become a member: https://forms.gle/cJEE2Q1vAxW6yYpdA 💌 Sign up to our newsletter: https://www.sustainablejungle.com/newsletter/ 📝 Show notes: https://www.sustainablejungle.com/podcast/episode-78/ https://www.sustainablejungle.com/brand-directory/

How to Support the Podcast:

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please: 🟢 Follow or subscribe wherever you listen ⭐️ Leave a review 📤 Share this episode

In this episode, we’re joined by Katie Schmidt, founder of Passion Lilie—a New Orleans-based fashion brand that blends timeless design with deep fair trade values. Katie and her team work hand-in-hand with artisan partners in India, helping preserve traditional techniques and uplift local communities through meaningful employment and long-term collaboration.

Passion Lilie is also one of our Top Rated brands, recognized for their ethical sourcing, customer-loved products, and sustainability commitments. In this conversation, Katie shares how she built a business that prioritizes people, purpose, and craftsmanship.

You’ll hear about:

• Katie’s personal journey and founding story
• How Passion Lilie supports and uplifts artisan communities in India
• Why slow fashion and timeless style are core to the brand’s mission
• Highlights from our brand rating and what makes Passion Lilie a Top Rated brand
• Reflections on ethical fashion and industry change

Important Links

👇 Shop Passion Lilie: https://www.sustainablejungle.com/passion-lilie-brand-rating-review/

🔍 See the brand rating: https://www.sustainablejungle.com/brand-ratings/passion-lilie/

🌱 Register your interest to become a member: https://forms.gle/cJEE2Q1vAxW6yYpdA

💌 Sign up to our newsletter: https://www.sustainablejungle.com/newsletter/

📝 Show notes: https://www.sustainablejungle.com/podcast/episode-77/

💚 Find other rated brands: https://www.sustainablejungle.com/brand-directory/

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please:

• Follow or subscribe wherever you listen
• Leave us a review on your favorite platform
• Share it with someone who cares about conscious consumption

Your support helps us keep the conversations going 💚

Meet Bernardo Carreira, founder of 8000Kicks—the brand behind the world’s first waterproof hemp sneakers.

In this episode, Joy speaks with Bernardo about the personal story behind the company, how he (with the help of his grandmother) launched an innovative hemp footwear brand, and what it takes to build a business rooted in sustainability, ethics, and performance.

8000Kicks is one of Sustainable Jungle’s Top Rated brands—recognized for its use of innovative materials like hemp, strong supply chain transparency, fair labor practices, and commitment to reducing its footprint.

Members-only bonus: In the extended bonus segment, we go behind the scenes to discuss the personal challenges of running a mission-led company, how Bernardo balances innovation with business realities (and a grueling workload), and some more killer advice for other sustainability focused entrepreneurs. Stay tuned for details on how to access this exclusive content or register your interest here: https://forms.gle/cJEE2Q1vAxW6yYpdA

Important Links

• See 8000Kicks' Rating: https://www.sustainablejungle.com/brand-ratings/8000kicks/
• Visit 8000Kicks (affiliate link): https://www.sustainablejungle.com/8000kicks-brand-rating-and-review/
• Subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.sustainablejungle.com/newsletter
• Show notes: https://www.sustainablejungle.com/podcast/episode-76/
• Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/pODntNv5zRY
• Find other rated brands: https://www.sustainablejungle.com/brand-directory/
• SJ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sustainablejungle/

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please:

• Follow or subscribe wherever you listen
• Leave us a review on your favorite platform
• Share it with someone who cares about conscious consumption

Your support helps us keep the conversations going 💚

We’re continuing our series of conversations with the founders and leaders behind the brands we’ve rated—this time with Aram Terry, the Co-founder of MasayaCo.

MasayaCo is a regenerative furniture brand rooted in reforestation, craftsmanship, and long-term impact. Top Rated through our Brand Rating System, MasayaCo is built on a vertically integrated model that largely controls its entire supply chain—from seedlings to finished furniture—ensuring both environmental and social responsibility.

In this episode, Aram shares his journey from his Peace Corps service in Nicaragua to founding MasayaCo, and how the company grew into a full ecosystem that now includes Masaya Homes and Masaya Teak, and what it really takes to build a values-led business.

We talk about: ✔ Reforestation, regenerative design, and vertical integration ✔ The realities of supply chain control and staying mission-aligned ✔ What helped MasayaCo become a Top Rated brand ✔ Why long-term thinking and transparency are so important

🎧 Members-only bonus: Aram reflects on the challenges of leading a mission-driven business, how he manages difficult trade-offs, and what he believes needs to shift in our culture of overconsumption. Stay tuned for details on how to access this exclusive content or register your interest here: https://forms.gle/cJEE2Q1vAxW6yYpdA

Important Links

• See MasayaCo's Rating: https://www.sustainablejungle.com/brand-ratings/masayaco/
• Visit MasayaCo (affiliate link): https://www.sustainablejungle.com/masayaco-brand-rating/
• Subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.sustainablejungle.com/newsletter
• Show notes: https://www.sustainablejungle.com/podcast/episode-75/
• Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/DQJ1jKhnlqg
• Find other rated brands: https://www.sustainablejungle.com/brand-directory/
• SJ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sustainablejungle/

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please:

• Follow or subscribe wherever you listen
• Leave us a review on your favorite platform
• Share it with someone who cares about conscious consumption

Your support helps us keep the conversations going 💚