I’ve worked at Tom’s of Maine since 2001.  When I tell people where I work, more often than not the response I get is, “Oh, the company that makes the fluoride free toothpaste!”

Yes, Tom’s of Maine makes fluoride free toothpaste.  We also make natural deodorant, mouthwash, dental floss, antiperspirant, toothbrushes, soap and toothpaste with fluoride.  But we don’t mind giving our star product a little extra attention, so here are a few facts about our fluoride free toothpaste:

•  The first personal care product that Tom’s of Maine made wasn’t toothpaste, it was soap!  We first started making fluoride free toothpaste in 1975.
• Our toothpaste is made at our production facility in Sanford, Maine.  Those of us who work in this facility get the benefit of sometimes being surrounded by the fragrance of the product being made.
• Tom’s has offered customers a choice in toothpaste with fluoride and fluoride free toothpaste since the 1980’s.  We  understand there are differing opinions about the use of fluoride.  While we stand behind the safety of all our products, we also respect our customers’ ability to research their options and pick the product that is right for them.
• Every Tom’s of Maine toothpaste is free from artificial flavors, preservatives and dyes.  And like every Tom’s product, none of the ingredients, formulas, or final products are ever tested on animals.
• We offer a lot more than mint.  Our fluoride free toothpaste flavors include cinnamint (a combination of cinnamon and mint), strawberry and fennel.  Yes, fennel.  If you haven’t tried it, it has a flavor that is similar to black licorice.
• We used to make a flavor called “Gingermint” which combined the exotic taste of ginger with the refreshing taste of mint.  When we stopped making it we heard from so many customers (some even started their own Facebook group) that we decided to bring it back!  You can find it here.
• Our newest product is Wicked Cool! Toothpaste, made for kids who have outgrown fruit or bubblegum flavors but don’t like the strong flavors found in many adult toothpastes.
• Our toothpastes – like all of our products – are backed by a product satisfaction guarantee.  So if you ever try one and don’t like it for any reason, just give us a call at 800 FOR TOMS (367 8667) and we’ll do what we can to make it right!

There you have it.  While we hope you give some of our other products a try, we definitely understand if you have a soft spot for our toothpaste.  After all, toothpaste is the product that introduced many of us to Tom’s of Maine!  If you have a favorite flavor, let us know in the comments below or on our Facebook page.  I’m a Cinnamint guy, myself.

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Growing up in Central Maine, my childhood best friend was allergic to everything. It confused me that she could not come over to play at my house because of Mittens and Patches, our two aptly named cats. Twenty years later, I found myself repeatedly sneezing every waking moment. The change seemed to happen overnight! Turns out, I suddenly developed an off-the-charts allergy to dust mites.

Since then, I’ve realized allergens are everywhere. I am especially aware of this in my job as a Citizen’s Advocacy Representative at Tom’s of Maine. My first phone call this morning came from a woman looking to avoid preservatives. I hear questions from concerned moms of children with allergies almost daily. Outside of work, a student in my graduate program requested that no one wear fragrances to an upcoming workshop. Why? Because she suffers from chemical and environmental sensitivities. Maybe my childhood friend wasn’t an anomaly after all!

Luckily, because Tom’s is committed to transparency, I am almost always able to answer allergy questions. Sometimes I even double check with our scientist team – the true experts. After that, I do my best to help our consumers find a product that meets their needs.

One product many of our consumers are happy to hear about is our natural soap, made without artificial or synthetic ingredients. Some consumers who are sensitive to fragrance are even more relieved to hear about our Sensitive Beauty Bar. This particular natural soap has no added fragrance. It also includes chamomile flower oil for added skin soothing.

At Tom’s of Maine we’ve always believed that we should do what we can for the health of our consumers, communities and the environment. So while my allergist’s diagnosis pales in comparison to some of our other consumers, I hope our commitment to transparency and the natural ingredients we use help people with sensitive skin lead a happy, healthy  life.

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I have been working for Tom’s of Maine for over two decades and can say from my firsthand experience, we truly share your respect for animals and their welfare. That’s why Tom’s products are 100% cruelty free — no animal testing and no animal ingredients.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) created a cruelty free certification to help consumers identify those companies that do not test on animals or use animal ingredients. Participating companies must complete a short questionnaire and sign a statement of assurance before being approved as cruelty free. You’ll see the PETA bunny seal on our products.

As pioneers in cruelty free products and policies, we expect the same from our suppliers, partners and organizations we support. We have been a leader and an advocate for the Food and Drug Administration to accept animal-free testing protocols for efficacy testing of fluoride toothpaste products. We are proud to have blazed a trail in the acceptance of cruelty free testing methods and are hopeful that it is one that many more will follow.

Check out this 2008 video of Pam explaining how we petitioned the FDA to use alternate testing methods.

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Have you been using natural products since you were a little kid? Chances are you weren’t buying Silly Strawberry toothpaste for yourself. This Mother’s Day, thank Mom for introducing natural products to your daily routine by making her a bouquet that will last even longer than the real thing. Just follow these easy instructions to upcycle your old newspapers into beautiful – and creative – flowers.

Supplies:

Newspaper from your recycling bin
Pipe cleaners (green for a realistic stem… or feel free to get creative!)
Scissors

Step One: Pull out 6 sheets of newspaper and stack together.

Step Two: Make a one inch fold along the shorter edge of the stack, creasing well.

Step Three: Continue to fold one way, and then the other, accordian style until you have gone the full length of the newspaper. Try to end your with an odd number of folds so that the ends are folded in the same direction, not opposite directions.

Step Four: Fold the newspaper stack in half lengthwise, leaving a strong crease.

Step Five: Cut one of your pipe cleaners in half, and secure around the crease. Fold the pipe cleaner over the “inside” of your accordion fold, or the direction to which the two end folds are open.

Step 6: Secure the pipe cleaner by twisting together. This will serve as the base for your stem.

Step Seven: Cut a design into each end of the accordion folded sheets. This will be your petal design so a simple curve will suffice, but it can be fun to try something fancier.

Note: With six sheets of folded newspaper, you will need very strong scissors to make this cut.

Step Eight: Holding the twisted pipe cleaner as a base, fan out the newspaper on both sides.

Step Nine: Taking each layer of of paper one at a time, gently pull each petal away from the pipe cleaner base so that it stands up in a crinkled design.

Note: When you finish the first layer, you should have what looks like a daffodil. Pull each remaining layer in the same fashion. Remember to be careful as newspaper rips easily!

Step Ten: Once you have completed each layer of petals, affix a green pipe cleaner to the base to serve as your stem.

Step Eleven: Admire, give to Mom, and let her enjoy for years to come!

You can mix up your bouquet by trimming your newspaper in the beginning for various sizes of flowers. What better way to thank Mom for introducing you to natural products, then to treat her to another environmentally friendly gift? Tie with an upcycled gift bow and make this Mother’s Day one to remember.

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In my position at Tom’s, I spend my days communicating with our consumers through our various social media channels. While this often means answering questions about natural toothpaste, I also like to share recipes, DIY projects and other information our fans may find interesting. One of my favorite parts of my job is scanning pinterest for upcycling inspiration. And sometimes when I get home from my day at the natural toothpaste factory, I like to try an upcycling project for myself!

After seeing variations of tin can luminaries in different blogs, I started saving my empty bean cans so I could try my hand at it. I was pleased to find the project relatively easy. I also think the end result is quite beautiful!

Materials:

Empty, rinsed out tin cans, any size
A box cutter (or other knife)
Washable marker
A finishing nail
Hammer

You will also need tap water, and plenty of freezer space.

Step One: Using the boxcutter, cut a straight line down the tin can’s paper label. Once cut, the label should be easy to remove.

Step Two: Fill the tin can with water (about an inch from the top) and put it in your freezer. Having something inside the can will keep it from collapsing when you make your design.

Step Three: Once the can is full of ice, you are ready to begin. Choose a work area where the can won’t roll away from you. I found that both a feather pillow, and the ground outside worked to keep the can where I wanted it.

Step Four: Using your washable marker, plot out your design. Note that placing holes too close together can result in the can cracking.

Step Five: Hammer the finishing nail in about a quarter inch on each of your designated spots.

Note: As you hammer, the ice will start to break apart and come out of the can, so you must work quickly.

Step Six: Embellish by adding other random light holes around the outside of the can.

Step Seven: Place your can upside down in the sink to let the remaining ice melt out of it.

Step Eight: Place a tea light (I used an LED tea light) inside… and enjoy!

Not bad for a girl who spends her days marketing natural toothpaste! Have you upcycled anything into household decorations? Which is your favorite?

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Each April, people around the world show their commitment to environmental sustainability by celebrating Earth Day. Earth Day began in 1970 at a time when activism and the environment did not overlap. Today, more and more people are recognizing the need to help our planet. Tom’s of Maine employees are no exception.

This year, employees from our corporate office in Kennebunk, Maine traveled to our production facility in Sanford, Maine to join together in cleaning up the neighborhood. Earth Day turned out to be a beautiful day weather wise. With Mother Nature’s cooperation employees spent some quality time in the sun, picking up trash.

The team in Maine uncovered some unexpected items! These included a trash bag’s worth of Styrofoam from the woods next to the factory, three tires from down the road, and even a pillow! Then there was the regular neighborhood trash including paper, discarded food wrappers and cigarette butts. When combined, we nearly filled our dumpsters!

Meanwhile, members of our Sales team from around the country joined together on Skype to share their efforts towards environmental sustainability. One group in New Jersey worked cleaning up a Nature Trail. Abby in Kentucky helped set up a couple rain barrels, planted a tree, planted some vegetables in her garden, and even helped her elderly neighbors fill their garden with soil!

Once our hard work was done, the group in Maine enjoyed our first company potluck cookout of the season. Many thanks to our Earth Day team for planning such a  fun day.

Because we work for a company where environmental sustainability is top of mind, Tom’s employees are used to talking about what we can do to help the earth. It’s great when we have the chance to stop talking, and take action. How do YOU live Earth Day, every day?

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In my position at Tom’s of Maine, I am surrounded by examples of how to respect the earth. But sometimes I have a hard time applying my company’s example to my own life. I came up with a few steps to help me live Earth Day, every day, but I am hopeful that our readers can share some easy tips with me, too!

I always considered Tom’s when thinking of socially responsible companies – even long before I worked here. Recently, I took a class on Corporate Social Responsibility and learned about many other socially responsible companies. Reading their stories was exactly the motivation I needed to stop just talking the talk, and start walking the walk. After all, if big companies can be green, I should be able to stop putting convenience above the environment… right?

One step I’ve taken is to start using reusable bags for my groceries. I’ve actually had reusable bags for years. My problem was remembering to bring the bags to the store with me! Sure, it’s convenient to accept the plastic bag at checkout, but in terms of helping the environment, this was an easy fix. My hope is that force of habit will soon take over, and I will never forget my reusable shopping bags.

The second change I recently made is to start composting. I live in a rural part of Maine and have plenty of room for a compost pile. I also have plenty of use for resulting compost! It turned out that purchasing a compost container to match my kitchen was the only push I needed to start saving compostable food scraps from the landfill. Sometimes it’s the little things!

The final change I have made is to recycle more. Remember when I said Tom’s of Maine is one of many great, socially responsible companies? Well, our friends at TerraCycle are another example of a company actively working to help the environment. With their help, we recently established a Natural Care Brigade for recycling our personal care packaging.

TerraCycle also has brigades for many other things that might not traditionally be recyclable. Like chip bags! With tortilla chips one of my favorite guilty pleasures, I go through plenty of chip bags. But now, thanks to TerraCycle and their chip bag brigade, I can feel good knowing the empty bags are not going in the trash.

Working at Tom’s, and living the company’s stewardship model every day, I’m hoping to stay inspired and continue taking steps towards a “greener” lifestyle. Do YOU have any suggestions for other ways I can emulate the socially responsible companies I admire? I would love to hear how you live Earth Day, every day.

The post Socially responsible companies… and me. appeared first on Tom's of Maine Blog.

I know I can speak for my coworkers when I say that we all feel very lucky to have a 5% volunteer benefit as a part of working for Tom’s of Maine. But sometimes our work week gets away from us. We get caught up in meetings and to do lists, natural toothpaste and deodorant, and the next thing we know it’s Friday at 5 PM… and we haven’t gotten out to volunteer. To solve this problem, those of us on the Marketing Team make a point to spend one scheduled day each quarter giving back as a group.

For our most recent outing, we ventured to the Wells Parks & Recreation, just down the road from our corporate office in Kennebunk, Maine. The department had just finished constructing a brand new garage, and our job was to help move rec equipment out of temporary storage units and into the new structure.

When we finished, we all enjoyed lunch together before spending some time taking advantage of the beautiful weather, ice skating and cross country skiing.

According to the Rec Center’s Director, Tina, the job would have taken them multiple days if it hadn’t been for our help. Not bad for a bunch of natural toothpaste marketers!

Do you and your coworkers ever get together to give back in your local community?

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We sat down with Susanne to ask what features she recommends looking for in a new toothbrush, and why she is excited about our Naturally Clean toothbrush, the latest addition to our oral care line.

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Enter your own child’s art in our “Be a Tooth Fairy Hero” sweepstakes today! Sweepstakes ends March 15, 2013. Learn more here.

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