The Future of Personal Care with Mckenna Avery

Ever wondered what drives Hempresss and its mission to revolutionize personal care? Join us in this exclusive Q&A session with Mckenna Avery, the visionary founder of Hempresss, as we unravel the inspiring journey that led to the creation of this sustainable sensation. Discover the passion, inspiration, and commitment that ignited the Hempresss movement, changing the landscape of personal care as we know it.

What inspired you to start Hempress?

Mckenna: The inspiration behind the start of Hempress was the desire to create a sustainable solution to end the problem of sketchy personal care and overwhelming product waste. We wanted to reimagine the personal care items used everyday. Marilyn and I, the founders of Hempress, were passionate about sustainability and were inspired by the ancient wisdom of using hemp to create products that maintain the balance of nature and allow it to heal itself. We believed that everyone is connected and responsible for the well-being of the planet, and through our products, we aimed to encourage a holistic approach to personal care and inspire customers to make mindful choices that benefit both themselves and the environment. Hempress aims to create a better world by promoting sustainability and invites others to join them on this journey towards a healthier and more conscious future.

What motivated you personally to address single-use product pollution?

Mckenna: I had the wonderful opportunity of growing up spending most of my time outside foraging a deep connection to nature while also in an environmental justice community to see the ways in which we can do a heck of a lot better. I’ve always been called to environmentalism and detoxifying our daily lives. Traveling built this intention even stronger by bringing awareness to how our problem with waste, chemicals, ghgs, and so much more is present throughout our entire globe and often much more prevalent. We can’t have any other problem before solving this one.

If Hempress Hygienics had a theme song, what do you think it'd be?

Mckenna: Patience by Tame Impala

Can you share the story behind the name "Hempress"?

Mckenna: We wanted to embody the power of the divine feminine while connecting it to the strength of nature - specifically hemp. An Empress embraces her deep wisdom, intuition, awareness, and influence. The legacy of empresses and hemp have both sustained through the millenia- something we would like to cultivate through surrounding ourselves with everyday tools that empower us to live naturally and aligned with our bodies.

Why did you choose hemp as the primary material for your products?

Mckenna: Hemp is high-performing, safe, and regenerative! It offers the people using these products the peace of mind, knowing they're making a positive impact on their body and the Earth. Hemp excels in sustainability, health, and performance. It's more absorbent, durable, and versatile than other fibers. Naturally antimicrobial, it grows without pesticides, limiting bacterial growth for skin use. Remarkably resource-efficient, it uses 5X less water and 3X less land than cotton, while sequestering 7 tons of CO2 per acre, making it carbon negative. Hemp enriches soil and biodegrades rapidly. Hempress believes that we all come from and return to the Earth, our products should too.

How does hemp hold up compared to regular materials like cotton?

Mckenna: On top of all those juicy data points that brought us to use hemp in our products, hemp is also more absorbent than cotton. Meaning for our period care, the products can be more thin and not feel like you’re wearing a diaper. Plus, it’s more breathable so no swampy side effects. If you need more convincing, hemp is one of the most diverse fibers so it can be applied to over 25,000 products all without needing any pesticides/herbicides and while being regeneratie!

Can you break down the whole antimicrobial thing with hemp and why it's a big deal for personal care?

Mckenna: Hemp’s natural antimicrobial properties mean that it can limit the amount of bacteria building up on personal care, especially when people are wearing these products throughout their whole day! Hemp has the ability to restrain e coli, staph, and other bacteria known to cause skin irritation and infection. Remember how hemp doesn’t need pesticides or herbicides because of this antimicrobial thing? Well that also means hemp personal care doesn’t contain some of the biggest hormone disruptors! This fiber makes it possible for people to be exposed to less and be able to rely on their own body.

If you had to bring 5 things to a deserted island, what would you bring?

Mckenna: A solar-powered lighter because I don’t think that stick rubbing is going to go well for me; a fishing pole; a super long book that takes on a different meaning with every read- wait how long am I going to be there for?; and a friend (does that count?) who knows which plants are edible/medicinal
What’s a personal care stigma that Hempress is breaking?
We are illuminating the idea that your body is sacred and we should only be using the most aligned and intentional products in and around it.

What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs who want to create sustainable businesses?

Mckenna: Your passion will fuel the growth of the company and remember to build a community with more knowledge than you.

At Chill, we are all about reducing stress and finding balance. How do YOU Chill?

Mckenna: What a great question. I chill by having solo nature days or by being surrounded by my circle of women that remind me why I am here. But sometimes, my chill doesn’t look so chill because it might mean dancing until the wee hours of the night or working all day!

For those dreaming of creating sustainable businesses, Mckenna's advice echoes: Let your passion be your compass, and surround yourself with a community of knowledge. Whether you chill in the serene embrace of nature, dance your heart out, or dive headfirst into your work, find your balance and stay aligned with your purpose.

Thank you for joining us on this inspiring journey with Mckenna Avery and Hempress Hygenics. Together, we can make a difference, one mindful choice at a time. 🌏💧