Tom's of Maine

In 1968, Tom and Kate Chappell left Philadelphia, where Tom worked for an insurance company, and moved to rural Kennebunk, Maine. As part of their goal to simplify their lives, they sought out natural, unprocessed foods and, unadulterated products. Unable to find natural personal care options for themselves and their children, in 1970 Tom and Kate decided to create and sell their own. They began with a $5,000 loan from a friend and the philosophy that their products would not harm the environment.

From this small start, Tom's of Maine grew and developed into a different kind of company, one based on the belief that people and nature deserve respect. Over the years our product line moved from non-phosphate laundry detergent to natural personal care products such as the first natural toothpaste (1975) and deodorant (1976). We’ve grown in size and in 2006, we became part of the Colgate-Palmolive Company. But our simple, direct approach hasn't changed one bit: we listen to what our customers want (and don't want) in their products, we learn how it can be done, and we respond with effective natural(and sustainable) solutions.

Like you, Tom’s of Maine employees are concerned about caring for the natural world and staying healthy while minimizing their impact on the environment. At every level of our organization, our people focus on making products that serve your needs in ways that honor your (and their!) concerns about issues such as water pollution, energy use, and ingredient safety.

From sourcing to manufacturing to packaging, we pay close attention to the details and always strive to improve the environmental impact of our products and processes. We also actively support the preservation and protection of our nation’s rivers and waterways through our Rivers Awareness Partnership.

We’re far from perfect, but hope that our efforts continue to create positive change and improve our sustainability with each passing year!

Why We Do What We Do - Our Reason for Being:

- To serve our customers' health needs with imaginative science from plants and minerals
- To inspire all those we serve with a mission of responsibility and goodness
- To empower others by sharing our knowledge, time, talents, and profits, and
- To help create a better world by exchanging our faith, experience, and hope.