True Triple Bottom Line: Q & A with Joshua Onysko, Founder of Pangea Organics

By Jason Wachob
It was Pangea Organics founder and CEO Joshua Onysko's personal devotion and commitment to inspiring social sustainability that sparked the company's inception eight years ago.

After seven years of traveling to the likes of India, Nepal, Tibet, Hong Kong, Tokyo, and Thailand, Onysko had an epiphany: He realized that corporations were inheriting the earth and that by leading by example, he could potentially influence others and convince them to reconsider their own actions. He shared with his friend Tom that he dreamed of starting an institute to help existing corporations learn to become more socially responsible and environmentally sound, and also to act as an incubator for startups. Tom uttered what would turn out to be life-altering words: "You should start a soap company to fund the project, and you should call it Pangea." ("Pangea" refers to the supercontinent that existed before plate tectonics divided the landmass into the seven continents we have today.)

Pangea Organics is currently the largest cold-processed organic soap manufacturer in the US. In addition to bar soaps, the line also includes shower gels, liquid hand soaps, hand and body lotions, facial cleanser, facial toners, facial creams, facial masks, facial scrub, and lip balms. Onysko remains committed to creating products that are always organic, nurturing, handcrafted, fair trade (whenever possible), and cruelty-free. Not only do Pangea's ingredients begin to break down within 48 hours of use, but a generous portion of Pangea's profits are helping to build the Pangea Institute, a nonprofit organization dedicated to researching and teaching all aspects of sustainable living and business practices. Pangea's efforts have been recognized with 40 awards since 2006.

MindBodyGreen: Were you always committed to wellness?

Joshua Onysko: Yes, I was raised to eat healthy and to cook my own food. I turned vegetarian when I was 17 and started getting into organic farming.

MBG: What does mind/body/green wellness mean to you?

JO: What it means to me is that as a culture, we need to full realize the power of our minds and bodies. In the end, we have ultimate control over how we feel; we have not truly come to the realization that we are what we eat, we are what we use, we are what we say-etc., etc. Being "green" for me goes way beyond organic - it's a lifestyle in which you ultimately respect yourself, as well as the people and world around you.

MBG: Your packaging is "plantable." Please tell us how and why.

JO: The best part about the packaging is actually what it's made of and how it's made -- it's 100% post-consumer news print in a low-impact, zero-waste process. The seeds were just an idea I had to help people understand there are always different ways of doing things.

MBG: Among all your products, is there one that's a sentimental favorite?

JO: Oatmeal with Italian bergamot. It's the first bar I made with my mom!

MBG: Any tips for fellow entrepreneurs out there?

JO: Anybody can make history, but it will take everybody to make the future.

MBG: Was there ever a moment when you thought about giving up?

JO: Nope.

MBG: What's your favorite quote?

JO: I have a lot, but here's one from me: "There is no difference between us and that which we create."

MBG: Favorite guilty indulgence?

JO: Jalapeno poppers. Mmmmm.

MBG: If it was your Last Supper, what would your last meal be? Where would the meal be? Who would you like to be there (from the past, present, or future)?

JO: Well, I'm a chef, so it would be up in the mountains by my house near the creek, on a candlelit warm summer night. I really don't think I could name the people-so many have inspired me over the years. But there would be lots of red wine, artisan cheeses, delicata-squash-stuffed agnolotti with fresh-herbed brown butter sauce, steamed kale with hemp seeds, fresh ciabatta with rosemary-infused olive oil, yam-stuffed mushrooms with a balsamic reduction, tempura'd wild mushroom risotto, mascarpone chocolate cheesecake with rose oil and cardamom gelato, my mom's almond biscotti, Kona espresso, and a damiana-infused absinthe apertif.

MBG: With a Last Supper like that, we hope we're invited! Thanks, Joshua!

For more on Joshua and Pangea Organics:
PangeaOrganics.com
Pangea on Facebook and Twitter

Published December 11, 2009 at 12:00 AM