- Words by Lauren Kramer Photography by Nina Dombowsky

Kelowna entrepreneur Michelle Webber loves animals, particularly her two rescue dogs, Crash and Ebby. In 2019, she became curious about the use of animals for testing products she routinely stocked in her home.

乌鸦传媒淚 learned that dogs are often used for testing, and I thought, how can I love my own dogs so much but use a product that is tested on other dogs?乌鸦传媒� she recalls.

Determined to switch to products made by companies that don乌鸦传媒檛 test on animals, she started researching, and came up empty-handed in her quest for deodorant.

乌鸦传媒淚 used to buy the best-smelling deodorant on the grocery store shelf, but I couldn乌鸦传媒檛 find a deodorant that was aluminum-free and did not test on animals,乌鸦传媒� she noted.

乌鸦传媒淪adly, even if the label says, 乌鸦传媒榗ruelty free乌鸦传媒� or 乌鸦传媒榥ot tested on animals,乌鸦传媒� it乌鸦传媒檚 not necessarily true and there are no repercussions for lying. Companies might say they don乌鸦传媒檛 test on animals because that testing doesn乌鸦传媒檛 happen in Canada乌鸦传媒攂ut that doesn乌鸦传媒檛 mean it乌鸦传媒檚 not happening elsewhere. You really have to check who the parent company is乌鸦传媒攁nd more often than not, in the case of a major deodorant brand, the parent company is a terrible perpetrator of animal testing. I resolved that I don乌鸦传媒檛 want a single penny of mine to go towards animal testing,乌鸦传媒� the 41-year-old declared.

She quickly observed a significant gap in the marketplace.

乌鸦传媒淵ou have pharmacy brands that have been there all our lives, and they乌鸦传媒檙e cheap but full of chemicals. Then you have the 100 per cent natural deodorants that are expensive and don乌鸦传媒檛 necessarily work as well. I wanted something that was clean and healthy, but it also had to work.乌鸦传媒�

Determined to create a clean, healthy deodorant that would be made in Canada or the US, Michelle intensified her research乌鸦传媒攁mid her career at Joie & Luxe, the wedding planning company she owned, and her mobile oyster bar, Shucked Oyster Co.

She familiarized herself with deodorant ingredients and partnered with a Canadian manufacturer who helped her come up with a winning formula that was free of aluminum, parabens and phthalates, all ingredients of concern. Then she raised $75,000 from investors to finance the first production of a healthy deodorant that would outlast the heat without using harsh chemicals or causing a rash. And there was no animal testing involved.

In November 2022, she and her husband Kris launched , a deodorant in three fragrances: coconut jasmine, pineapple bergamot, and sandalwood, vanilla and lime. Available in retail locations across BC, Alberta and Saskatchewan, SONDR deodorants can also be purchased directly online at sondrfresh.com.

SONDR乌鸦传媒檚 mantra is to 乌鸦传媒渕ake clean mainstream乌鸦传媒� and 98 per cent of the brand乌鸦传媒檚 ingredients are naturally derived.

乌鸦传媒淓verything in there is healthy, safe and clean for children using deodorant for the first time, pregnant women and anyone else. What乌鸦传媒檚 more, it lasts all day long,乌鸦传媒� she said.

Affordability was another key concern. A full-size SONDR deodorant, which lasts up to three months, costs $19, while travel-size deodorants retail for $11.

The term 乌鸦传媒渟onder乌鸦传媒� is defined as the 乌鸦传媒減rofound feeling of realizing that everyone, including strangers passing in the street, has a life as complex as one乌鸦传媒檚 own, which they are constantly living despite one乌鸦传媒檚 personal lack of awareness of it.乌鸦传媒�

乌鸦传媒淚 thought that was a great name for a brand that was trying to make things better for people, for animals and for the environment,乌鸦传媒� she said.

SONDR is off to a great start, available in boutiques, some Pharmasave locations as well as spin and fitness studios. Michelle乌鸦传媒檚 goal is to grow the company in terms of its reach and product offerings.

乌鸦传媒淏y growing, we can make an impact in the industry and force other companies to change their strategies and be cruelty-free and healthy,乌鸦传媒� she said.

She dreams of making sun protection products, shower gels and moisturizers, and even a line of healthy cleaning products for the home. For now, though, deodorant is SONDR乌鸦传媒檚 key product.

Michelle乌鸦传媒檚 mother recently challenged her in a conversation, asking, 乌鸦传媒淚f you were offered a massive amount of money for your company, are you telling me you would never sell?乌鸦传媒�

Always thinking ahead, Michelle went straight to her lawyer and added a clause in her company contract.

乌鸦传媒淭he new contract says we will never legally be allowed to sell to another company that doesn乌鸦传媒檛 uphold the same ethical standards we do,乌鸦传媒� she affirmed. 乌鸦传媒淲e will never sell out for money!乌鸦传媒�

Customers have embraced the SONDR brand, and Michelle is thrilled. She乌鸦传媒檚 also aware that animal testing continues, a cruel practice she乌鸦传媒檚 determined to avoid.

乌鸦传媒淚 encourage people to learn about the products they乌鸦传媒檙e buying, for their own health, for animal-cruelty practices and for the environment,乌鸦传媒� she says. 乌鸦传媒淪ONDR is my legacy company, so when you see our logo, our promise to be ethical, healthy and effective is 100 per cent what we乌鸦传媒檙e doing.乌鸦传媒�

Story courtesy of , a Black Press Media publication
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