ABOUT TOM’S OF MAINE
The Tom’s of Maine company was founded to make products that are good for people and good for the planet, and we stand by it. From the earliest days when we’d pick up giant mail bags full of bottles that our customers sent to us to refill, we’ve always believed that, as a company, rolling up our sleeves and making natural alternatives makes a difference. And don’t worry, we’ve stopped annoying the post office.
The Tom’s of Maine company first originated after Tom and Kate Chappell, decided to create their own natural personal care products because they couldn’t find any on the shelves that lived up to their standards.
The first Tom's of Maine product: Clearlake Laundry Detergent, with a homey hand-drawn label designed by Kate.
In 1970, with the help of a $5000 loan from a friend, Tom’s of Maine was born. The product they first created was named Clearlake, and was among the first non-phosphate laundry detergents on the market, formulated to be friendlier to natural water sources.
There wasn't much space inside the factory — just one line, that had to be cleaned and set back up every time a new product was made.
By 1975, we’d launched our natural toothpaste and natural shampoos, all created at our tiny, single-line factory in the former Kennebunk railroad depot. Kate’s herb garden out front provided ingredients, and trains rolling by would rattle the whole building.
Tom's has always focused as much on what's not in our products as well as what is. Sometimes, it's what you don't add that makes all the difference!
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, we’d kept growing and innovating, and in 1995 developed the first natural toothpaste to receive the American Dental Association’s Seal of Approval. No small feat!
We became a part of the Colgate-Palmolive company in 2006, and we’re proud to say that, as part of joining, our policies, culture, and values would never change. No matter how far we come, there’s always a part of us that’s still in that first, tiny factory in Kennebunk, working together to make the products the way Tom and Kate would want.
Everyone at Tom’s of Maine is here because they believe in the mission that Tom and Kate set out, back in 1970. From innovating and developing new sustainable packaging to devoting up to 12 working days per year volunteering for the community, we’re dedicated to making the world a better place.
