The Tom's of Maine Story

Dear friends,

The concept of natural personal care—products made without artificial or animal ingredients or chemicals—is one whose time has come. Tom's of Maine has been at the forefront of this innovative idea since our founding in 1970, and thanks to this early leadership, today we are the number one Natural Care brand, with nearly 200 employees and 90 oral and body care products found at more than 40,000 retail outlets across the country and world.

We could hardly have imagined all this when we started out, just the two of us, with a $5,000 loan and a single product. At the heart of our story and the growth of Tom’s of Maine is the fact that, now as then, the work begins with a set of beliefs and values. Those beliefs and values guide us every day in how we create products and build relationships—with our coworkers, retail customers, vendors, and consumers. Values, a relationship-building model, and safe, effective natural products: these are the keys to our success in growing a profitable company while behaving in a socially responsible and environmentally sensitive manner. We hope you enjoy learning a little more about Tom's of Maine. Thank you for your interest!

Tom and Kate Chappell
Cofounders, Tom's of Maine