Sourcing Story: Umbrian Clay

At fresh, we are committed to caring for the skin of the earth just as we do our own. As a brand inspired by nature, we are on a continuous journey to advance responsible ingredient sourcing.

In 2020, fresh became a proud member of the Union for Ethical BioTrade (UEBT), a nonprofit association that promotes sourcing with respect for people and biodiversity. Since joining, we've worked with UEBT to change the way we select ingredients and improve our sourcing practices. This involves on-site assessments of local suppliers and sources with verifications against the UEBT standard.

This includes our exclusive—aka only available at fresh—Umbrian Clay ingredient sourced from Umbria, Italy. With an ultra-fine texture and high mineral content, this miracle ingredient helps to absorb impurities and soothe skin.

The inspiration

A close friend of our founders—Lev Glazman and Alina Roytberg—suffered from acne for years. While in Italy, she discovered a pure clay in an herbal store, and after a few weeks of daily use, the results were miraculous. Her skin was clarified and so began our founders’ search to find this skin-transforming clay.

The location

They traced it back to the small Italian town of Nocera Umbra in the region of Umbria, the sole source of this naturally occurring clay, and learned that it has been the basis of therapeutic treatments for centuries. The discovery of white clay tablets inside the 6th century BC tombs of the Etruscans suggests that the clay possessed mystical meaning for this ancient civilization. In the 1500s, doctors and scientists used the clay for everything from treating skin rashes, insect bites, and acne to relieving muscular pain, digestive ills, and ulcers. The clay’s secret is its uniquely high mineral content to help purify the skin.

Verified responsibly sourced

In 2021, fresh and the Union for Ethical BioTrade (UEBT) traveled to Terra di Nocera Umbra to assess the white clay ingredient we source there. Following this assessment, UEBT verified fresh's Umbrian clay to be Responsibly Sourced, meaning it has no negative impact on people or biodiversity.

The work we have done with this exclusive ingredient (and many others) is just the beginning. We will continue our journey to advance sourcing with respect for the planet and its people.