We're getting into it.
Here's my hot take: if a company claims to be "sustainable" but isn't 100% transparent about their sourcing, you should raise an eyebrow. Sourcing is the foundation of any physical product, literally the source of a business. Far too often, we see brands throw around words like "sustainable," "eco-friendly," or ... wait for it ... "regenerative" without any explanation of what it means or why they're using that term. Where are their ingredients coming from? The US? Another country? Where? Why? We see this a lot in other seaweed companies, too. Is the seaweed wild-harvested? Or regeneratively farmed?
Speaking of, what's the difference between "sustainable" and "regenerative"? Here's how we think about it. Sustainable refers to a practice that can be maintained at a certain level. Wild-harvesting can be "sustainable," but who is monitoring or deciding what level the practice is maintained at? Cutting down a forest can be sustainable, if new tree growth is happening at a certain rate.
Regenerative on the other hand, is a practice that actually *replenishes* or *improves* the environment around it. In land agriculture, it often looks like practices that replenish soil ecology and pull carbon out of the atmosphere into the soil (compost, cover cropping, etc). In ocean aquaculture, it looks like cultivating kelp that absorbs carbon and nitrogen from the water, helping to mitigate pH and improve water quality.
In our opinion (but let us know if you disagree), wild-harvesting isn't a regenerative practice. It can be done sustainably. But not regeneratively. Further more, if a company you love is wild-harvesting, great! Ask them for information regarding how they deem their harvest sustainable, what level the ecosystem is maintained at, and how they ensure the health of the environment.
We're endlessly inspired by the regenerative practices happening around the world and the potential impact human communities can have on our planet. Our food system has the potential to be a beacon for change, improve ecosystems, and move the needle in the fight against climate change by embracing regenerative techniques and practices.
