As Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, and as business owners, artists, and advocates, a deep respect for the environment was inherent in the founding of 7 Fathoms as a business. 

When 7 Fathoms began, it was fundamentally connected to the environment. Co-founders Terrence and Courtney were taking a walk on the beach with their daughter, Phoenix, in Grates Cove. “It really has been Terrence all these years initiating his interest in the natural world that really led us to this point,” says Courtney. As an artist, Terrence has always connected with the environment through his art practice, and it was his curiosity that led him to discover the seaweed species that would jumpstart their journey into creating bioactive extracts. 

The species that he picked up that day mattered; the natural gel that the species emits has soothing properties and had an immediate impact on Terrence’s skin. Creating these extracts didn’t begin as a commercial idea; they started as a solution to a problem that the Howells’ family had been dealing with for years – a wound caused by an allergy to plastic. 

After applying the seaweed directly to his skin and experiencing the benefits firsthand, Terrence began a deep dive into researching the anti-inflammatory properties of the bioactives found in Seaweed – namely fucoidan, beta-glucans, and polyphenols. This research has helped shape the team’s extraction philosophy; protecting, not altering, the natural integrity of the seaweed. Courtney shares that throughout this process they “were very aware that we didn't want to denature what had initially helped Terrence… [and] were trying to get something as close to that raw extract as [possible].” Because of this careful research and development,” she says, “it makes a difference in the quality of our products and in the difference our customers see. Sustainability is key.” 

Green Formulation and Extraction

The extraction process is inherently green – our methods don’t denature the compounds naturally found in the seaweed. Throughout the process of developing our proprietary extraction process, we collaborated with Dr. Robert Helleur, an alumnus of the Chemistry faculty at Memorial University. Because seaweed is a natural product, the extraction process also leads to minimal waste – the byproduct of our extract is simply compostable, shredded seaweed. The route that we’ve taken to get where we are has always been focused on science-backed environmental stewardship. 

Hand-Harvesting Practice, Guided by Science

Another aspect of our commitment to the environment is the hand-harvesting methods we use, guided by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO). When harvesting the two seaweed species that we work with, Laminaria Digitata and Bladderwrack, we respect fallow periods – only harvesting every other year – and cut above reproductive areas to protect regrowth. We harvest limited percentages at each site, and leave each site as close to how we found it as possible. Sustainability is embedded into our process, from harvest through to extraction and production, and it’s important as we scale. “This is all hand-cut seaweed. So we're guided on where to cut, cutting above reproductive areas so that we are not harvesting spores that will be released out into the ocean, which will generate new growth,” says Courtney.

 

We also monitor by species, month, and location – not only ensuring responsible use of local ecosystems, but passing along important data to DFO. 

“Nature has already done the R&D for this. It's been doing this for practically a billion years. It is as perfect as it can be,” says Courtney, “Our job in this is to honour that, to get that to as many people as we can, to have impact in ways we never imagined. And it's our customers who tell us the different ways that our products are impacting their skin and their lives. It goes hand in hand.”

Building local economies through the ocean

As a business located in a small community on the northern tip of Newfoundland and Labrador’s Avalon Peninsula, we are deeply embedded in our environment. Since founding 7 Fathoms, we’ve drawn resources from our ocean while also building the local economy. All production, harvesting, and packaging is done locally, creating year-round employment in a region where jobs are often seasonal. Investing in skills development and infrastructure is part of our commitment to sustainable rural economic development, and when we transitioned our core business from hospitality and tourism to seaweed skincare, we brought those staff with us and retrofitted our space to suit the needs of our new business model. This small local team has met each challenge head-on, helping us to scale our business into what it is today. And by sharing what these research-backed seaweed bioactives can offer, we 're committed to using this natural resource sustainably.