Joshua Onysko

THE BEGINNING

It was Pangea founder and CEO Joshua Onysko’s personal devotion and commitment to inspiring social sustainability that sparked the inception of Pangea Organics five years ago. He devised the selling of the highest quality organic, personal care products as a means to an even greater end. After seven years of traveling to the likes of India, Nepal, and Tibet, Hong Kong, Tokyo, and Thailand, Onysko had an epiphany: He realized that corporations were inheriting the earth and that by leading by example there was potential to influence others to reconsider their ways. He shared with his friend Tom that he dreamed of starting an Institute to aid existing corporations in learning to become more socially responsible and environmentally sound and also to act as an incubator for start-ups. Tom looked at him and uttered those life-altering words: "You should start a soap factory to fund the project and you should call it Pangea." (If you remember, “Pangea” refers to the super continent, before Plate Tectonics divided the landmass into the seven continents of the world that exist today.) Two days later Onysko took these words to heart, literally. He up and moved to Boulder, Colorado, landed a job as a baker at Whole Foods, and made soap in his garage at night.

WHY SOAP?

Onysko, who grew up in rural Rhode Island and dropped out of school at age nine to pursue an acting career, has always followed his heart and his passions. When he realized that he wanted to move to India he stopped at home to visit his parents first. There, he noticed a coffee table book of his mother’s — Making Hand Made Soap. As a bonding project, Onysko made soap with his mother. They distributed a few samples to friends and family and saved a few bars for Onysko and his travels. In Goa, Onysko realized he really liked the soap. He also started getting emails from people he had given the soap to, saying how much they liked it too, how it was clearing up their eczema, and doing great things for their complexions.

THE RESULT

Pangea Organics is currently the largest cold-processed organic soap manufacturer in the US. In addition to bar soap, the line also includes liquid hand soap, hand and body lotion, shower gel, massage & body oil, facial cleanser, facial toner, facial cream, a facial mask and facial scrub and lip balms. Throughout Pangea's growth, from its inception in 2001, Onysko, 30, has retained private ownership of his company, never straying from its vision: Ecocentric bodycare; always beneficial, never artificial. Onysko remains committed to creating products that are always organic, nurturing, handcrafted, fair-trade (whenever possible) and cruelty-free. To that end, Pangea Organics’ products are never made using petrochemicals, parabens, GMOs or other synthetic or harmful ingredients. Not only do Pangea’s ingredients begin to break down within 48 hours of use, but a generous portion of Pangea’s profits are helping to build the Pangea Institute, an emerging non-profit organization dedicated to researching and teaching all aspects of sustainable living and business practices. These efforts were recognized at Natural Products Expo East ’05, where Pangea was awarded “Best New Green/Environmentally Friendly Product of 2006.” Pangea's products are crafted with deep knowledge, craftsmanship, and compassion and, as a result, are standouts in the natural products industry. Pangea’s number one goal is to create a new understanding of health and beauty. With this, Pangea hopes to reinvent the way we, as a society, nurture our bodies and raise the bar for other companies. What we consume today, directly impacts how we – and future generations – will live tomorrow.

For further information about Pangea Organics or to interview Joshua Onysko, please contact

Sara Good or Jennine Hannaway of Behrman Communications at 212.986.7000