We've been taking a look at a few of our vendors who have nurtured their products and their craft, all while holding firm to the values they've had from day one. Next up in the series: Among the Flowers.
Among the Flowers is a bath and body company located in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. What started out as a hobby for founder Megan Taber has blossomed into a growing business, where she and her team of 15 women create products inspired by the natural beauty of wild spaces. The company is rooted in the idea that wholeness can be found in the simplicity of life, and beauty is all around us if we stop and simply embrace it. As we’ve expanded our bath and body collection at Magnolia, we wanted to find products with ingredients you can feel good about. That's when we fell in love with the mission and values of Among the Flowers—and why we're proud to see their brand on our shelves.
We recently sat down with Megan to talk about how Among the Flowers started, how it’s grown, and the values that keep it grounded.
Magnolia: Tell us about how Among the Flowers started and how it has grown?
Megan Taber: Among the Flowers was the chain reaction of a period of time in my life that involved taking a deeper look into the products I used—and finding out that many I kept in my home were toxic and harmful. I began a journey into ancient wisdom and herbal remedies with the desire to bring my firstborn into a healthier home. While being a new mother, I felt called to creatively express myself by designing these natural products for others as well. I began selling through small batches I made for local shops, which was such a gratifying moment for me.
What are some of the biggest challenges working in the beauty industry?
A large fraction of our line is perishable—with unique shelf lives for each product.
Making our products this way is intentional because we know it is healthy for our bodies. This goes against the grain in the industry because of that shorter shelf life. But to stay true to our values as a company, we choose to keep making small batch, made-to-order products. We believe that the time it takes to uncover the benefits of completely raw, natural products and the slower process in how they’re made is worth it in the end.
Where did you get the name Among the Flowers?
Among the Flowers is a name for all of those who participate in our little endeavor! Anyone who finds themselves at our headquarters creating our product, or those who discover our line and open the lid to one of our products—we hope they feel as if they are surrounded by the aromas and colors of a natural landscape of flowers.
You have said before that you are inspired by completely wild spaces. Where do you go to get this inspiration and what about it speaks to you?
Taking in untamed, wild landscapes with all of my senses connects me to this life more than anything else. This is really the soul of this journey—looking up at a clear night sky and feeling humbled by the vastness, or being completely enthralled and inspired by the perfect design found only in nature. They are so pronounced and interwoven with the different stages of my path that I think it's important to acknowledge that the closer I can get to that raw, natural beauty, the more I feel at home.
What is unique about the materials your products are made from?
Our products are unique in that we strive to balance specific combinations of herbs and natural ingredients for all health benefits, as well as strike inspiration and beauty in the presentation of them. I like to describe it as the mark between sensorial aesthetic and nature's medicine—health and an appreciation for a form of art.
What soap scent is perfect for spring?
I would have to name our Earth bar. The aroma is fresh and awakening, while offering an earthy, tangible groundedness that's found in the beautiful season of spring. It’s a favorite of ours!
What are some of the values that drive your business?
It took practice to stand behind some of the choices we've made, but in the end it's worth it to stand true to what you believe in. I’ve created several boundaries that have been set in place on behalf of my clients, my tight-knit team, and my family. For example, we choose to not pay the price for quantity-based sales, which means our prices match the quality. As we look down the road several years to shape what we do today, we strive to set a pace based on efficiency without losing the enjoyment of the process of carefully creating our goods. We choose to always put the health and well being of our bodies and the earth first.
Why did you choose to sell your products with Magnolia?
The name and values that Joanna and Chip have created through Magnolia have always inspired me. Their humble roots, built little by little with hard work and big dreams is so relatable. Balancing motherhood and family with entrepreneurship is quite an undertaking and requires a unique level of grit that I think both of our journeys can speak to. We felt that our values and ethics were held and encouraged by Magnolia, in a world where you don't always find that to be the case.
