Unlocking the Power of Ocean Plants
A Science Led Brand
SEABODY was born in the lab of NutraMara. NutraMara is a biotechnology company based in the southwest of Ireland that sustainably isolates potent marine molecules from various organic seaweed species that are sustainably harvested and cultivated by hand on the Irish west coast. “The scientific data that were uncovered during the analysis of these potent molecules inspired the development of the SEABODY supplement and skincare range.”
Over millions of years, seaweeds have evolved innovative protective and regenerative metabolic pathways and biomolecules, which enable them to thrive in harsh ocean habitats. These plants are a super source of no less than 60 micro and macronutrients. These include minerals, vitamins, essential fatty acids, carbohydrates, fibre, and novel phytonutrients, a substance found in certain plants that have been used and enjoyed by coastal dwellers for generations. For SEABODY the mission is, isolate potent marine molecules from seaweed and offer these benefits to consumers and offering these benefits to health orientated and sustainability-conscious consumers.
It is, therefore, no surprise that within the SEABODY range, every element is considered. “From sustainable hand harvesting of seaweed, gentle processing to isolate the potent marine molecules, expert complementary formulations and conscious packaging to ensure their formulations are protected, and their consumers can easily use and consciously dispose of their products once completed. The brand is very much science-led with decades of research and experience in Phycology (seaweed science) forming the basis for all its brand activities”.
A Circular Approach
SEABODY’s proprietary Fucoidan extract is isolated from Irish, organic Fucus vesiculosus seaweed, also known as Bladderwrack. “Fucoidan is a bioactive found within the cell walls of brown seaweeds that was discovered for the first time in 1913. Fucoidan is associated with being the power behind seaweed’s resilience, protecting it from numerous environmental stressors. Since its discovery, Fucoidan has been extensively analyzed in global scientific research, with thousands of peer-reviewed publications outlining its many benefits.”
Seaweeds are very sustainable plants. For the Fucus vesiculosus species alone, 80 to 90 thousand tonnes are available for sustainable harvesting on an annual basis on the west coast of Ireland. The organic seaweed, from which the “SEABODY” molecules are isolated, is harvested by hand leaving at least 15 cm of the stipe behind as studies have shown that cutting seaweed in this way enhances healthy re-growth. This is done by harvesters who have been doing so for generations. After harvesting, the seaweed is immediately processed in an organically certified plant. “This ensures fresh seaweed with optimum bioactivity.”
Traditionally ingredients from seaweed were extracted using high temperatures & harsh chemicals. In the year 2017 NutraMara successfully developed an innovative and gentle process in order to eliminate the need for harsh chemicals. Since then, the process has been refined and is now zero waste. “100% of the seaweed biomass that enters the process is utilized with three outputs, our potent marine bioactive, a seaweed fibre, and an algae rich water. Both ingredients are used for food and cosmetic applications, while the water is sent to a sister company that produces seaweed biostimulants for use in agriculture and horticulture and is therefore returned to the soil. SEABODY products are contained in Miron glass, which aligns with our commitment to developing a circular business model. Glass is a material, unlike plastic, that can be easily and infinitely recycled. We hope to be able to include fully recyclable closures with our range in the future and will work with Miron to reach this goal”.
Preserving marine bio-actives
“We have been using various elements of the Miron range since 2018 when developing product samples and wanting a wow factor. Due to the nature of our marine bioactive and formulations, we needed a high-quality packaging solution that stayed in line with our commitment to being as sustainable as possible as we grow. Miron glass provides the protection needed and can be easily recycled with amber or brown glass. The bottles and jars that we have chosen are also compact in size to ensure there is no unnecessary waste of this material. On top of that, Miron glass suits our brand from both an aesthetic and functional perspective. We wanted a black looking glass range for our formulations, and the depth of violet in this glass works really well. That along with the technology to preserve our ingredients and formulations is a good match.”
Violet glass is special because it protects the capsules and natural ingredients in them by filtering harmful rays from the visible light spectrum and allowing parts of the UVA and infrared light waves to pass through, so the products inside stay fresher longer.