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‘OK, I’m just going to have to make my own’: Dallas mom launches personal care line

Concerned about ingredients, Jenn Thatcher started Zebra, making ‘clean’ toothpastes and more.

It took a lot of dirty work for Dallas’ Jenn Thatcher to launch her “clean” company.

The Dallas-based mom who transitioned from a corporate executive to in-demand artist launched Zebra, her line of personal care products such as deodorants, toothpaste and floss, in May.

In a world where organics have their own sections at grocery stores and mainstream big-box retailers, Thatcher struggled to find personal care products that were nontoxic and transparently sourced. And when she wanted to make them herself, she struggled to find manufacturers that would produce items to her specifications.

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But now the five-year journey is starting to pay off, and Thatcher said Zebra is starting to get attention from retailers. While getting Zebra in stores is on her to-do list, Thatcher says she enjoys the direct relationships she has with her consumers from her website, adding in the website’s tagline: “Join the herd.”

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Since its launch, Thatcher reports, Zebra’s growth is on a “rapid trajectory,” although she and her team didn’t comment on exact figures. The products available for purchase directly from Zebra’s official website, include deodorant ($21), toothpaste ($14), toothpaste tablets ($21) and floss ($12-$40).

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In addition to the website, Zebra products are available at a handful of local health and wellness stores and some area dental offices. But just as she’s particular about the ingredients and branding, Thatcher said she’d rather be picky about where she sells products.

Thatcher decided to develop Zebra after both of her children faced severe health issues. Thatcher’s youngest daughter was 4 when she was rushed to the hospital with severe stomach pain. After several visits, she was diagnosed with an ovarian cyst as large as her ovary and ovarian torsion.

After her daughter’s diagnosis, Thatcher suspected that store-bought grape juice may have been a factor after the manufacturer was sued for including hormone disruptors in its juice.

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“It is hard as a consumer to know what’s in your products,” said Thatcher. “It was a wake-up call.”

Six months later, Thatcher’s son had a stroke, and doctors discovered a mass on his brain. Thatcher decided it was time to investigate the ingredients listed in the products her children were using.

“When you really dig into the ingredients in the expensive toothpastes and all-natural, organic deodorants, they’re not as clean as they’re marketed to be,” Thatcher said.

Thatcher looked for products that were a combination of effective, clean and visually appealing to her as an artist. She found she had to sacrifice good ingredients for a subpar product or get a “clean” product with uninspired packaging, she said.

“I said to myself, ‘OK, I’m just going to have to make my own products.’ It’s at that moment that Zebra was born,” Thatcher said.

Thatcher began by hiring a team to help formulate her products and to source her wish list of ingredients. During the process, Thatcher was told she can and should withhold ingredients from the label and was even dumped by a manufacturer.

Jenn Thatcher organizes products from her clean brand, ZEBRA, at her home office in Argyle,...
Jenn Thatcher organizes products from her clean brand, ZEBRA, at her home office in Argyle, TX, on Jul 12, 2024. (Jason Janik/Special Contributor)(Jason Janik / Special Contributor)

“I wanted to know where each and every ingredient was from, and I did not want to use ingredients from China,” Thatcher recalled telling her manufacturer. “They said I was being too difficult.”

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Zebra currently has four manufacturers in the United States, and its floss is manufactured in Italy. Thatcher says it took a lot of trial and error to find manufacturers that met her standards, both morally and ethically.

Thatcher said she also left a major toothpaste manufacturer that used questionable procedures to develop products. Even after purchasing 30,000 units of product from it, Thatcher walked away. She continued to search for partners that would work with her on sourcing and testing.

“Consumers in general are trying,” Thatcher said. “They’re trying and failing, and they’re failing because they’re being misled by marketing.”

According to the US Personal Care 2024 Consumer Report by Mintel, the personal care product market has room to grow, particularly through the addition of wellness and appearance benefits. The personal care market size remains rather stable at over $55 billion in 2024, up 1.4% year-over-year.

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Thatcher funded Zebra from her previous art business, Jenn Thatcher Art Collection. Since its launch earlier this year, Zebra has experienced “explosive growth” and quadrupled both its production and team size, hiring additional customer service agents and internal executive positions to help manage the growth. It does not have any partners.

“I have thought about taking partners on, but I’m a naturally independent person,” said Thatcher.

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Meanwhile, Thatcher hired a team of consultants to advise on packaging, as well as Ptarmak, a design shop based in Austin.

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