Brand History
The company was founded by Fernando Lima in São Paulo, Brazil, in 2002. He first sourced Brazilian whole ingredients and then developed the manufactory. “To utilize the truly natural body care products in my hometown is my goal,” said Lima. He launched Florestas (means ‘forests’ in Portuguese), his company commited to sustainable botanical beauty products and in January 2005 introduced the ‘Ikove’ brand to the international market.
Based on traditional herbalism, indigenous healing, and rejuvenation remedies, Florestas presents a product line made from certified rain forest wild-harvested fruits, seeds, nuts, plants extracts, and certified organic ingredients containing significant concentrations of therapeutic elements that deliver superior results.
In April 2006, Ikove’s body care line was the first Brazilian brand certified as natural and organic by EcoCert France. In March 2008, Ikove introduced new items certified organic by the USDA and fair trade certified by TransFair USA through the whole Foods Market. Currently, the Ikove line is available in Brazil, USA, UK, Japan, Mexico, Taiwan and Canada.
Ikove is dedicated to growing the economy of the Amazon, allowing local villages to stop cutting down trees and protect the region’s beautiful and rare rainforests.
Natural and Ethical
Taken from “Tupi-guarani”, a South American indigenous language, Ikove means “growing”; to keep alive. It is dedicated to growing the economy of the Amazon, allowing local villages to stop cutting down trees and protect the region’s beautiful and rare rainforests.
Ikove sits near the end of this most ecologically supportive chain, offering its products to consumers who provide the final reward to the economy of the Amazon rain forest. The process starts in the Amazon forest where those wonderful natural ingredients are wild-harvested by the local communities and transformed into oils which are then integrated into its products. Açais, cocoa, bisabolol, babaçu, brazil nut and capuaçu are just some of the Brazilian active ingredients which are unique, exotic and effective and quite different from the common ingredients found in the market.
It upholds environmental values and supports actions in creating products that support a sustainable economy and culture in Brazil's native lands. Ikove is involved in projects that promote professional and personal growth in harmony with natural resources. The company uses certified organic ingredients, avoids synthetics and potentially harmful chemicals, while also avoiding any animal ingredients. Ikove’s skin & hair care line is certified organic by Ecocert and IBD/IFOAM.
Ikove has researched the biodiversity of the Brazilian rain forest and studied indigenous Amazonian therapeutics in its quest to create a healthier natural alternatives to harsh, chemically derived personal-care products.
Sustainability and Fair Trade
Preserving the environment and the indigenous people is said to be part of the brand's truly organic philosophy. The marvellous herbal secrets kept in the Amazon are in danger if no one gives the forest population the right and ability to provide for themselves with sustained development, using the forest's resources and preserving them for the future. Without such an opportunity many residents of the Amazon island of Marajó had to cut down trees to survive during the monsoon season when it was impossible to fish.
The gathering of wild-grown fruits and nuts has opened the door to a new source of income for the people who live in the forests and rural areas of South America. As a direct result, trees such as andiroba, murumuru and ucuúba have been saved from continuous destruction.
Florestas also partner with artisans located in small communities to offer Brazilian handcrafted products. The Urucuia Project began in 1998 at the initiative and advice of the Solidary Community (Comunidade Solidaria). The project encourages the families who suffered from the long dry season to search within their culture for new ways of sustenance which still value their way of life - a way to promote Brazilian art craft and generate income to local communites. All the wooden boxes used for the products are made individually from the fallen leaves and arms of Buriti palm trees along with Ikove’s cosmetics products.
The philosophy of Ikove seems to say it all: we are inspired by nature, by its power and balance and we want to express our love of nature in the products that we offer and in the way that we do busness.
© EcoAsia 2009
