Kicking off "stability testing"

This is what 50 blank tubes look like when they arrive at your front door.

Now that we've started to approve our formulas for production, we'll be using these tubes for "stability testing", a mandatory 90-day test our labs run on each formula to make sure it holds up over time and doesn't react adversely with the packaging material we plan to use (in this case, mono-layer medium-density polyethylene (MDPE) with 50% post-consumer recycled waste (PCR) - what a mouthful!).

Basically, the lab fills 50 tubes with the formula in question, stores them into an insulated room, turns up the heat, and tests a handful of tubes every few weeks to see how they're holding up under duress. If, after 90 days, a product comes out the other end intact, it's deemed stable and ready for production. 90 days under heat is meant to replicate a 2-3 year shelf-life.

Natural products are inherently less stable/more volatile than their chemical/conventional counterparts because they aren't packed with bomb-proof chemical preservatives. That said, the best formulators are figuring out how to use natural (plant-derived) preservative systems with good results. In some cases, small doses of inert/safe chemicals are necessary.

Obviously, we're hoping we get the green light on all of our products so we can move straight into production.

Decamping for the weekend

We went on a small tour this past weekend... destination was a place called Parker Pie in West Glover, Vermont, about 50 miles north of here on some of the most beautiful back-roads you'll find anywhere. If you like country-style pizza joints with friendly service and delicious beer, then this place is for you!

One might wonder what this blog entry has to do with Ursa Major... well, actually, not very much at all! Except for the fact that we believe it's essential for entrepreneurs to get away from their desks on weekends and do what they love. In our case, we love exploring on bikes and skis.

Americans skeptical of 'green' marketing claims

Recent article on National Geographic's NatGeo Newswatch column highlights the challenges of marketing 'green products' to Americans, as well as the importance of being transparent and honest about so-called 'green' claims:

"Compared to the attitude of the average consumer in other countries surveyed, Americans express less concern about environmental problems, and they increasingly consider the seriousness of environmental issues to be exaggerated (31 percent, up from 25 percent). American consumers' behavior still ranks least sustainable among all countries polled...

Those polled listed suspicion of "green-washing" - companies making false or exaggerated claims about the environmental benefits of their products - as the most significant deterrent to making more sustainable choices, followed by the sense that individual behavior couldn't do much good if corporations and governments didn't also adopt and enforce sustainable practices."

Rampant "green-washing" in our market is one of the reasons we started this company, so you won't be seeing any of that from Ursa Major. Hold us to it!

Btw, we snapped these very green photos locally over the past few days.... Now it's time to get some work done before hitting the trails dipping into some delicious Trapp's Vienna lager. Have a good one!

Thanks for the feedback everyone

So, we got 22 folks (out of 25 or so) giving us detailed feedback on the shave cream label (see post below). Overall, very helpful. Thanks everyone!

Now we have to figure out which advice to take and which to ignore :) One of our informal advisers summed it up like this:

"... you have to sift through all the "mother-in-law" feedback and ultimately trust your gut as an experienced marketer to know what is best for your brand given the marketplace.  That's the art, the hard part, and the fun of what you guys are trying to create!"

Trust your gut. Yes, that's what Ursa Major's all about!

So, here's where we ended up (the colors look much better printed... also, the ingredient call-outs are not final). If anyone has any final comments, please use the Comment section here on this blog, or just send us an email.

In the meantime, we're working hard on our web site, collateral, products, packaging, etc, in preparation for our launch this fall... & trying to get outside for a bike or hike in the afternoons to keep it real!

Btw, we plan to move this blog to our new web site in June - stay tuned for the switch.