big psychedelic experiences. I realized my granddad was
totally right — that all the faith traditions at their best are pointing at this transcendent love and light, and that somehow in the midst of the suffering and absurdity of the world, that is our deepest truth and ground of our being.” David decided to join Dr. Bronner’s in the late ’90s (Emanuel died in 1997). “I was able to tell my granddad I understood him and that I was going to dedicate my life to his passion,” he says. A few years later, Michael, David’s younger brother, came on board too. He’s now the president, sister Lisa is the brand’s consumer educator, and mom Trudy is chief financial officer.
Man on a Mission
Printed in an eye-watering 5.5 font, the bottle relays Dr. Bronner’s All-One message. It was designed commonalities, to highlight the way in which people are similar in their aims and ethics, to call each individual to action wherever they find themselves. He emphasized we are all fellow travelers on God’s Spaceship Earth.” to “call out humanity’s
Emanuel Heilbronner was born in Laupheim, Germany, in 1908 to a family of master soapmakers. Heilbronner began apprenticing in the family business in the early 1920s,
becoming a third-generation master soapmaker with a degree in chemistry (not a Ph.D., however — the “Dr.” in Dr. Bronner’s was self-proclaimed). In 1929, following clashes with his father and uncles, Heilbronner emigrated to the United States, narrowly missing the Nazi takeover of Germany and consequently dropping the first syllable of his surname. His parents were killed
Staying Rooted While Branching Out
Since taking on leadership roles in the company around the turn of the century, the brothers have helped
in the Holocaust, and his experience greatly informed the “All-One” philosophy he developed: Despite differences in religions, ethnicities, and beliefs, humans must realize our interconnectedness. “We Are All-One or None!” Dr. Bronner’s soap labels still state. Emanuel spent years espousing his All-One philosophy. As a result of his fervent and sometimes disruptive methods, he was committed to an insane asylum, where he was forced to undergo shock therapy. He eventually escaped, making his way to Los Angeles in the 1940s. On the West Coast, he set up shop, founding Dr. Bronner’s Soap in 1948 and laying the foundation for a business that continues to thrive today. Bronner was an intense and demanding individual, which affected family dynamics. “My dad and grandad had a kind of difficult relationship,” David tells the Rooted Journal. “His wife, my grandmother, died when my dad was really young. My grandad went out West to pursue his mission and financially supported his kids and would check in but was basically absent as a father.” David’s father, Jim, worked with Emanuel making soap, but they weren’t close outside of the business. David, too, found it difficult to relate to his grandfather. “He was coming off the mountaintop all the time,” he says, referring to Emanuel’s constant proselytizing. “I didn’t understand what he was talking about.” That changed for David after some “really
transform Dr. Bronner’s from a cult favorite among hippies into one of the best-selling natural personal care brands in the United States. The company’s products are now sold all over the world. Dr. Bronner’s has managed to stay relevant while staying true to its roots. “I think the overall integration of health and wellness into the mainstream [has helped],” David says. “And taking real, meaningful stands on issues. From genetic engineering of food and our right to know, to advocacy around drug policy reform — cannabis and psychedelics — to animal welfare, to fair trade minimum-wage advocacy, I think we’ve been able to connect with a lot of people who are passionate about those issues.” From top: Home of Emanuel and Luise Heilbronner (Emanuel’s grandparents) in Laupheim, Germany; birthplace of Berthold Heilbronner, father of Emanuel. The tenement apartment in Los Angeles where Emanuel Bronner started making his own soap in the United States in 1948. Emanuel Bronner and his wife, Gladys Bronner. Opposite, from top: A sign at Dr. Bronner’s Escondido facility. A thousand different label combos destined for soaps sent around the world.
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ISSUE 02
A GENIE IN THE BOTTLE
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