Happi Floss on 'Shark Tank': Where and how to buy world's first truly compostable flosser
PORTLAND, OREGON: In 'Shark Tank', Dr Staci Whitman is looking for a backer for Happi, her biodegradable pick flossers. Before the show airs on ABC, here's everything you need to know about the business and its founders.
Flossing on a daily basis is essential for general health because it eliminates germs and plaque from areas that toothbrushes cannot reach. This aids in the prevention of cavities, gingivitis, and other dental health problems. Furthermore, a growing amount of research suggests a link between brushing and overall health, including cardiovascular illness, rheumatoid arthritis, and Alzheimer's. Happi Floss is a biodegradable floss puller. This flosser is non-toxic because it is free of plastic and contains no hydrocarbons. Because it is also sustainable, children and adults can use this Happi floss for tooth flossing without worry. Happi Floss is a game-changing device that blends sustainability, ease of use, and oral care. As the business expands and develops new eco-friendly solutions, it is positioned to make a significant impact in both the oral care sector and the worldwide fight against plastic waste. Scroll down to learn more about the business and its founder's debut on ABC.
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What is Happi Floss?
Happi Floss is a revolutionary, environmentally friendly oral hygiene device that seeks to substitute single-use plastic flossers. Dr Staci Whitman, a functional and holistic pediatric dentist, created this novel business. Happi Floss, based in Portland, Oregon, is a woman-owned and run company dedicated to reducing plastic waste and supporting sustainability. Dr Staci was inspired to develop an ecologically friendly flosser after seeing plastic debris on a beach in Hawaii. She saw the need for a guilt-free option for plastic floss picks, which are frequently avoided by parents due to their negative environmental effects.
Happi Floss was created after years of study and experimentation. These flossers are composed of layers of compressed post-consumer recycled paper and biofilm, a non-petroleum-based plant-based substance. The layered construction enables moisture and microbes to rapidly break down the flossers in compost or soil. This is in sharp contrast to traditional plastic flossers, which can take hundreds of years to degrade. Happi Floss is not only environmentally sustainable, but it is also non-toxic, cruelty-free, and comes in two sizes to accommodate various mouth forms. The production takes place in a fair-wage, environmentally aware factory near Portland, Oregon, using 100% renewable energy.
Happi Floss distinguishes itself from other ostensibly "sustainable" flossers by emphasizing real compostability. While other goods are theoretically compostable, they frequently take years to degrade. Happi Floss flossers, on the other hand, are intended to degrade into useful organic matter after a year.
To use Happi Floss, merely pull the floss out of the flosser after use, toss it in the garbage, and compost the flosser. Although the present floss component is not completely biodegradable, it accounts for less than 1% of the total materials used, and the business is actively looking for a biodegradable substitute.
While traditional floss may be a choice for some, many people, particularly toddlers and those with smaller mouths, find it difficult to reach their back teeth without the use of a flosser. Dr Staci thinks that flossers are an important aid in keeping oral health, and Happi Floss is an environmentally friendly option to single-use plastic flossers.
Who is the founder of Happi Floss?
Happi Floss's Founder and CEO is Dr Staci Whitman. She is a dentist who opened Nopo Kids Dentistry in Portland, Oregon in 2019 after finishing from Ohsu with a Pediatric Dental Specialist degree. In May 2020, she also launched Happi Health Coaching by Dr Staci. All of these businesses prioritize environmental stewardship and fair labor practices, ensuring that their beneficial effect goes beyond oral health. Tufts University School of Medicine awarded her a Doctor of Medical Dentistry degree.
Dr Staci grew up in a tiny town in rural Maine, where she spent much of her childhood playing outside in the forests, making up magical exploits, and getting "wicked" dirty. In that respect, it was a fairly simple and beautiful upbringing. Unfortunately, she was raised in a household with a lot of drug abuse and mental health problems, which put her in a constant survival mindset as a kid. As a result, she was always very engaged in living optimally and thriving, even if she didn't define or recognize it as such as a kid.
Around the age of ten, she was involved in a serious bicycle mishap in which she knocked out several permanent teeth and fractured her upper mandible, requiring her to visit dental, orthodontist, and surgeon offices throughout her childhood. Because of these wonderful and caring providers, Dr Staci became very interested in dentistry, ultimately deciding to pursue a career as a dentist himself. Her original training and introduction to dentistry, like all programs, was very conventional, with her learning all of the fundamental sciences and hands-on methods required to become a capable and efficient dental practitioner. She began her career as a general dentist in a very traditional way, and she was instantly unhappy and unsatisfied.
What is the cost and where to buy Happi Floss from?
This product is made in a locally owned, fair pay, environmentally conscious business outside of Portland, Oregon, using 100% renewable energy. The product is made from post-consumer recovered paper and a natural cassava root substance.
Dr Staci started a crowdfunding effort for Sustainable Flossers on Indiegogo in June 2021, raising $29,931 from 484 backers. The goal of this effort was to collect $50,000, but it fell short. The goods are not yet accessible.
Where is Happi Floss now?
Dr Staci self-funded the creation of Happi Floss, trying the product with friends and family to perfect the concept. The business got overwhelmingly favorable feedback after distributing 5,000 sample flossers. Happi Floss is now concentrating on expanding production to produce their first run of one million sustainable flossers.
Happi Floss is more than just an environmentally beneficial product. Dr Staci, an ardent champion of children's oral health, environmental preservation, and healthy eating, has instilled her views throughout the company. Happi Floss is a shining example of a business moving towards a brighter, greener future, from paying equitable salaries to a varied workforce to adopting best-in-class environmental practices.
Happi Floss is positioned to make a major effect on the dental care industry and help clear the world of single-use plastic flossers, thanks to the success of their Indiegogo campaign and plans for expanded production capabilities.
Happi Floss is also dedicated to obtaining Leaping Bunny cruelty-free accreditation, as their products are 100% vegan and never tried on animals. Furthermore, the company's seed paper packaging can be buried in dirt after use, resulting in the emergence of Pacific Northwest native wildflowers within a few weeks.
Who will steal the deal?
Dr Staci may encounter some significant challenges in the Tank. Because she is pre-revenue, she will require a very favorable assessment from the Sharks. She says she's looking for other investors, which could indicate she's too diluted to take a Shark's offer. She is also susceptible to the "too early" argument. While neither of these complaints is a deal breaker, they are significant roadblocks. Dr Staci's only chance may be Shark Mark Cuban, who may truly believe in her mission and make her an offer that represents the time he'll need his team to devote to it. The other possibility is Shark Kevin O'Leary's royalty deal.
'Shark Tank' Season 14, Episode 18 airs on ABC on Friday, March 31, 2023, at 8 pm ET. Catch the latest episode featuring products like Bleni Blends, LavaBox Portable Campfire, Happi Health, The Ice Cream Canteen, and an update on No Limbits.
Missed an episode? Been wanting to catch up? Episodes can also be viewed the next day on demand, or on Hulu. Not just that, you can also watch old seasons and episodes on Amazon Prime Video and iTunes.