Israeli personal care brand ecoLove was one of several Israeli brands drawn into an international controversy after being placed on a list of products slated for boycott by the Park Slope Food Coop in Brooklyn. On May 26, members of the co-op voted to remove nine Israeli products from its shelves, including various Israeli foods and ecoLove’s personal care products.
Sharona Romano Lazar, the company’s owner, says she is struggling to make sense of the situation. “We are an Israeli business founded out of a desire to create better personal care products based on sustainability, environmental responsibility, and healthy, accessible products for the entire family. We never imagined that shampoo, conditioner, and body wash would become part of a political battle.”
All components of ecoLove products are produced in Israel, from the contents of the bottles to the containers, which are made from recycled materials. The company manufactures its products at a plant in Ofakim, employing a workforce that reflects the diversity of Israeli society. “People get up every morning to work, produce, and earn a living with dignity,” says Lazar. “This is a brand built through years of hard work, not a political organization.”
Company representatives explain that building a presence for a small Israeli brand in the United States requires years of investment, regulatory approvals, compliance work, and the careful cultivation of relationships with distributors and retail chains. In a highly competitive market, every point of sale is earned through years of effort.
ecoLove products are available in over 1,000 stores across the United States and on Amazon. Lazar says that while the Israeli market currently accounts for the majority of the company’s sales, the US market holds significant growth potential.
“What concerns us is not only what happens at one co-op in Brooklyn,” say company representatives. “When a boycott like this receives international media exposure, the concern is the message it sends to the broader market and to other business partners. The damage is not limited to one store, but to the message being sent to Israeli brands operating in the United States.”
In response to the Park Slope boycott, ecoLove sent a message encouraging its customers to turn the boycott into what it termed a “buycott” and to continue purchasing from retailers that continue to carry its products.
Despite the controversy, the company says it intends to continue investing in the American market. “We believe in our consumers, our partners, and the values upon which we built this company. We will continue manufacturing in Israel, employing workers from all sectors of society, and bringing our products to shelves across the United States.”
