When Jeff Kletter of Tiburon heard that his company’s sunscreen KINeSYS had been praised by the Environmental Working Group on the CBS Early Show, he was ecstatic. Especially since he had no idea the stuff was being evaluated. “Out of 1,015 sunscreens, our spray was chosen to have the best efficacy regarding SPF factor, UVA coverage and ingredient stability,” he says. “They even pronounced it right, Ken E sees.” Accolades aside, Jeff and Josie (his wife and partner) Kletter have been committed to safeguarding the environment since the company’s inception in British Columbia in 1994. Creating their product to withstand the rigors of extreme sports, they were also determined to make it environmentally friendly. Instead of aerosol spray cans, they use pharmaceutical-grade sprayers with 100 percent recyclable plastic bottles; they have never tested their product on animals; and their company is 100 percent carbon neutral. As for how these longtime Canadians ended up in Marin, it turns out the late Brian Maxwell of Ross, of PowerBar fame (and Kletter’s hero), invited the couple stateside for the weekend, to discuss business. They loved Marin County, moved their company and are now raising their family here. “We enjoy the active outdoor lifestyle in Marin; it’s a great place to raise our kids,” Jeff says. You can find their
products at Mollie Stone’s, Paradise Foods and Elephant pharmacy, among other local retailers.
Sustainable Sun Protection
