“KA” and “LA”. That’s us after arriving back from Portugal in 1988. We eloped on our bicycles. No suitcases. No computers. No cellphones. Fax machines were the “new” latest technology.

Back in Rhode Island, we decided to quit corporate life and start our own business, importing Old World European products that people could not purchase without buying a plane ticket (the “world wide web” didn’t exist yet). What did we know about importing? Nothing.

So, it all began in a New England farmhouse, an outbuilding shared with chickens, geese, and goats. Inventory from Europe was shipped from our unheated garage known as the “Shipping Department.” Orders were packed in discarded liquor store boxes collected the night before, known as a “Box Run.” We couldn’t afford the weekly UPS pick up charge. It was $5.00 a week.

 After 30 years of small family business, the chicken coop and garage turned into a 30,000 square foot building we own, and employees that we treasure. Transitioning a number of years ago to producing our own soaps, cremes, and candles both sustainably and locally gives us great pride

We have always designed our packaging in-house, which is “Kalastyle.” Our dedication to the exploration of using natural elements (from both land and sea) to formulate high-quality products that nurture the skin and senses has never been stronger.

The Kalastyle Family is so grateful for our cool, fun, tasteful, imaginative, hard working retailers. Many of you became family over the years.Thank you for continuing to support our small family business!

– Kate, Lance, and the Kalastyle Family