Millions of seashells.

Seashells are beautiful and fascinating structures. They’ve inspired artists, writers and beachcombers, and most importantly, are homes for millions of little ocean critters. 

However, our growing love of seafood means we are producing more seashells than we can cope with. Each year a staggering 6-8 million tonnes of seashells are discarded globally as a bi-product of processing shellfish for the food industry. That's enough to cover most of London. Every year. 

It turns out these unloved seashells are a big environmental concern. In some parts of the world the sheer amount of seashells dumped on the coastline has changed river courses, with disastrous consequences for the local marine ecosystem. Which is why, if no use can be found, they are sent to landfill in the UK. 

Back in 2014 we became acutely aware of the amount of waste choking our oceans. Mountains of seashells and rivers of plastics were causing untold damage. We began to look at alternatives. A solution was proposed: why not use discarded seashells as a microplastic alternative? Annings was born!  

It turns out that, not only are unloved seashells highly sustainable, these nutrient packed structures have many beneficial qualities.

Recent scientific research has shown that when seashell extracts are applied to the skin they increase collagen production — a protein found in our bodies that helps skin appear younger. Mineral components of seashells are also antibacterial and have even been used to purify water of pollutants, making seashells great cleansing agents. 

We’ve spent the last couple of years researching the best method to harness the amazing qualities of seashells. The process we’ve developed — with the help of scientists from the University of Cambridge — has created a highly sustainable material that gently exfoliates, cleanses and restores.