Shaving Sustainably: An Interview with Adam Simone, Co-Founder of Leaf Shave & Smoosh
- Molly Sneddon
- Sep 11
- 5 min read
"Our stance is that we can both build a good business, and do good at the same time by making sure that our products help people make net-positive changes in their own personal care and consumption habits".
Adam Simone is the co-founder of Leaf Shave, an eco-friendly razor company combating the plastic-dominated shaving industry. With their "buy once, refill for life" motto, they are dedicated to providing quality, sustainable skincare without the waste. This week, we had the chance to sit down with Simone and learn how he and his co-founder Adam Hahn built their idea into a lasting brand.
The idea for Leaf Shave first came about when the two co-founders realized they weren't getting a satisfying shave. Common razors weren't effective, and their disposable blade design made them costly over time. They knew there had to be a better solution, one that provided the best shave, without the continuous high costs.
They believed in their idea for a better razor, but needed to make sure the market aligned with their creation. "We used the Kickstarter platform as a proving ground, our first market-facing test of demand for what we had to offer," explained Simone. "We had goals in mind where if we didn't reach them, we felt that perhaps this brand may not have the kind of product-market-fit that would be necessary to move forward with. It's always a scary moment to take something that you've poured yourself into, and have strong conviction around, and suddenly put that in front of a lot of people who don't know you".
Despite his worry, Leaf Shave exceeded expectations on Kickstarter, beating the initial goal and gaining roughly 1,500 backers. This provided Simone and Hahn with the proof that Leaf Shave was worth pursuing. While the backers were critical to Leaf Shave's success, Simone notes that, "they didn't end up being the core consumer community that propelled our growth over the subsequent years". As he explains, "We went to Kickstarter with a product (a better razor, a novel innovation in the shaving space), but we only found scale post-commercial launch when we went to market with a brand (eco-friendly shaving, made easy and safer than ever before)".
In tandem with Kickstarter, Leaf Shave found success in a specific consumer segment: environmentally conscious consumers. "[Our] focus was in the sustainability movement, and the small but inventive group of brands innovating in this space " recounted Simone. "This allowed our messaging to be tight, and speak to very specific pain points and emotional triggers, and our product could back up our talk". Their superior razor and ability to communicate its value was crucial, allowing them to find their message. "We set out to make a 'better razor' and it turned out that a better razor was better for our environment as well" stated Simone. "Once we embraced that as a core identity, we understood what our brand was and what we stood for".
By identifying their target market, Simone and Hahn crafted Leaf Shave from a product into a brand, building out the value of the product for the eco-conscious consumer. As Simone explained, "When you try to be something to everyone... you end up being nothing particularly interesting to most people. So instead, we did our best to be the best option, the most valuable eco-swap, for a growing group of consumers".
"Once we understood who our customers were, and what our brand stood for, growth was simply a matter of solving for the problem of getting in front of those people and telling our story" remarked Simone. By working with niche retailers, including refilleries and zero-waste stores, as well as like-minded social media influencers, Leaf Shave was able to build brand recognition within their target market. Additionally, Leaf Shave found the most success in direct-to-consumer growth channels through digital ads, which allowed them to connect directly with people who are likely to support the brand. As Simone summarized, "Our stance is that we can both build a good business, and do good at the same time by making sure that our products help people make net-positive changes in their own personal care and consumption habits. And we have the biggest impact by reaching the most people".
A Leaf razor, however, is an investment compared to cheap, disposable plastic razors. While this could potentially present a barrier to purchasing, Simone and Hahn knew the value of their product, and how to articulate it. "We've always found success by first leading with the best product possible; and second supporting that product innovation/superiority by strong (but not outlandish) sustainability credibility" he explained. "We don't want someone to join Leaf because it's a more eco-friendly way to shave; we want them to come for the quality of the shave because that's what will keep them with us. And the knock-on effect of that swap, is a more sustainable routine now". Â
Given the mounting success of Leaf Shave, Simone and Hahn could easily have stopped there. But, as Simone said, "We're product innovators at our hearts, and we like bringing novel things into the world that actually help people solve real problems in their daily lives. With Leaf Shave now a more mature business, we felt energized by the idea of bringing to life a new brand and supporting it to see if we could do it again".
So, Simone and Hahn set out to build a new brand, one that aligned with Leaf Shave's mission of improving self-care while reducing plastic waste. In 2024, they introduced Smoosh: a personal care brand built around their newest creation, a soap-embedded silicone scrubber.
Described as "a hygienic, durable and eco-friendly silicone scrubber," Smoosh's product eliminates the need for plastic body wash bottles, is more sanitary than overused loofahs, and reduces the wasteful nature of bar soap. As Simone noted, "Smoosh is a more playful brand, and its customer base is largely different from Leaf Shave's. But being able to service both brands and solve problems on both sides of the isle help us become better operators all around".Â
With Leaf Shave maturing and Smoosh just getting started, it's clear that there is a lot in store for Simone and Hahn. "Our product pipeline is deep on both sides, which means that we're most energized to keep innovating and bringing out new products that improve upon what we do, or that open up new possibilities for our customers" remarked Simone. "We want to be good stewards of the trust that our community has placed in us, and we want to take good care of our team. Personally, I still have fun going into the office each day, and as long as I'm having fun and feeling good about the work we put out - we'll keep doing it".
To learn more about Adam Simone, Leaf Shave, and Smoosh, visit the Leaf Shave and Smoosh websites, or check out their social media handles below.
Leaf Shave
Facebook, Instagram, & TikTok: @leafshave
Youtube: @leafshaveco
Smoosh
Instagram & TikTok: @getsmoosh
Thank you to Adam Simone for speaking with us!
To be featured on the blog, please contact us at smealsustainability@gmail.com.