Butterfly & Bee is a small, woman-owned brand based in Newburyport, Massachusetts, producing natural cleaning, laundry, personal care, and household products in small batches. The brand uses plant-based and mineral-based ingredients, offers refillable and bulk product formats, and prioritizes reusable or recyclable packaging across its range.

The brand operates from the Hillside Center for Sustainable Living, a facility powered by solar panels and built to Passive House standards. Butterfly & Bee has earned our highest rating of “Disrupting,” placing it within the top 10% of brands in the cleaning category.

About Butterfly & Bee

Butterfly & Bee was founded by Lisa Manley with a focus on creating natural, low-waste products that help reduce everyday plastic use and unnecessary chemicals in the home. The brand is co-owned by Lisa Manley and Morgan Stebbins and operates as a family-run business with fewer than 15 employees.

All products are handcrafted locally in New England. The brand is Leaping Bunny certified and sells through both its own website, Etsy, and wholesale platforms, including supplying zero-waste and bulk shops.

Product Categories
HouseholdCleaningDeodorantHome TextilesHomewaresKids Personal CarePersonal CareSoap
Attributes
Cruelty-free
Products are not test on animals at any stage in their production.
Ethical Sourcing
Raw materials have been sourced ethically with people and planet in mind.
Handcrafted
Products have been made by hand, typically by an artisan or group of artisans.
Locally Made
Products are made local to the brand's headquarters.
Non-toxic
All products are made with ingredients or materials that are currently considered non-toxic
Organic
Products are made from organic materials.
Palm Oil Free
Products contain no palm oil or palm oil derivatives.
Recycled materials
Some or all products are made with recycled materials
Refillable
Product packaging can be refilled with more product, either at a physical store or via a return program.
Small business
This brand is a small business run by less than 15 people
Sustainable Materials or Ingredients
Either all or most products are made with sustainable materials or ingredients.
Thoughtful packaging
Product packaging has been designed and created with the end of life outcome in mind and can be easily recycled or composted.
Woman Owned
This brand is owned by a woman or a group of women.
Zero Waste
Products are made with a low or zero waste approach where ideally no or limited waste is created throughout the production process or at the end of life.
Certifications / Memberships
ECOCERT Cosmos
ECOCERT Cosmos
The ECOCERT COSMOS certification is an internationally recognized standard for natural and organic cosmetics. Overseen by ECOCERT, it ensures that products are made with sustainably sourced, biodegradable ingredients, use environmentally friendly manufacturing and packaging, and avoid GMOs, parabens, phenoxyethanol, and synthetic fragrances or dyes. The COSMOS label (either Organic or Natural) guarantees transparency and integrity throughout the entire production process.
Fair Trade
Fair Trade
The Fair Trade certification ensures that products are made according to rigorous social, environmental, and economic standards that protect workers and the planet. Overseen by organizations such as Fair Trade USA and Fairtrade International, it guarantees fair wages, safe working conditions, environmental sustainability, and community development funds, helping producers build more equitable and resilient supply chains.
Leaping Bunny
Leaping Bunny
The Leaping Bunny certification, managed by the Coalition for Consumer Information on Cosmetics (CCIC), is the globally recognized gold standard for cruelty-free products. It ensures that neither a company’s finished products nor their ingredients are tested on animals at any stage of development. Brands must also agree to independent audits and supplier monitoring, guaranteeing genuine cruelty-free commitment across their entire supply chain.
USDA Organic
USDA Organic
The USDA Organic certification, regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Organic Program (NOP), verifies that products are made with ingredients grown and processed according to strict organic standards. It prohibits synthetic pesticides, fertilizers, GMOs, and harmful additives, while requiring practices that promote soil health, biodiversity, and animal welfare.
Location

United States

Pricing

$$$$$

Ships from
United States
Ships to
United StatesCanada

Rating Summary

Nature & Animals

Butterfly & Bee’s cleaning and laundry products are formulated primarily with plant-based and mineral-based ingredients, including castile soap, sodium citrate, washing soda, baking soda, plant-derived glycerin, and essential oils. Many ingredients carry certifications from Fair Trade USA, Fair for Life, USDA Organic/QAI Certified Organic, EcoVadis, and COSMOS. Some scented products include select fragrance oils alongside essential oils.

The brand does not currently maintain formal water use tracking or wastewater reporting. However, the use of concentrated and waterless product formats and biodegradable ingredient systems helps limit water impact. No formal biodiversity or deforestation programs are in place, though the brand sources from suppliers with established sustainability certifications. The brand does not use any harmful ingredients and avoids unnecessary dyes, optical brighteners, and chemical fillers.

Product packaging includes reusable and recyclable glass bottles, compostable refill pouches, reusable cotton bags, and recyclable aluminum and tin containers, with plastic use limited to dispensing pumps designed for long-term reuse. The brand also offers refills for a number of its products and sells in bulk, which can supply zero-waste or bulk shops. Shipping materials consist of recyclable corrugated cardboard boxes, paper fillers, and reused packaging. Waste is kept low through small-batch production, lean inventory management, and reuse of packaging materials.

No formal carbon accounting or emissions reduction targets are in place, though the brand reduces impact through concentrated and refillable product formats, domestic sourcing and production, and small-batch manufacturing. The brand operates from the Hillside Center for Sustainable Living, which uses solar panels, Passive House design standards, and hemp-lime biocomposite wall panels. No formal energy tracking or targets are set.

Butterfly & Bee uses beeswax in select products. While no formal animal welfare certifications apply to beeswax sourcing specifically, the brand sources thoughtfully and prioritizes supplier transparency. The brand is Leaping Bunny certified, confirming no animal testing across its product line and supply chain.

Score for Nature & Animals: 57%. Learn more about our scoring.

Communities & Wellbeing

Butterfly & Bee is a founder-led small business with a close-knit team. The founder brings prior professional HR experience, which informs the brand’s approach to maintaining safe, organized working conditions, flexible relationships, and fair compensation. As the team is small, formal workforce policies are limited, but the working environment reflects a people-first approach.

The brand does not maintain formal supplier codes of conduct, public Tier 1 disclosures, or direct supplier audit programs. However, it works with established suppliers that hold third-party certifications and documented ethical sourcing standards, reviews supplier disclosures and business practices during sourcing decisions, and maintains long-term relationships with reputable vendors. All products are made in small batches in the United States.

Butterfly & Bee is a woman-owned, family-run business. The team includes a neurodiverse individual, and the brand states that inclusivity is an important part of its culture. No formal DE&I policy is in place.

Products are formulated with health and safety in mind, using carefully selected plant-based and mineral-based ingredients. The brand reviews supplier documentation and produces in small batches to maintain quality control. While many ingredients are organically or COSMOS certified, the products as a whole do not carry independent safety or non-toxicity certifications. A privacy policy and secure checkout protections are in place for customers.

The brand prioritizes working with small businesses, local and regional partners in New England, and independent suppliers where practical.

Score for Communities & Wellbeing: 73%. Learn more about our scoring.

Values & Governance

Butterfly & Bee is a small business with fewer than 15 employees. The brand shares information about its sustainability practices, ingredient philosophy, and packaging approach through dedicated pages on its website. However, it does not publish regular sustainability reports or set formal time-bound targets. As an early-stage business, it is working toward expanding the depth of its disclosures over time.

There is no known history of greenwashing, false claims, or misleading marketing.

The brand supports community and charitable initiatives through financial contributions to local organizations, including Nourishing the North Shore and Every Child Counts, and volunteer mentorship through the YWCA, including coaching homeless women on job readiness and employment skills. Specific monetary amounts have not been disclosed.

Score for Values & Governance: 58%. Learn more about our scoring.

Product Performance

Customer feedback for Butterfly & Bee is positive. On Etsy, the brand holds a 4.9-star rating across more than 150 reviews and has achieved Star Seller status, with consistent praise for product quality, fast shipping, and responsive customer service. On wholesale platforms, the brand also shows strong ratings. Available feedback points to good product quality and reliable service, though the brand is still relatively new and customer reviews on its main website remain limited.

Score for Product Performance: 100%. Learn more about our scoring.

Review Summary From Other Customers

Pros

  • Customers on Etsy consistently praise product quality, performance and design, with the brand holding a 4.9-star rating across more than 150 reviews and earning Star Seller status for fast shipping and responsive service.
  • On the wholesale platform Faire, the brand receives strong ratings for order fulfillment and reliability.
  • The natural, plant-based ingredient approach and eco-conscious packaging resonate with customers looking for non-toxic cleaning alternatives.

Cons

  • Customer reviews directly tied to the brand's main website are still very limited, making it difficult to assess the full range of customer experience outside of marketplace platforms.

Disrupting

Top 10% of brands

Butterfly & Bee scores 63% overall, scoring within 10% of the top-rated brand in our cleaning category. Learn more about our scoring.

Back to directory