What Haeckels does

Haeckels, now operating as Dulcie following a 2024 rebrand, is a UK-based natural skincare and home fragrance manufacturer founded in 2012 in Margate, England. The company sells seaweed-based skincare, bath and body products, and home fragrance goods — including candles, incense, diffusers, and five named fragrance collections (Botany, Dreamland, Pegwell, Pluviophile, Reculver) — targeted at environmentally conscious consumers who prioritise plastic-free packaging and natural marine-derived ingredients.

The company's product and technology stack centres on two proprietary assets: skincare formulations built on antioxidants and Cornish/Margate-area seaweed extracts, and Vivomer — a home-compostable packaging material that underpins the brand's Plastic Free Collection and the broader 'reuse, recycle, compost' customer promise. The current lineup spans 16 facial SKUs, 24 bath and body SKUs, multiple home fragrance categories, gift sets, and a Build Your Routine guided-selection tool. Founder Dom Bridges is identified on the company homepage.

Revenue is generated through four channels: a DTC e-commerce storefront at dulcie.world with multi-currency support and international shipping to 10+ countries; physical community-hub retail in Margate offering treatments and in-store refills; a wholesale enquiry programme for third-party retailers; and an amenities programme supplying hotels, spas, and hospitality businesses. A Citizenship subscription/loyalty programme adds a recurring-revenue component by framing customers as 'citizens' whose sustainability choices unlock benefits. In March 2023 the company received an undisclosed strategic investment from Estée Lauder New Incubation Ventures.

Name

Haeckels

Legal name

Haeckels

Website

https://haeckels.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Haeckels (now operating as Dulcie) is a UK-based, Margate-founded natural skincare and home fragrance manufacturer selling seaweed-based, plastic-free cosmetics to environmentally conscious consumers via DTC e-commerce, community-hub retail, wholesale, and hospitality amenities channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Margate

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Direct Product Sales: Direct-to-consumer sales of skincare, bath and body, and home fragrance products through e-commerce and retail stores.
2. Retail Storefront: Physical retail locations (community hubs) offering treatments and in-store refills alongside product sales.
3. Wholesale: Wholesale distribution to other retailers through enquiry-based partnership programme.
4. Loyalty Programme: Citizenship subscription programme offering benefits and rewards to repeat customers.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Haeckels (rebranded to Dulcie) manufactures and sells natural skincare, bath and body, and home fragrance products formulated with seaweed extracts and marine botanical ingredients. The product range is packaged in proprietary Vivomer, a home-compostable, plastic-free material, and is sold via owned e-commerce, physical community hub stores, wholesale partners, and an amenities programme for hospitality venues.

Product overview

Dulcie (formerly Haeckels) is a sustainable skincare and home fragrance brand offering a unified portfolio of products centred on marine-derived ingredients and eco-conscious formulations. The core offering spans Face skincare (16 products with antioxidants and seaweed extracts), Bath + Body range (24 products with seaweed and minerals), and Home Fragrance collections (candles, incense, and diffusers). The Fragrances line includes five named collections: Botany, Dreamland, Pegwell, Pluviophile, and Reculver. A Plastic Free sub-brand delivers packaging-free formulations. The Citizenship loyalty programme integrates reuse, recycle, and compost pathways. In-store Treatments and a Routine Builder service complement the retail offering. The company is transitioning from Haeckels branding to Dulcie.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Face Collection Facial skincare line of 16 products formulated with antioxidants and seaweed extracts, organized into Plastic Free, Cleanse & Tone, Treat, and Hydrate sub-categories. Targeted at consumers seeking natural, plastic-free facial skincare.
• Bath + Body Collection Range of 24 hand, body, and hair care products formulated with seaweed extracts and minerals for moisturising and cleansing, including sets.
• Home Candles Scented candles part of the Home Collections offering for home fragrance use.
• Incense + Diffuser Home fragrance products including incense and diffusers for scenting living spaces, including a ceramic diffuser co-created with Carly Breame.
• Plastic Free Collection Sub-brand of packaging-free skincare products aligned with the brand's zero-plastic commitment and Vivomer compostable packaging.
• Citizenship Subscription Recurring loyalty programme offering members benefits and rewards tied to sustainable consumer choices, including reuse, recycle, and compost pathways.
• In-Store Treatments Skincare and spa treatments delivered at community hub store locations.
• Gift Cards Digital gift cards available for purchase across the brand's product range.
• Holiday Gift Sets Curated skincare and fragrance gift sets assembled for holiday gifting occasions.
• Botany Fragrance Fragrance collection featuring botanical scent profiles, part of the Fragrance portfolio.
• Dreamland Fragrance Fragrance collection featuring dream-inspired scents, part of the Fragrance portfolio.
• Pegwell Fragrance Fragrance collection named after Pegwell Bay, reflecting the brand's coastal heritage.
• Pluviophile Fragrance Fragrance collection inspired by rain lovers and coastal weather.
• Reculver Fragrance Fragrance collection named after Reculver, a coastal location in Kent, England.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Carly BreameminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on a ceramic diffuser product. Carly Breame worked with the brand to create a diffuser that combines tactility and scent through a ceramic form shaped by her artistic process.
• Seafolk StudiosminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration project transforming Cornish seaweed species into sustainable textile materials. Led by Jenna Handley in partnership with The Cornish Guild of Weavers, Spinners and Dyers and local Cornish knitters.
• The Cornish Guild of Weavers, Spinners and DyersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal artisan guild collaborating on the Seafolk project for sustainable textile creation using seaweed materials.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Lush: UK-based handmade cosmetics brand with strong sustainability, packaging-free, and community positioning across bath, body, skincare and fragrance. Directly comparable as a values-driven indie-turned-global natural beauty brand with physical retail presence.
• REN Clean Skincare: Clean, bio-active skincare brand with plastic-reduction commitments and marine-inspired formulations. Closely comparable in clean skincare positioning, packaging sustainability claims, and premium DTC channel mix.
• Diptyque: Premium home fragrance, candle, and personal care brand with curated, place-inspired scent collections and strong boutique retail. Comparable on the home fragrance (candles, diffusers, incense) pillar of Dulcie's portfolio.
• Herbivore Botanicals: US-based natural, botanical skincare brand with sustainability messaging, indie DTC roots, and a similar premium price tier. Comparable as a direct competitor in the seaweed/botanical skincare niche.
• Boy Smells: Inclusive, design-led candle and home fragrance brand with sustainability messaging and indie-to-global trajectory. Comparable on the home fragrance pillar and on indie-premium brand-building playbook.
• Ormonde Jayne: Independent British niche fragrance house offering curated, place-inspired scents at premium positioning. Comparable on the boutique UK fragrance pillar and on indie prestige brand-building.

Broad incumbents

• Aesop: Premium Australian natural skincare, body care and fragrance brand with sustainability ethos, distinctive physical retail, and a tightly curated product portfolio. Comparable as a higher-end incumbent in the natural beauty space Dulcie targets.
• Weleda: Established natural and biodynamic skincare and body care brand using botanical ingredients. Comparable on natural ingredient sourcing philosophy and broad face/body product portfolio at premium positioning.
• Drunk Elephant: Clean, biocompatible skincare brand that has scaled into a major prestige skincare player via strategic backing. Comparable as a clean-beauty skincare benchmark with similar ingredient-driven positioning.
• Estée Lauder: Global prestige beauty conglomerate and lead investor via New Incubation Ventures. Comparable as the strategic backer whose distribution, R&D and prestige channel relationships underpin Dulcie's scaling roadmap.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@peoplcareplanetcare
• Facebookfacebook.com/madeofmargate
• Instagraminstagram.com/peoplecareplanetcare
• TikToktiktok.com/@dulcie.world
• Xx.com/haeckels_
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/haeckels

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Haeckels