1908 Brands
1908 Brands is a Boulder, Colorado-based private holding company that owns and operates BClean, a DTC plant-based, hypoallergenic household cleaning and laundry care brand founded in 1993 and certified by the EPA Safer Choice program.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1993
- HeadquartersBoulder, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What 1908 Brands does
1908 Brands is a Boulder, Colorado-based private holding company that manufactures, manages, and markets natural product brands. Its principal operating brand is BClean, founded in 1993 and positioned as a pioneer in plant-based, hypoallergenic household cleaning and laundry care. The company's product portfolio spans laundry detergents (liquid and sheet formats), OXI stain remover, dish soaps and foaming dish sprays, all-purpose and specialty surface cleaners, floor cleaners, and an innovative refill tablet system that dissolves in water inside reusable spray bottles. BClean is a partner of the EPA Safer Choice program, providing third-party federal certification of ingredient safety.
The company generates revenue primarily through direct-to-consumer e-commerce sales via bclean.com, supplemented by a wholesale program for retailers and bulk purchasers (quote-based, with a $10 flat shipping promotion on the DTC site). Distribution is domestic US-only, with no evidence of international operations or major retail anchor partnerships. The underlying technology is formulation chemistry and physical product engineering (concentrated refill tablets, pre-measured detergent strips) rather than software or AI. 1908 Brands has executed four acquisitions since 2013 (CompoKeeper, Wholly Bites, Schultz's Gourmet, Bundle Organics), establishing a serial natural-products roll-up strategy at the parent level. The company is led by CEO Steve Savage and operates with 11-50 employees.
1908 Brands firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- 1908 Brands
- Legal name
- BClean
- Website
- https://1908brands.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1993
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- 1908 Brands is a Boulder, Colorado-based private holding company that owns and operates BClean, a DTC plant-based, hypoallergenic household cleaning and laundry care brand founded in 1993 and certified by the EPA Safer Choice program.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
1908 Brands industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Natural Household Cleaning Products
- NAICS
- Soap, Cleaning Compound, and Toilet Preparation Manufacturing (3256), Soap and Other Detergent Manufacturing (325611), Polish and Other Sanitation Good Manufacturing (325612)
- SIC
- Soap, Detergents, Cleang Preparations, Perfumes, Cosmetics (2840), Specialty Cleaning, Polishing And Sanitation Preparations (2842)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Fragrance-Free/Hypoallergenic All-Purpose Cleaners (CRAJAMAN)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Eco-Friendly Laundry Care (Detergents, Boosters, Stain Removers) (CRAJAOAC), Eco-Friendly & Plant-Based Dishwashing Products (CRAJABAJ), Laundry Detergents & Boosters (Liquid/Powder/PODS, Enzymes, Bleach Alternatives) (CRADAKAA)
Keywords
Where 1908 Brands is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Boulder
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
1908 Brands business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Direct Consumer E-commerce Sales: BClean generates revenue through direct-to-consumer online sales of plant-based cleaning products including laundry detergents, dish soap, surface cleaners, and refill tablets. Products are sold through their own e-commerce website with shipping to customers.
- Wholesale/Bulk Sales: The company offers a wholesale program for retailers and bulk purchasers, providing another revenue stream for B2B distribution of their cleaning product line.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Standard retail pricing (not publicly disclosed) |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Wholesale pricing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels3 records
1908 Brands product offering
Product offeringCore offering
1908 Brands manufactures, manages, and markets natural product brands under its portfolio, with BClean as its flagship plant-based household cleaning and laundry care line. The company produces hypoallergenic, non-toxic laundry detergents (liquid, sheets, stain removers), dish soaps, surface cleaners, and refill cleaning tablets, sold primarily through a direct-to-consumer e-commerce storefront at bclean.com and a wholesale/bulk program for retailers. Product differentiation centers on plant-derived formulations, EPA Safer Choice certification, and a refill tablet system that reduces single-use plastic packaging.
Product overview
1908 Brands operates BClean, a plant-based home cleaning and laundry care product line founded in 1993. The portfolio consists of hypoallergenic, non-toxic cleaning products organized into two main categories: (1) Home Cleaning products including All-Purpose Cleaners, Bathroom Cleaners, Glass Surface Cleaners, Floor Cleaners, and Granite/Stainless Steel Cleaners — available in both ready-to-use liquid formats and innovative refill tablet formats that dissolve in water for reuse in spray bottles; and (2) Laundry Care products including liquid detergents, laundry detergent sheets, and OXI Smart Stain Remover in various scents (Citrus Breeze, Forest Pine, Valencia Orange) plus fragrance-free options (Free & Clear). The company also offers bundled Cleaning Kits as add-on offerings. The refill tablet system represents BClean's sustainability differentiation, allowing consumers to reuse spray bottles rather than purchasing new plastic containers each time. BClean positions itself as EPA Safer Choice certified, emphasizing plant-based, earth-derived ingredients that power through dirt and stains without harsh chemicals.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- All-Purpose Refill Cleaning Tablets Refill tablets that dissolve in 16 ounces of water inside a reusable spray bottle to create an all-purpose household cleaner, reducing single-use plastic packaging. Targeted at health-conscious households seeking eco-friendly cleaning.
- Bathroom Refill Cleaning Tablets Refill tablets specifically formulated for bathroom cleaning, dissolved in 16 ounces of water in a reusable spray bottle. Designed for household bathroom surfaces.
- Glass Surface Refill Cleaning Tablets Refill tablets formulated for cleaning glass and window surfaces, dissolved in water inside reusable spray bottles for streak-free household glass cleaning.
- 23oz Citrus Breeze Laundry Detergent High-performance plant-based laundry detergent in a 23oz bottle with citrus breeze scent, formulated to power through dirt and stains without harsh chemicals. For household laundry including baby clothes and sports gear.
- Free & Clear Laundry Detergent Sheets Fragrance-free, pre-measured laundry detergent sheets providing a waste-free alternative to conventional liquid detergents and pods. Targeted at consumers with sensitive skin and households seeking reduced packaging.
- OXI Smart Stain Remover Plant-based stain-fighting laundry additive designed to tackle tough stains as part of household laundry care routines.
- Granite Stainless Cleaner Ready-to-use surface cleaner formulated to restore shine and eliminate fingerprints, haze, grease, streaks, and residue from granite and stainless steel surfaces in the home.
- Glass Surface Cleaner Ready-to-use surface cleaner formulated to safely restore shine and eliminate residue from household glass surfaces.
- All-Purpose Cleaner Ready-to-use general-purpose household cleaner in Valencia Orange scent, designed for all-around-the-house cleaning with plant-based ingredients.
- Valencia Orange Dish Soap High-sudsing plant-based dish soap in Valencia Orange scent, formulated to fight grease and power through tough, dried-on food while remaining gentle on hands and leaving zero residue.
- Foaming Dish Spray Foaming plant-based dish spray designed to tackle grease and dried-on food on dishes as part of the household dishwashing line.
- Forest Pine Laundry Detergent Sheets Pre-measured laundry detergent sheets with forest pine scent providing a waste-free alternative to conventional liquid laundry detergents and pods.
- Surface Cleaning Refill Starter Kit Bundled 16oz starter kit pairing reusable spray bottles with BClean's surface cleaning refill tablets, aimed at new users of the refill tablet system.
- Cleaning Kits Bundled curations of BClean's most popular products, scents, and cleaning solutions sold as discounted multi-product kits for households seeking a complete natural cleaning set.
Companies that use 1908 Brands
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
1908 Brands technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
1908 Brands partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- EPA Safer Choice ProgramcoreBClean is a proud partner of the EPA Safer Choice program. This partnership signifies that BClean's products meet the EPA's rigorous safety and environmental standards for human health and the environment. The Safer Choice label helps consumers identify products that are safer for families, pets, and the environment while maintaining high cleaning performance.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
1908 Brands competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Seventh Generation: Seventh Generation is one of the most established plant-based household cleaning and laundry brands in the U.S., offering comparable laundry detergents, dish soaps, and surface cleaners; it competes head-on with BClean in the same eco-conscious consumer segment, but operates at significantly broader scale as part of Unilever.
- Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day: Mrs. Meyer's (S.C. Johnson) sells plant-derived dish soaps, laundry detergents, and multi-surface cleaners with the same garden-inspired scent and hypoallergenic positioning as BClean; it is one of the most directly comparable mainstream natural cleaning brands, just at much broader scale.
- Method Products: Method is a design-led, plant-based cleaning brand covering dish soap, laundry, and surface cleaners with strong DTC and retail presence. Like BClean, Method is built around non-toxic, biodegradable formulations, but operates with significantly greater brand recognition and retail penetration as part of S.C. Johnson.
- The Honest Company: The Honest Company extends the "non-toxic, plant-based" value proposition into baby, personal care, and household cleaning (including laundry and dish). It overlaps with BClean on household cleaning SKUs while competing for the same health-conscious parent and household buyer.
Direct peers
- Grove Collaborative: Grove Collaborative is a DTC-first retailer/brand selling plant-based household cleaning, laundry, and personal care products. It directly mirrors BClean's sustainability-led DTC go-to-market, while also carrying competing brands, making it both a customer acquisition channel and competitive threat for BClean.
- ECOS (Earth Friendly Products): ECOS produces plant-based laundry detergents, dish soaps, and cleaners marketed as hypoallergenic and EPA Safer Choice certified — a near-identical positioning to BClean. It competes in the same specialty natural channel and offers a portfolio overlap on laundry detergents and refill-friendly concentrates.
- ATTITUDETM (Bio Spectra): ATTITUDE is a Canadian plant-based and EWG-verified household cleaner brand offering laundry detergents, dish soaps, and surface cleaners in fragrance-free and hypoallergenic variants. It is directly comparable to BClean's natural, hypoallergenic positioning and competes for the same eco-conscious household shopper.
- Better Life: Better Life is a plant-based, non-toxic cleaner brand covering laundry, dish, and surface cleaners, with strong sustainability packaging narratives similar to BClean's refill tablets. Closely comparable on product range and target demographic, though it has been folded into larger owners.
- Puracy: Puracy is a plant-based, hypoallergenic household brand covering laundry detergents, dish soaps, and surface cleaners sold through DTC and Amazon. It targets the same sensitive-skin and natural household consumer as BClean with overlapping product formats.
Emerging players
- Common Good: Common Good sells refillable, plant-based cleaning concentrates and household cleaners, and is one of the closest pure-play comparables to BClean's refill tablet system. Comparable in sustainability positioning and DTC orientation, though smaller and more regionally focused.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
1908 Brands social profiles
Digital presence1908 Brands compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
1908 Brands financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
1908 Brands leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
1908 Brands funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
1908 Brands M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A4 records
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about 1908 Brands
What does 1908 Brands do?
1908 Brands manufactures, manages, and markets natural product brands under its portfolio, with BClean as its flagship plant-based household cleaning and laundry care line. The company produces hypoallergenic, non-toxic laundry detergents (liquid, sheets, stain removers), dish soaps, surface cleaners, and refill cleaning tablets, sold primarily through a direct-to-consumer e-commerce storefront at bclean.com and a wholesale/bulk program for retailers. Product differentiation centers on plant-derived formulations, EPA Safer Choice certification, and a refill tablet system that reduces single-use plastic packaging.
When was 1908 Brands founded?
1908 Brands was founded in 1993. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is 1908 Brands based?
1908 Brands is headquartered in Boulder, United States, in the North America region.
How does 1908 Brands make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Direct Consumer E-commerce Sales are the primary driver. The others are wholesale/Bulk Sales.
Who are 1908 Brands's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Seventh Generation, Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day, Method Products and The Honest Company. Direct peers are Grove Collaborative, ECOS (Earth Friendly Products), ATTITUDETM (Bio Spectra), Better Life and Puracy. Common Good is listed as an emerging player.
Does 1908 Brands have an API?
No public API is recorded for 1908 Brands.
What industry is 1908 Brands in?
1908 Brands's product category is Natural Household Cleaning Products. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAJAMAN, Fragrance-Free/Hypoallergenic All-Purpose Cleaners, with a secondary code of CRAJAOAC, Eco-Friendly Laundry Care (Detergents, Boosters, Stain Removers). Its NAICS code is 3256 and its SIC code is 2840.