Inspired by clean healthy living, ECOS was born
_Over 50 years ago, our founder Van Vlahakis made a commitment to create safer cleaning products that protect the health and wellbeing of both people and the planet. That continues to be our mission today.
_Van鈥檚 legacy continues with his daughter, CEO Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks. Under her leadership, ECOS has achieved Climate Positivity, becoming the world鈥檚 first company to make its products in carbon neutral, water neutral and TRUE Platinum Zero Waste facilities. Our commitment to combating climate change grows stronger than ever.
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_ Our founder Van Vlahakis arrives in NYC from Greece with $23 in his pocket. His homeland and its pure, plant-powered approach to cleaning will provide future inspiration for the creation of ECOS.
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_ After several years working as a chemist in the cleaning products industry, Roosevelt University alum Van Vlahakis recognizes the negative health effects of the harsh chemical ingredients used in most cleaning products. He starts his own safer, greener cleaning products company in his garage in Chicago and opens his first facility in Bensenville, IL.
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_ We open our first West Coast facility in Huntington Beach, California, to meet the demand for safer cleaning products in the growing environmental movement.
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_ To help reduce shipping distances and minimize our carbon footprint, we add our first East Coast facility in Westwood, New Jersey.
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_ We earn the EPA鈥檚 highest level of recognition in the Safer Detergents Stewardship Initiative for the use of safer surfactants that are non-polluting and help protect aquatic life.
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_ We unveil our newest Midwestern Division facility in Addison, Illinois, equipped with the largest commercial solar panel array in the state at the time.
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_ California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger bestows on us the Governor鈥檚 Environmental & 欧博娱乐nomic Leadership Award (GEELA), recognizing our efforts to conserve resources, protect the environment and bolster local economies.
We locate our new Northwestern Division in Lacey, Washington, to reduce shipping distances to the northwestern U.S. and Canada, bringing us one step closer to carbon neutrality.
A Green Story, a major motion picture about ECOS founder鈥檚 life and work, premieres.
The EPA鈥檚 Green Power Leadership program recognizes our leadership in the use of renewable energy, helping advance the market for green power and the development of renewable electricity sources.
We return to our roots in the beautiful country of Greece, opening offices in Athens, expanding our international reach and reducing our carbon footprint.
We achieve carbon neutrality by switching all our facilities to 100% renewable energy and dramatically reducing our transportation emissions. In the process, we offset over 28 million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions every year.
After Van Vlahakis鈥� passing, his daughter Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks is named President and CEO.
True sustainability means not just protecting the environment but also supporting workers, their families, the community and the economy.
Each of our four facilities across the U.S. diverts over 95% of its waste from landfills and incineration by reducing, reusing, recycling, and most of all rethinking our approach to waste.
Our flagship manufacturing facility officially opens its doors on Earth Day. The Cypress building runs on 100% clean energy and includes a solar panel garden 鈥� perfect for our HQ鈥檚 sunny Southern California location.
A new sustainability milestone is reached! After years of dedication to reducing our water use and supporting water restoration programs, we achieve the final step in the trifecta of sustainable manufacturing (carbon neutral, water neutral and zero waste).
We celebrate our 50th anniversary with local leaders and community partners at each of our facilities and by investing in a more sustainable future as we establish the Vlahakis Organic Chemistry Lab at Roosevelt University in Chicago, where students research green chemistry and products based on renewable resources.
With a collaborative culture, a sustainable mission, exceptional benefits and a supportive work environment, we earn recognition in the Orange County Register鈥檚 annual list of top workplaces.
Thanks to our innovations in the development of safer products, the U.S. EPA names ECOS its Safer Choice Partner of the Year for the fourth time.
ECOS becomes first manufacturer in the nation to achieve LEED Zero Carbon, LEED Zero Energy & LEED Zero Waste
ECOS becomes the first manufacturer in the world to receive Platinum-level WELL Building certification