Sustainable Sun Protection

When Jeff Kletter of Tiburon heard that his company’s sunscreen KINeSYS had been praised by the Environmental Working Group on the CBS Early Show, he was ecstatic. Especially since he had no idea the stuff was being evaluated. “Out of 1,015 sunscreens, our spray was chosen to have the best efficacy regarding SPF factor, UVA coverage and ingredient stability,” he says. “They even pronounced it right, Ken E sees.” Accolades aside, Jeff and Josie (his wife and partner) Kletter have been committed to safeguarding the environment since the company’s inception in British Columbia in 1994. Creating their product to withstand the rigors of extreme sports, they were also determined to make it environmentally friendly. Instead of aerosol spray cans, they use pharmaceutical-grade sprayers with 100 percent recyclable plastic bottles; they have never tested their product on animals; and their company is 100 percent carbon neutral. As for how these longtime Canadians ended up in Marin, it turns out the late Brian Maxwell of Ross, of PowerBar fame (and Kletter’s hero), invited the couple stateside for the weekend, to discuss business. They loved Marin County, moved their company and are now raising their family here. “We enjoy the active outdoor lifestyle in Marin; it’s a great place to raise our kids,” Jeff says. You can find their
products at Mollie Stone’s, Paradise Foods and Elephant pharmacy, among other local retailers.


Mimi Towle

Mimi Towle has been the editor of Marin Magazine for over a decade. She lived with her family in Sycamore Park and Strawberry and thoroughly enjoyed raising two daughters in the mayhem of Marin’s youth sports; soccer, swim, volleyball, ballet, hip hop, gymnastics and many many hours spent at Miwok Stables. Her community involvements include volunteering at her daughter’s schools, coaching soccer and volleyball (glorified snack mom), being on the board of both Richardson Bay Audubon Center. Currently residing on a floating home in Sausalito, she enjoys all water activity, including learning how to steer a 6-person canoe for the Tamalpais Outrigger Canoe Club. Born and raised in Hawaii, her fondness for the islands has on occasion made its way into the pages of the magazine.