Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, hand sanitizer has become a coveted necessity – but you may have noticed a few newer brands smell ... different.
That’s because some use ethyl alcohol as a disinfectant, singeing the nostrils with a rotten-garbage or tequila-like smell.
A solution for this stinky foundation gave birth to Kanatan Health Solutions Inc.
Kanatan Health Solutions is an Indigenous family-owned and operated business in Saddle Lake focused on making personal protective equipment (PPE) products like hand sanitizer and face masks.
When the pandemic was at its peak, there was concern about protecting First Nation elders who are the most vulnerable to COVID-19, explained Tasha Power, one of the founders of Kanatan and a former Great West Newspapers employee who used to work in St. Albert.
Many First Nations elders wouldn’t even consider using an alcohol-based solution on their hands because of the smell, she said. So her sister, Leah Redcrow, came up with the idea first as a way to protect their family with a product they would actually enjoy using when sanitizer was scarce.
“It smells like the alcohol that you drink – tequila and vodka specifically. And it really turns people off, especially people who are sober or recovering alcoholics – they don't want to smell that again,” said Power.
"We want to protect our elders and make sure that they're also being safe and taken care of ... and we don't have many elders left. So that was the number one reason why we went into this market."
The family uses extracts from traditional medicinal plants like cedar, sweetgrass, sage and sweet tobacco to infuse into their hand sanitizer sprays, which use medical-grade isopropyl alcohol as the base. Their hand sanitizers were approved by Health Canada in late June.
“The isopropyl evaporates quite fast. So it dissolves quite quick and evaporates and then you just smell the nice oils. We also add the liquid plant-based moisturizer so that it doesn't dry out people’s hands – some people are using it six to eight times a day.”
The business quickly took off from there, Power said – so fast that they're now looking at expanding in September.
The products are all are made by hand in Treaty Six Territory and Edmonton, with capabilities to ship all across Canada and the U.S.
“We were selling about 200 bottles a week at first. Then it went to 400 and then 500. So now over the past four weeks, we’ve sold almost 2,000 units,” she said.
"The fact that it is growing so fast has just shown us that there was that gap in the marketplace. People were looking for something that was tailored to their unique culture, something that makes them feel good and brings back good memories after they sanitize."
Kanatan even got a shout-out on social media from Indigenous actress Jennifer Podemski, who is known for starring roles in film and television including Moccasin Flats (2003), Empire of Dirt (2013) and Riverdale.
Power said she heard from someone who was moved almost to tears by her appreciation of Kanatan's focus on Indigenous culture – a touching sentiment for the entrepreneur.
“She just loves what we're standing for, which is the protection of our culture, the protection of our elders, and our people in general. So that was really touching to me,” she said.Now Kanatan is focused on expanding their business to meet demand and delving into other areas of PPE. With COVID-19 not going away anytime soon, Power said they're hoping the products will continue to help everyone stay safe.
"Our culture is unique and we share it with everyone. Other people may not be Indigenous, but they're curious and want to see what it smells like and then they love it. And that's wonderful," she said.
