Already in the last month, we’ve seen men amaze and inspire. Douglas Hurley and Robert Behnken blasted off into space. A 26-year-old race car driver, Bubba Wallace, bravely inspired NASCAR to ban the Confederate Flag at all its tracks. And George Floyd proved that, even in death, one person can inspire a global movement.
In celebration of all the men who have changed our world, and for all those raising great men who will shape our future, here are five brands working for the betterment of men everywhere.
EVRYMAN – Imagine a world where men communicate openly and effectively about their emotions. No way! Really? It’s possible thanks to Evryman, an NYC-based company that helps men get in touch with their emotions and learn to express themselves. Lucas Krump, co-founder of Evryman was motivated to provide a destination for men based on what he needed in his own life. “My parents divorced at a young age and I had a difficult relationship with my father”, said Evryman co-founder Lucas Krump. “My coping mechanism for the pain and sadness of my childhood was to disconnect my head and my heart. I conditioned myself to not feel. I used my career to distract me from my pain until I couldn’t do it anymore. My first response to take away the pain was therapy but I found that I needed to grow myself and learn how to feel and process my emotions. I looked for men and an organization to help but all I found was very esoteric or woowoo, what I wanted was just normal guys to support. We’ve built a global community of thousands of men who come together to connect with themselves and others.” There’s an Evryman podcast, drop-in call-in groups, and camping retreats and getaways. The men represent every socio-economic group on the planet, from police officers to film producers, and the conversations go beyond the usual sports and sex talk to, well, feelings.
Dadi – This Brooklyn based company is normalizing the conversation around male reproductive health with their all-star sperm testing and storage kit. The brilliantly designed and patented kit is delivered discreetly to you in the comfort of your home. “We believe that although society is aware of the effects of infertility, the root cause is misunderstood”, said Dadi Inc. CEO Tom Smith. “Most of society associates infertility as largely a female-only issue. In fact, fifty percent of the time, male-factor infertility is diagnosed as the primary or contributing cause of a couple’s infertility, and if sperm is tested early on, it can eliminate unnecessary tests on the female. Male-factor infertility has been traditionally ignored and represents a systemic problem across industry-standard reproductive health services. Dadi’s continuous innovation enables more men to take charge of their reproductive health and help lift the fertility burden off of women.”
Bonus: Dadi has partnered with CT-based WINFertility to offer the Dadi Kit to employer groups through the WIN for HIM program. This new program launched in June and may already be available through your employer!
Fatherly – Fatherly.com makes dad-ing look so cool. As the leading digital media brand for dads, Fatherly is on a mission to help men raise great kids and help them lead fulfilling lives. The reporting and content is original and terribly engaging. Take for example a recent round-up of 2020’s coolest dads and an interview with Matthew McConhaughey where he shares his thoughts on raising kids in a pandemic: “…Relatively speaking, we’re having a good pandemic. We have a house. Our pantry is full. Covid-19 is here, but we got relative to the facts. How do we decide we’re going to quarantine? We accept that we don’t have another choice and decide to make the best of it. We’re going to get to know ourselves better as a family. We’re going to work on our hobbies. We’re going to get to know our land. Attitude is also a thing. My mom always said that the best example you can give your kids is to show them how you love their mother”
HETIME – It’s no wonder that HETIME.com founders Samantha Bergmann and Chris Carl recognized that men not only care about their skin, but men have evolved and don’t need their products to be put in the same brown and grey box they have in the past. The HETIMErevitalizing and anti-aging face masks lay down the foundation of a good routine. The best part? These masks are formulated for the unique composition of a man’s skin, but can be used by everyone. Forbes reported that the annual growth of men’s skincare products from 2012 – 2017 increased by 7.2%, reaching $345 million in 2017. In 2017, men spent a total of $6.9 billion in the U.S. on grooming products. HETIME is jut in time!
Royal – Royal is giving all men the royal treatment with their vegan-friendly condoms and lubricants. Royal founder Neil Mehta puts it this way, “First, Royal is setting a new standard in men’s health. We’re providing healthier and safer advancement to sex and wellness products that haven’t changed in decades. Second, we’re improving men’s reputation with their partner. Our products not only benefit men, but benefit their partners as well (especially if they are lady partners). Guys with condoms/particular brands were stereotyped as sleazy, playboys, players, etc. With our healthier, higher quality, and vegan products, that stereotype gets wiped away.” The crowning glory? This healthy product means no need for that urgent and awkward clean-up after sex – thank you, Royal!
This article was written by Pippa Rodriguez.