Since 1978
The Oldest Start Up in Germany

Anyone who thinks i+m NATURKOSMETIK BERLIN is just another start-up is sorely mistaken. In fact, it’s one of Germany’s most politically engaged and long-standing natural cosmetics brands, established in 1978. Our remarkable founder, Inge Stamm, was a true pioneer in the world of German natural cosmetics.

From midwife to developer

In the 1970s, midwife Inge Stamm noticed that babies’ skin often reacted with irritation to conventional care products. With no suitable alternatives available, she began developing her own skincare solutions, using natural plant-based ingredients. Her diverse training as a chemist, midwife, and naturopath proved invaluable in this journey.

“As a trained chemist, I was well-versed in herbal active ingredients and knew how to craft a smooth cream. As a naturopath, I deepened my knowledge of herbs and medicinal plants. And as a midwife, I noticed that more and more newborns were reacting to the conventional care products available at the time. I couldn’t find a cream on the market that met my standards, so over 35 years ago, I began developing a new cosmetic line that avoided preservatives, mineral oils, and synthetic ingredients.”
Inge Stamm

The success of her self-developed creams and the growing demand eventually sparked the idea of starting her own company – and so, i+m NATURKOSMETIK BERLIN was born. Even in the early days of the business, Inge Stamm continued her night shifts as a midwife. In the mornings, she would head to the factory, catch a few hours of sleep on a camp bed, and then manage production before heading off to her next midwifery shift.

The first products were an instant hit. As a result, Inge and her friend Monika Berg decided to focus solely on their new venture. The two friends and founders quickly came up with a name inspired by their initials – Inge + Monika = i+m – and the rest, as they say, is history. Monika remained with the company until 1988, after which Inge took over the reins herself.

Inge Stamm um 1983

Pioneering Spirit and Idealism

Back in 1978, the concept of ‘organic’ was still largely unheard of, and living an ecologically sustainable lifestyle was far from mainstream. Finding natural, organically grown raw materials was a real challenge for Inge Stamm.

She was ahead of her time when she made the bold decision to exclusively use raw materials that had not been tested on animals and to completely avoid artificial preservatives. Then, in 2000, Inge took it a step further by committing to producing only vegan natural cosmetics, eliminating the last remaining animal-based ingredients – beeswax and honey – from her formulations. This forward-thinking approach firmly established i+m NATURKOSMETIK BERLIN as a trailblazer in the vegan movement as well!

Monika Berg nach Gründung von i+m

Perspektive Berlin 2010; © Mike Wolff, tsp

FAIR ORGANIC VEGAN

In the early 2000s, as the demand for organic products surged, many natural cosmetics brands began pouring more money into advertising and adopting more elaborate – and less eco-friendly – packaging. At the same time, these products became less ‘natural.’ For instance, valuable plant oils were deodorised and bleached through a process called deodorisation, to make them more appealing to conventional sales channels and customers.

Inge Stamm resisted this trend. She didn’t want people to choose her products because they looked good, but because they were genuinely good.

However, this stance led to i+m losing visibility compared to its competitors, and by 2006, the company faced a severe economic crisis, eventually leading to insolvency. In her search for support, Inge met Jörg von Kruse and Bernhard von Glasenapp, two passionate idealists with extensive business experience. After years in management consultancy and commercial law, the two friends had grown increasingly sceptical of traditional economic models. They decided to turn their desire for a more sustainable way of living into action by starting their own eco-conscious company.

Inge Stamm, 2018

When Jörg von Kruse and Bernhard von Glasenapp met Inge Stamm and discovered i+m, they decided to turn their vision of building their own sustainable company into reality by rescuing i+m from insolvency and rebuilding it together with Inge. United, the three set out to prove that it was possible to stay true to the values of natural, vegan cosmetics and minimal packaging, while still creating products with appealing, modern designs.

Inge Stamm retired in 2013, and in 2024, after facing several serious illnesses, she sadly passed away, leaving behind not only a deep sense of loss but also a significant legacy.

Since her retirement, Jörg von Kruse and Bernhard von Glasenapp have taken over the company’s management, with Verena Zydek joining them in 2015. Together, they have continued to evolve the already high ecological and vegan standards, further aligning the company with a corporate philosophy that prioritises social sustainability and the common good.

“The vision of a sustainable economy that protects our environment and natural resources can only be achieved if, alongside conserving these resources, we also transform our economic system: moving away from selfishness and competition towards a fairer, more cooperative model that prioritises the well-being of all people.”
Jörg von Kruse

Jörg von Kruse & Verena Zydek

The brand’s new guiding principle is: FAIR ORGANIC VEGAN.

In 2014, i+m opened Zambia’s first women’s shelter. Additionally, i+m commits at least a quarter of its profits to support emerging eco-fair projects and has introduced a new employee participation programme. For its strong dedication to sustainability, i+m was honoured with the German Sustainability Award in both 2019 and 2020.

In 2019, Bernhard von Glasenapp left i+m to pursue his lifelong dream of running an organic hotel in the countryside. However, he remains involved with the women’s shelter in Zambia. Jörg von Kruse and Verena Zydek continue to lead the company together.

“In the future, we aim to remain Germany’s political cosmetics brand, driven by our core values of FAIR, ORGANIC, VEGAN, and BRAVE. Our mission is to inspire a society focused on sustainability and the common good.”
Jörg von Kruse