POLICY makers need to give serious thought to protecting the Irish coastline and its abundant seaweed, for generations to come. 

That’s according to Claire O’Sullivan, founder of Bantry-based WASI Seaweed Skincare, which celebrates its 11th year in business this year. 

Claire, who grew up on a farm outside the West Cork town, is urging leaders to look beyond the ‘immediate future’ to protect the resource which she has turned into an award winning business. 

‘Traditionally in Ireland, seaweed has been harvested by hand in small amounts. Hand harvesters cut the top of the plant and leave part of it attached so it can regrow. This method allows the seaweed to regenerate and the same area can be harvested again after a number of years, which makes it a very sustainable practice. 

‘Currently the scale of some industrial harvesting proposals are very worrying. One application was for 40,000 tonnes of seaweed along the West Coast by a Canadian company … absolute madness.’

Claire highlighted how a lot of Ireland’s seaweed is exported in raw form: ‘This means the real value is often added abroad rather than here at home. I would love to see more support for small Irish businesses like us that harvest responsibly and create finished products here in Ireland, keeping that value within coastal communities.’

Claire’s passion for seaweed is clear.

‘It was always a small but important part of life growing up in Bantry. The women in my family gathered it every autumn to spread on the garden and prepare the soil for the year ahead. Carrageen moss was always at hand at the first sign of a cough, and when I became vegetarian at a young age, seaweed was one of the ways my mum made sure I was getting the nutrition I needed. 

‘My great grandmother lived to be 103 years while my granny to 100 years and claimed it was the seaweed. My father loved his horses and swore seaweed darkened their coats making them more attractive to buyers. At the time it was simply part of everyday life rather than something unusual. 

‘It was only later that I realised how special that knowledge was. WASI really grew from that deep respect for the traditions and wisdom that were passed down through generations of women before me,’ she said. 

Claire originally embarked on her professional life as an architect. 

‘I loved the creative side of architecture but working at a computer all day, every day wasn’t for me. The business started quite organically — I was making seaweed products for friends and family and the interest just grew from there. Eventually it reached a point where I realised this was something I wanted to pursue properly,’ she said. 

She started out doing all the hand harvesting herself, however she now buys some seaweed from other hand harvesters, and WASI now employs two people. 

‘Up until last November I relied heavily on the support of my partner Eli, along with my mom and my cousin Simon, especially during busy periods. They still help me almost every day in one way or another, I’d be another few years growing the business to where I am now if it wasn’t for their unwavering support. Like many small businesses, family support is vital in the early years, helping you get to a point where you can begin to stand on your own two feet.’

Starting a business is a ‘real rollercoaster,’ she said. 

‘Some of the highs have been seeing the products stocked in beautiful shops and knowing something made here in Bantry is travelling all over the world. Then there was the time we won the award for best small business at Showcase Ireland.  

‘Another very special moment was when our business was featured on television and reached an international audience. The lows are often the quieter challenges — things going wrong with packaging, cashflow worries and the inevitable mom guilt of balancing the business with rearing my gorgeous babies, (now four and six), they grow up so fast.’

One of the biggest challenges facing a business like WASI is scale. 

‘When you’re producing everything in small batches there’s always a balance between growing the business, maintaining the quality of the products and cash flow. Rising costs in packaging, energy and transport are also challenging for small producers. Just recently I received an email letting me know my courier was both increasing the cost of shipping and reducing the weight of each parcel so it was a double whammy.’

But local business supports have been invaluable. 

‘The Local Enterprise Office has been a great support over the years. I’ve recently received a grant that allowed me participate in trade shows in the UK which has been a game changer and helped me realise that there’s a strong market for WASI across the water. The mentoring I’ve received from the LEOs has been second to none. 

‘When you’re a small business these supports make a big difference. I’ve also received match funding from BIM (Bord Iascaigh Mhara) which allowed me invest in some serious machinery and allowed me to scale up my production.’

Claire said she is always looking at ways to expand. 

‘One of my favourite aspects of WASI is designing new products, and there are always a few ideas brewing in the background. I’ve recently launched my new gift sets, including ‘A Gift from Bantry Bay,’ which is a product I’m extremely proud of. 

‘I’ve also been invited to attend a trade show in Taiwan this year, which would be a wonderful opportunity to introduce the brand to a new market, although there is quite a bit of legislation involved in selling skincare there so we’ll see how that develops. 

‘Whatever happens as the business grows internationally, I’m very determined to keep production rooted here in Bantry Bay. The connection to place and to our coastline is at the heart of everything we do.’

For more information visit www.wasi.ie.