CBD oil or cannabidiol has been used for years for anything from arthritis pain management to anxiety relief and insomnia cure and now Kathy Ireland could be ready to get into the mix. Baking brownies with Snoop Dogg or freezing cannabis popsicles with Tommy Chong, it should be noted that Ireland could be targeting something a bit different with a cannabis product. CBD is just one of a variety of extracts found in the plant—and it does not contain any psychoactive properties like THC, the compound in cannabis that gets people high.
Ireland’s meeting in Burbank, California, is with executives from Isodiol International Inc, a major manufacturer of CBD products. Her vision is to bring CBD to the same masses that snap up her Kathy Ireland Home curtains, bed linens, lamps, and towels.
The new venture will be called Kathy Ireland Health & Wellness, an offshoot of her $2 billion company. “There’s a stigma attached, and there’s no reason for that,” says Ireland, noting that beyond pain management, CBD can help women feel energized, alert, and well-rested. Cannabis oil products should no longer be relegated to dispensaries or hushed circles, she continues. “It belongs in Walgreens.”
The iconic supermodel founded Kathy Ireland Worldwide in 1993, hot off the success of her swimsuit fame. Plenty of companies offered Ireland lucrative endorsement deals, though that appeared to be just like a further extension of modeling.
Ireland’s business started small–with socks (coincidentally, made with hemp). Advisers tried to steer her back into her wheelhouse, like bikinis and beauty products, but Ireland remained on the course of cannabis.
The blooming brand sold over 100 million pairs, prompting Kmart to eventually offer an exclusive clothing and accessory partnership. The first focus included products catering to busy moms and families, but the target exponentially grew in the coming decades.
Bringing Mainstream CBD To The Mass Market
Public support is shifting. The World Health Organization has stated there have been no reports of public health problems associated with pure CBD.
“CBD has been found to be generally well-tolerated with a good safety profile,” the WHO concluded at its Geneva convention. “There is no evidence that CBD is liable to similar abuse and similar ill-effects as substances . . . such as cannabis or THC.”
“I know there is a lot of controversy around it,” says Ireland. “There were people telling me not to touch it.” She pauses, and adds, “But I just loathe hypocrisy.”
Ireland explains that, by all accounts, CBD works, treats pain, and is sustainable. Having spent two decades working in the health and wellness space–a board member on numerous medical charities and as an ambassador for the City of Hope cancer treatment and research center–she feels competent that she has the network to vouch for product quality and usefulness.
“There are great results,” she says, disregarding naysayers. “I understand the benefits. And I believe in it.”
For its debut into the market, Ireland’s company partnered with Canada’s Isodiol, which sells everything from CBD-infused coffee to skin cream. It also grows and harvests hemp on an industrial scale.
The two organizations collaborated on consumer products for three brands under the Level Brands umbrella, a marketing and brand licensing company backed by kiWW: Kathy Ireland Health & Wellness (women’s products), Chef Andre Carthen (edibles), and I’M1 (men’s personal care products).
These include creams, oral sprays, body care products, and supplements. The goal was, to begin with starter products that could have a daily impact, like body washes.
The Kathy Ireland Health & Wellness collection ranges from $59 for a bottle of 30 capsules to $99 for a 2-ounce tincture. The product names run rather straightforward, with goals such as “Rest” (induce relaxation and sleep), “Ease” (reduce inflammation), “Mend” (improve joint function), and “Defend” (immune system boost).
“If my name means anything at all, it’s really because we’ve built our brand on such a grassroots level and we’ve earned the trust of our customers,” says Ireland. Does she think such consumer trust can extend to a sector overcoming taboos? “Yes. With the customers whom we’ve been able to earn their trust, I do believe it will make a difference.”
The line is available for purchase online and in stores this fall. Isodiol also expects to roll out a nationwide network of branded automated retail kiosks filled with the CBD products. The kiosks will be found at high traffic locations and inside retailers—pharmacies, convenience stores, wellness centers, gyms, and more. (Units will comply with the appropriate legislation in each jurisdiction.)
For Ireland, this mission is more than just business: It’s a way to bring something she holds dear to her heart to those who have fallen prey to the “propaganda” against cannabis-adjacent products.
