What Respire is known for
Founded 2018 by Justine Hutteau and Thomas Meheut after Hutteau's chemical-deodorant health scare; the debut natural deodorant launched via an Ulule crowdfunding campaign with over 20,000 pre-orders.
Respire was founded in 2018 by Justine Hutteau, then 23, together with Thomas Meheut, a fellow HEC Paris-trained entrepreneur. Hutteau's starting point was personal: after being diagnosed with a benign breast tumor in 2017, she began questioning the chemical-laden personal-care products she used daily and, unable to find a natural deodorant she trusted, developed one herself with a pharmaceutical doctor's help.
The first product launched through an Ulule crowdfunding campaign that drew more than 20,000 pre-orders, well beyond initial expectations, and gave the brand an early direct relationship with customers before wider retail. Respire has since expanded from deodorant into oral care, hair and body lines, keeping a formulation charter built around natural, French-made ingredients and refillable packaging to cut down on waste.
Hutteau went on to become a recognizable figure in French entrepreneurship; she was named an ambassador for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
How ORBIS reads this city
Best for — Clean-formula deodorant, oral care, hair, and body products
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Where next
Hand-curated for ORBIS · no paid placement