True Stories
A passion turned into organic cosmetics: meet Quarnero
Rešid Seferović, owner and founder of Quarnero
My name is Rešid Seferović. Since 2010, I have been creating natural body and face care products with the help of my mother, who is a pharmacist. In those early years, we mixed our passion with my mother’s old Austrian recipes – those that were the “founding ingredients” of Quarnero. Nowadays, the bases remain the same, only experience is added to the mix. Regardless of the botanicals we use in our body and face oils, the main principle are organic ingredients in its purest form, and that is premise. Since the founding of Quarnero, our packaging, marketing approach and the bottle design have evolved in favour of sustainability, a value in which we deeply believe. No compromises have been made at any point in the creation of our products, not in the sourcing of formulations nor in the ingredient preservation and packaging.
NATRUE: You say you grow watching your grandmother talking to her plants while working in her garden. Do you think this is one of the facts that led you to found Quarnero? What’s the story behind the brand?
Rešid: I remember watching my grandmother Roza (“Rose”) talking to plants in her garden. As a child, I was fascinated by her connection with the flora and her deep respect for nature. My mother, Zorica, now a pharmacist, carried on this tradition creating efficient, clean formulas that deliver holistic healing and wellbeing to skin and body. That is the heritage I bring and infuse into all Quarnero products.
The region of Kvarner really captured this whole philosophy perfectly! “Quarnero” is the Italian word for Kvarner, the region where I live. In the times of Austro-Hungarian Empire, this area was the official health resort for the monarchy and all those who were looking for wellness. The health benefits of this were, and still are the sea, the salty breeze and the flora.
NATRUE: What makes the ingredients and formulas you use in your cosmetic products special?
Rešid: We do things in the old school way, without shortcuts, respecting the natural cycles. If that means less final product in the end, so be it, but I want to be able to stay behind every bottle and say it is the highest quality possible. Our process is unique because we use plants in their most powerful form, schedule production during the full moon and create our products with the sound of the plants as a background music. All these factors contribute to the energy of the final product.
NATRUE: All Quarnero products are packed in Miron violet glass jars. Why did you choose this material?
Rešid: Miron violet glass jars were the obvious, and practically the only choice for Quarnero’s products. We cannot imagine pouring our organic oils into plastic or light glass bottles. We believe we have an ethical responsibility towards our customers and the choice of dark ultraviolet glass jars is respectful towards nature, client, and ethics.
Another important thing are biophotons, light particles present in all living cells. Biphotons are very beneficial for your health, since they prevent diseases and increase vitality, as well as slow down the ageing process. For this reason we use miron violet glass jars because it act as a biophoton’s barrier and prevents its loss, making the use of any preservatives unnecessary.
NATRUE: How is Quarnero adapting to the new trends and consumer demands in the natural and organic cosmetics sector?
Rešid: I think today’s biggest trend is sustainability and I am extremely happy about it because we chose sustainability as our priority 7-8 years ago. We are truly committed with sustainability because we certified our products as organic and vegan, decreased our carbon footprint, and selected glass jars for our products, since this container can be reused and recycled. We also invested in the analysis of our paper packaging and have the confirmation it is non-toxic. Moreover, Quarnero recently joined the British Beauty Council and we are currently considering the “refill&recharge” option, a program that would allow you to refill your Quarnero’s products.
NATRUE: What would you say to brands that want to join NATRUE?
Rešid: First and foremost, I consider each brand has the ethical responsibility for what they are putting on the market. In this sense, NATRUE is the Label that can be trusted by consumers/shoppers who care about the quality of the products they use. It is the global authority on the matter and it sets strict criteria for final products and ingredients’ quality. Finally, we see NATRUE as one of the platforms that can spread the word and spirit of organic cosmetics from both in the Mediterranean region and worldwide.
For more information about Quarnero, visit www.quarnero.hr
Download the interview here.