Our Efforts for the Better Society & Sustanibility
VIDAN honors the communities that preserve Korea’s traditional way of life.
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One of our hero ingredients—Jeju seaweed—is inspired by the island’s centuries-old diving culture. Jeju’s haenyeo, female free-divers who harvest seaweed and seafood without oxygen tanks, carry a history that stretches back over a thousand years, with records appearing as early as the 5th century during the Three Kingdoms period.
Over generations, they formed a rare matriarchal society built on collective knowledge, discipline, and an unwavering respect for the sea.
Their traditional method of muljil uses no oxygen tanks, no machinery, and no fuel—one of the world’s most low-impact and sustainable harvesting practices. The haenyeo embody resilience, mindfulness, and a harmonious coexistence with nature that aligns deeply with VIDAN’s values.
VIDAN embraces this spirit and is committed not only to celebrating their heritage but also to giving back to the community that inspires our formulas. Through our partnership with the Jeju Haenyeo Association, VIDAN contributes donations and will launch annual sustainability and wellbeing campaigns that help protect and elevate the haenyeo culture.
Because our seaweed-based actives originate from the waters they have tended for centuries, we believe in returning what we receive. Each year, VIDAN will initiate a “Returning Ritual” campaign—a traveling scalp and hair spa project designed for haenyeo whose scalp and hair are constantly exposed to saltwater, sun, and wind damage. By transforming ingredients sourced from their sea into innovative restorative treatments, VIDAN symbolically and literally gives back to the divers who inspired our science.
Through ethical sourcing, cultural storytelling, and community-centered initiatives, VIDAN ensures that the haenyeo’s thousand-year legacy of strength, sustainability, and harmony with nature continues to thrive in the global beauty landscape.