The household products company will go public this week after a tumultuous few years overshadowed by lawsuits and increasing competition.
When The Honest Company debuts on the Nasdaq this week, actress Jessica Alba will likely take center stage on the podium to ring the bell—capping off a seemingly remarkable success story. It all began in 2008 when a pregnant Alba couldn’t find reasonably priced natural and eco-friendly baby products and had the idea for a “clean and natural” products brand—selling dozens of products, including fashionable diapers for babies, detergents and wipes. The business is now poised to go public at a valuation of between $1.4 billion and $1.7 billion.
“At Honest, we prioritize transparency, trust and sustainability in all that we do,” declares the company’s IPO prospectus, which was filed in April with the Securities and Exchange Commission. What’s little mentioned: Honest’s road to public markets has been rocky—with class action…