Fusing traditional medicine and modern science.

A collaborative partnership transforms indigenous knowledge into a healing skincare product

The Opportunity

Maskwio’mi is a traditional Mi’kmaq skin care ingredient made from birch bark. This oily extract has been used as a topical skin treatment against eczema, psoriasis, and other skin conditions. The problem? Traditional method of extracting the powerful maskwio’mi (birch bark extract) involved a fire pit method that is labour intensive, difficult to control for QA/QC and not amenable to large-scale commercialization. The Maskwiomin company was formed to tackle this challenge and bring this traditional ingredient to the world.

The Challenge

Maskwiomin developed a proprietary extractor technology that allows commercial scale extraction, high yield and great quality control of the birch bark extract needed for a mass market. The technology is based on an electric unit that mimics the traditional fire pit method allowing a 10X increase in yield. The leadership team at Maskwiomin needed guidance and regulatory approval before taking this unique and powerful product to market in Canada and the US. 

NPC’s Solution

NPC provided Maskwiomin with over $6,600 to work with a consultant to develop a regulatory strategy, including guidance on formulation and product development, labelling compliance and site license, and development of a business plan. With this work completed, Maskwiomin was able to enter the Canadian and US market and sell their first products. Maskwiomin operates under cosmetics regulation (INCI betula papyrifera bark extract) with a goal of getting maskwio’mi recognized as an NHP for skin conditions. Maskwiomin is 50% Indigenous owned and has a mission of ethical commercialization of this traditional Indigenous medicine.