In 2024, I was diagnosed with B-Cell Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. While undergoing chemotherapy, I started digging into why my lymphatic system had failed and given me cancer.
As I reflected on my lifestyle, I realized I'd been surrounded by a toxic environment from the everyday products I used. I looked closely at the things I interacted with daily and discovered that so many contained harmful substances like PFAS, BPA, and petroleum-based food dyes.
This wake-up call inspired me to coin the term "Awear," which stands for mindfulness not just in what I consume, but also in what I wear and apply to my skin. Determined to live healthier, I set out to replace my everyday essentials—food, hygiene products, home goods, apparel, and even pet products—with non-toxic, safer alternatives. But finding these healthier options turned out to be incredibly challenging, time-consuming, and often confusing because of unclear product information. Overwhelmed, I decided to replace one thing: my toothpaste. My healthy journey had started!
Motivated to make this easier for everyone else, I partnered with Pat Greene and we put together a great team to create AwearMarket, a next-generation online superstore dedicated to healthy living. My wife, Melissa, a wellness advocate, joined us with her partner, Melanie Samuels to become Awear ambassadors, reading labels, studying ingredients, and vetting brands that we felt were healthier and best in class. We discovered that there were hundreds of small businesses that deserved to be represented in the wellness and non-toxic marketplace. We are happy to champion them!
In October of 2025, while putting the Awear business model together, I went in for a routine check-up and a PET scan. Much to everyone’s surprise, it was revealed that I had P16 Squamous Carcinoma located at the base of my tongue. I had robotic surgery and my medical team immediately determined that we had caught it early. I started a series of 35 radiation treatments, 5 days a week for seven weeks. A second cancer diagnosis within 12 months? All it did was fire me up to battle more fiercely for all of you. Cleaner, non-toxic products for everyone. I don’t want any of you to go through this awful disease. Or twice!!!
AwearMarket curates a growing selection of best-in-class, non-toxic brands, making it simple for you to discover safe and sustainable products for yourself, your family, your household, and even your lovable pets.
AwearMarket is working together with the V Foundation for Cancer Research and our round-up program gives money that goes directly to cancer research.
We’re all in this battle together and your healthy journey can start with just one thing. I encourage you to go and take a walk and think about it. So, check in with your doctor and get a breast exam, prostate exam, colonoscopy etc. Early detection saved my life…twice! Until then, I’ll continue trying to make the world a little bit better. We can do this!
OUR VISION
At Awear, we believe every choice matters. That’s why we carefully curate products that meet our high standards and support well-being for both body and planet. As we grow, we’re committed to elevating small businesses, expanding our offerings daily, and creating meaningful experiences for our community.
Join us as we turn possibility into practice, and living well into a shared adventure.
OUR MISSION
Our mission is to inspire and inform the journey to healthier, more natural living by curating products that honor nature, respect the body, and elevate daily life with the highest standards of wellness and purity.
Our products are formulated without ingredients known or suspected to harm your body or the environment. They are free from synthetic chemicals, hormone-disruptors, harsh preservatives and other questionable additives, and as naturally-sourced as possible.
Sustainability isn’t just about what’s good for you, it’s about what’s good for the planet, too. At Awear, we intentionally partner with brands that prioritize eco-friendly practices, renewable or recycled materials, responsible sourcing, and products designed with long-term health in mind.
We offer brands who select every ingredient with care. Components that are gentle on your system, thoughtfully sourced, transparently listed, and chosen to nurture rather than challenge your well-being. Our promise: ingredients you can trust, with integrity behind them.
Every product on AwearMarket meets our high standards of best-in-class and toxic-free. Occasionally we find brands that are exemplary in their category and need to be recognized for their outstanding commitment to wellness. We award the Awear badge of Approval to these ambassador-sponsored products and proudly elevate the brand to our customers.
The V Foundation for Cancer Research was established in 1993 by Jim Valvano and ESPN with one clear mission: to fund game-changing research and all-star scientists to accelerate the process of saving lives. Today, Awear is proud to partner with the V Foundation look for opportunities at checkout to contribute to this vital work and help ensure 100% of your donation goes directly to life-saving cancer research.
