A self-professed ‘disruptor’ in the sun care sector, Aethic has taken to Crowd Justice to raise funds in order to fight an opposition lodged against its patented Sovee formula by Nivea-owner Beiersdorf.

Aethic claims to have created the world’s first and only ecocompatible sunscreen formula, and its patent application was approved by the European Patent Office. However, Beiersdorf has since lodged an objection to the patent.

“If we do nothing, their opposition will go unchallenged and our unique product may be wiped out,” reads the petition posted on Crowd Justice by Founder Allard Marx. “When we win, we continue to protect skin and save the ocean – like no other company does.”

The funding drive has 23 days left to run and is currently just short of reaching the half-way mark, with more than £3,000 pledged.