The Austria-born environmentalist died in his home in Osceola, Wisconsin on Saturday from pancreatic cancer. He was 72.
Rechelbacher was a pioneer of fair trade ingredients, organic certification, plant-based aromatherapy, and food-grade formulations in health and beauty products, and it was these principles that he founded Aveda upon.
He was also the founder of Intelligent Nutrients, a certified organics beauty company which also produces plant-based, non-toxic beauty products.
The company described its sadness at the loss of its founder in a statement on its website.
“Horst led a life of extraordinary leadership, creating a vision of what he wanted to be, and then bringing that vision to reality.”