Both born miles from the sea in Ohio, Yasmin Greene and Jaclyn Gerakios share a background in and passion for marine biology. Gerakios holds a bachelor's degree in Marine Biology and a master’s in Environmental Education, and Greene has a bachelor’s degree in Biology and a master’s in Environmental Science. In the field, they have amassed abundant experiences, from Greene’s adventures snorkeling and freediving with a manta ray to Gerakios’ work as a water quality technician, performing mermaid and marine biology professor at the University of Tampa. A shared love for the ocean drove both women to attend SharkCon, where they met six years ago. At this Tampa-based convention celebrating everything shark related, the pair bonded over their matching shark-printed leggings, becoming fast friends. 

“We both wanted to start small businesses and since Yasmin is an amazing artist, we aimed to showcase her art skills while raising awareness for ocean conservation,” says Gerakios, who suggested they try their hand at making and selling enamel pins. They started Fin Pin Shop in 2017 and began selling pins and stickers featuring critters like manta rays and flying fish on Etsy while promoting the products on Instagram. “Online, we found the ocean nerds that like all the sea creatures and silly facts we incorporate into the products,” Greene adds. 

From a line of stickers showcasing the various personalities of different sea turtle species to punny notepads with phrases like “Things I shrimply must do,” Fin Pin Shop accessories give ocean conservation a fun twist. The purchases of many products support non-profits like Sharks 4 Kids and the Coral Restoration Foundation. Greene and Gerakios donate annually to Florida sea turtle rehabilitation, supported by a sticker inspired by Greene Bean, a juvenile green sea turtle that they adopted, helping sponsor his recovery and release. The team collaborates with other artists and businesses, like Malz Palz, with which they developed the Fin Palz ITA Shark Bag. ITA is a term that describes bags which show off areas of interest, like backpacks covered in buttons and badges of movie characters. Ocean enthusiasts can use the bag—featuring a shark’s wide open mouth—to display their pin collection. True to the company’s mission, Fin Pin Shop carries eco-friendly products, like wooden pins, while making every effort to create durable, long-lasting and sustainable options. “When we first started, we had no idea that most enamel pins come wrapped in plastic. Plastic pollution is a huge issue, and it took a hot minute to find a manufacturer who would eliminate plastic by shipping on flat pieces of cardboard,” adds Gerakios. “We pay more, but the environmental impact is more important. We’re doing this to raise awareness, and we don’t want to contradict our efforts.” 

Aquariums and other environmental institutions across the world stock Fin Pin Shop’s creations, with Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium in Sarasota joining the list this year. Gerakios, who worked at Mote, had the opportunity to collaborate with Sarasota icon Eugenia Clark and takes pride in having a continued presence at the institution. “We hope our work makes people smile,” says Gerakios, “and makes them think about the ocean and what they can do to improve it.”