Why We Don't Use Palm Oil (Or Palm Derivatives)
6-8 minute read
Intent is at the heart of every move I make with Soap Distillery, including the intent to avoid palm oil in all it's forms. Palm oil is the most widely used oil in the entire world, throughout a myriad of industries from grocery to personal care. Most bar soap on the market contains palm, so why don't WE use it? Well, read on to learn more about why we avoid palm oil, palm kernel oil, and all palm derivatives in our ingredients (even our stearic acid doesn't come from palm...I betcha didn't know that :)
WHAT EVEN IS PALM OIL?
Let's get science-y for a minute: palm oil is an edible vegetable oil derived from the mesocarp (the fleshy middle layer of the fruit that surrounds the seed, i.e. the palm kernel) of the fruit of "oil palm" trees. Predominantly produced in Indonesia and Malaysia, these regions account for roughly 85% of the global food supply. This versatile oil is a staple in various industries due to its stability and cost-effectiveness. In food, it's found in products like margarine, baked goods, and candies with it being the main ingredient in 'I Can't Believe It's Not Butter', 'Cool Whip', and most vegan butter alternatives. In the personal care industry, palm oil can commonly be found in products such as soaps, shampoos, and cosmetics due to it's widespread availability and low production costs which is why it's so commonly used. It's actually quite useful in many situations, however, does it's usefulness outweigh the environmental drawbacks? Let's figure it out together :)
CONCERNS WITH PALM OIL HARVESTING
The cultivation of palm oil has been linked to significant environmental issues, notably deforestation and habitat loss in tropical regions. In many other bar soaps on the market, you'll often see RSPO next to palm in the ingredients list, or the RSPO logo itself. The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) is an organization that was established to promote sustainable palm oil production through dedicated farms and monitoring systems. However, even palm oil sourced from RSPO certified plantations has faced criticism about the effectiveness of RSPO certification in preventing deforestation. That big question mark is the driving force behind why I made the decision years ago to remove it from our raw material list as it feels like heavy 'greenwashing'.
This criticism comes from reports that suggest some RSPO-certified operations continue to contribute to deforestation and biodiversity loss, indicating that current certification standards may not be sufficiently stringent to ensure truly sustainable practices. The better intentions are there, however, the execution is in need of improvement.
BUT WHAT ABOUT OTHER OILS/MATERIALS?
Large-scale farming/harvesting in general comes with a litany of issues, no mater the industry. That's honestly the toughest part when it comes to sourcing raw materials, however, as a manufacturer it's up to us to limit our negative ecological impact as much as possible. Coconut oil, for instance, requires more land to produce the same amount of oil, however, the ecological impact is far less severe when compared to palm due to how it's harvested; palm oil uses more machining to harvest which presents more danger to wild life over the hand picking of coconut. Almond and olive oil production are often scrutinized for their high water usage (remember when everyone was up in arms about almonds and water usage?).
To mitigate environmental impacts, producers are adopting sustainable water management practices which include implementing advanced irrigation techniques such as drip irrigation which reduces water waste by delivering the water directly to the root of the plant. Other producers are investing in rainwater harvesting systems and soil moisture monitoring to optimize water use in order to promote more sustainable agricultural practices. This is what we want to see!
SO LIKE, HOW DOES A PALM FREE SOAP FEEL?
When I made the switch to develop a palm free soap, I did quite a bit of testing to formulate something that felt good, lathered well, and was fairly simple so that we could have better control over sourcing materials that had the least environmental impact as possible. The more you add, the more you need to consider :) I ended up with something that felt good and lasted about as long as the average bar of soap without having a crazy price tag on it. But like, did I nail it? I mean, I don't want to toot my own horn or anything, but I'll let you all speak up:
"⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Soap Distillery makes some of the most unique scents for their soaps, and they always have a great lather and skin feel. Highly recommended." - Chris F.
"⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ It smells and feels amazing on the skin!" - Leyla M.
"⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The best soap products and amazing scents. Makes you skin feel soft and smooth. Excellent customer service!" - Pam. J
"⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Love this soap! My skin feels soft and hydrated. Great smells offered!" - Gina L.
HOW DO WE CONTINUE TO PUSH FOR CHANGE MOVING FORWARD?
As consumers, our purchasing decisions have significant influence over market trends and production practices. We have SO much more purchasing power than we think! By opting for products like ours that utilize sustainable alternatives to palm oil, we can drive demand for environmentally friendly options AND continue to push for improvements for things we use. Collectively, our informed consumer choices can compel industries to adopt practices that prioritize the health of our shared ecosystem.
As you go along your fragrance journey with us, know that this is what I mean when I say that intention is at the heart of everything we do here, and my intent is to do the best by my customers as I can. Every company exists because they feel as if their product or practices are better than their competitors, so it's up to us to actually be better.
