Soaps with fair trade or organic palm oil, is it really a great idea?
In soapmaking, it is easy and really interesting to use palm oil because it is full of advantages and makes it easier to create a stable & balanced soap compared to the work required to create recipes (stable & satisfactory!) without palm oil. Thus, in recent years, some soap factories and food companies pro palm oil are turning to 'fair trade & organic' palm oils. It looked better. And it certainly is, a little better. Nevertheless, organic fair trade or not, forests and habitats are devastated.
The WWF report ''Palm oil from deforestation to the need for sustainability'' (2011): ''In the next 10 years 60% of the increase in palm oil production in the world will be in Indonesia threatening 4 Mha of forests''. Today is yesterday & now.
After going around a few labels including ''Palm done Right'' not to name it, I found no information on their website to know what their actions really are in order to treat people fairly (except for beautiful photos of people smiling through the palm trees) and why their farming methods would really be better for the environment.
No soap factory or company ''pro palm oil certified fair or organic'' gives more information on the subject. I wrote requests for information. No return. I wait. I will wait a long time I think. I have been searching the web for several weeks looking for a documentary, a video, relevant documents to learn in depth about the subject. Nothing satisfying that really answers my question.
The WWF report also deals with strong economic benefits in producing countries... The economy. But, what do we want later in terms of planet and biodiversity? A subject to ponder.
Yes, all oils, all products have an impact. When you think about it, even just washing with lukewarm water and no soap has an impact. But that of the palm oil industry is unprecedented.
Au Jardin de Julie, for our vegan soaps and all our products, it will always be WITHOUT palm oil, organic/fair trade or not. Biodiversity and the forest (the lungs of the Earth!) are our most important wealth and we value it!
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