Sustainable Palm Oil

Palm oil is a type of vegetable oil that is derived from the fruit of oil palm trees. It is an important ingredient in a wide variety of products, including food, cosmetics, and cleaning products. Unfortunately, the production of palm oil has been linked to a wide range of environmental and social issues, including deforestation, habitat destruction, and human rights abuses.

However, it is possible to produce palm oil in a more sustainable way that minimizes these negative impacts. In this blog post, we will explore what sustainable palm oil is, why it matters, and how consumers can make a difference by choosing sustainable palm oil products.

What is sustainable palm oil?

Sustainable palm oil is palm oil that has been produced in a way that is environmentally and socially responsible. This means that the palm oil is produced without causing deforestation, the destruction of important ecosystems or the exploitation of workers and indigenous communities.

The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) is the leading certification organization for sustainable palm oil. The RSPO has established a set of standards that palm oil producers must meet in order to be certified as sustainable. These standards include:

• No clearing of primary forests or high conservation value areas
• Respect for the rights of workers and indigenous communities
• Responsible use of pesticides and fertilizers
• Minimization of greenhouse gas emissions
• Traceability throughout the supply chain

Why is sustainable palm oil important?

Palm oil is a highly efficient crop, but its production has been associated with a wide range of environmental and social issues. The vast majority of palm oil is produced in Indonesia and Malaysia, where rainforests are being destroyed to make way for oil palm plantations. This has led to the loss of important habitats for endangered species such as orangutans, tigers, and elephants.

In addition, the production of palm oil has been linked to human rights abuses, including forced labor and child labor. Many of the workers on palm oil plantations are migrant laborers who are paid low wages and live in poor conditions.

Sustainable palm oil is important because it provides a way for consumers to support responsible palm oil production that does not harm the environment or exploit workers. By choosing products that contain certified sustainable palm oil, consumers can help to create a market for sustainable palm oil and encourage more companies to adopt sustainable sourcing practices.

How can consumers choose sustainable palm oil products?

The easiest way for consumers to choose sustainable palm oil products is to look for products that carry the RSPO certification logo. This logo indicates that the palm oil in the product has been certified as sustainable by the RSPO.

Conclusion

Sustainable palm oil is an important issue that affects the environment, workers, and indigenous communities. By choosing sustainable palm oil products, consumers can support responsible palm oil production and help to create a market for more sustainable sourcing practices.

 Here at Little Bull Falls Soap Works we ONLY EVER use organic RSPO certified palm oil. We tried substituting it and eliminating the use of it, but the soap quality just wasn't there for us. Also, after doing a lot of research and finding out just how detrimental eliminating the use of all palm oils would be to economies and working families, we decided that RSPO certified is the only was for us to protect the environment while also seeing families put food on their table. 

We offer both - soaps made with the organic RSPO certified organic palm oil, as well as a pal oil free alternative. Check out our vegan palm free soaps here:

https://littlebullfallssoapworks.com/collections/vegan-soap-palm-free-soap