I work closely with my soap supplier. Linda who runs the Hebridean Soap Company on the Isle of Lewis ‘next door’ and who makes my bespoke soap in her workshop, uses only sustainable sources of palm oil with the RSPO certificate.
This means that the palm oil we use comes from cultivation that does not destroy natural wilderness and is made my people working under fair conditions. In the future it may be possible to work more with guaranteed traceability so we can check these conditions, but it is currently very tricky to do this all the way along the supply chain.
Currently replacing palm oil, palm kernel oil and ingredients based on other sustainable alternatives could contribute to further deforestation. The yield of an oil palm is substantially greater than soybean, sunflower and rapeseed – so buying more of these leads to more ground cleared. That makes it even more important to exert an influence on palm oil cultivation.
For maximum impact on the producers of palm oil there needs to be a strong market demand for the sustainably grown crop. Other companies may not share these ethical concerns and for that reason worldwide demand remains relatively low.
Molagan and caoran are a tiny, tiny part of this demand but by asking more questions, I believe that the debate grows in the right direction and by being part of and helping to build a strong demand for an RSPO crop, we will hopefully see a long-lasting change in the market and the ground.
It is my concern to protect the rainforests, their wildlife and the people who live near and work in the plantations. As the people who use my products and trust in my aim to leave a light footprint on the earth, I hope this statement will reassure you.
