Organik Orangutan UK Palm Oil Free Soap

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcBj5Zpr3Uk 

When I started this journey in January 2015 it was to enable me to make my own hand made natural soap after discovering the disgusting chemicals and nasties lurking in soaps and cosmetic products, and the harm it does to our bodies and the environment.

The chemicals that are in commercial soaps today contain harmful and toxic ingredients: 

• 1) Triclosan: Triclosan is a pesticide that has antibacterial properties. ...
• 2) Dioxane: ...
• 3) Sodium laurel sulfate (SLS): ...
• 4) Diethanolamine (or DEA): ...
• 5) Formaldehyde: ...
• 6) Parabens: ...
• 7) Fragrance: ...
• 8) PEG-6:

 I attended a Natural soap making course and discovered the vast array of lovely oils and butters that make good Cold Process soap and the chemistry behind it. Whilst researching the ingredients to create my own recipes at home I discovered that Palm oil is a main ingredient used by makers of handmade soap all over the world. Mainly because it is cheap and creates a good hard bar of soap. A lot of soap makers get around the issues surrounding Palm oil by using RSPO (Roundtable for Sustainable Palm oil) but sadly this is not always as it seems, please see this link here: http://www.ran.org/why_rspo_sustainable_palm_oil_is_not_responsible

I also discovered some more home truths about Palm oil that upset me deeply and set me on the road to creating my own recipes that do not contain palm oil at all.

Approximately 90% of the world’s palm oil is been produced in Malaysia and Indonesia. Millions of hectares of forest are been destroyed, this causes serious problems for the environment, animals and people living in the rainforest.

There is more information here http://www.orangutan.com/orangutans.items-to-avoid

My aim in creating Palm oil free soap is to help protect the Rainforests of Sumatra and Borneo and in particular to help save the Orangutan who are in a crisis situation. The Orangutan is one of our closest cousins with 97% human DNA. They are now close to extinction due to a huge loss of habitat, approximately 80%, mainly through deforestation, palm oil plantations, illegal hunting and illegal pet trade. Their habitat is being destroyed and they are hunted and killed for profit for the palm oil in our soaps and biscuits.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrH_zkWGIHM 

I decided to go the whole way and make my soap Vegan so not only is it, or any of the ingredients used, NOT tested on animals, it does not contain any ingredients associated with animals like goats milk, honey etc. All my soaps are completely natural and have no artificial scent or colouring. They are coloured only by the natural ingredients and natural scent that come from those ingredients, which makes them suitable for the most sensitive of skins, young and old alike.

In my endeavour to keep everything as environmentally friendly as possible, all the ingredients are organic, natural or Fairtrade. The packaging is organic recyclable and eco-friendly.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIogPn3h1AQ 

My soaps will carry the Cruelty Free International Leaping Bunny Logo; The Vegan Society Sunflower; The coffee and cocoa soaps may be able to carry The Rainforest Alliance Green Frog logo, if I can source RAC ingredients.  Although my soaps are made using organic ingredients, I may not apply for the Soil Association Organic logo as this is an expensive logo to have in an initial start-up business. 

10% of all soap sold will go towards the fight to save the Orangutan from extinction. https://www.orangutan-appeal.org.uk/

The costs to start –up mainly consist of the following:

Chemist assessment - £179 (this includes 8 varieties of soap)although I have a 9th up my sleeve so will need to re-negoiate the price.

Initial stock of oils and ingredients £400

Labelling/packaging £400

Leaping Bunny Logo £105 - https://www.crueltyfreeinternational.org/who-we-are/contact-cruelty-free-international

Vegan Society Sunflower £250 - www.vegansociety.com 

Insurance £150

Rainforest Alliance Green Frog logo - no cost - http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/

Soil Association Logo £750 (although I will probably not apply for this logo in my first year due to expense)

Lets go for the Orangutans :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uc40ksNAzQY 

My concern is for the future generation without the rainforests and those depending on the rainforest for their very existence. 

Thank you for reading this especially if you got to the end

Very best wishes

Rosie