72 SUSTAINABILTY


Illipe nuts creates higher risks of contamination — from dust, insects, or other impurities, as the pressing is carried out with wood and in the open air. Furthermore, the yield is very low and storage duration is short, as locals typically keep the pressed oil in bamboo vessels. In contrast, the factory setting enables us


to produce Illipe butter of higher quality in a much more controlled and efficient manner. Any concerns with contamination have been eliminated as production is carried out indoors using specialised pressing machinery that are equipped with stainless steel plates. We have also doubled the yield and overcome challenges with storage, enabling us to offer a ready supply of Illipe butter all year round.


PC:What qualities and benefits can this butter bring to the modern personal care market? D-J: Illipe butter has been used as a moisturiser for centuries, but it is still relatively uncommon in today’s personal care and cosmetics market, despite its distinctive moisturising properties. As an ingredient, Illipe butter has a


higher melting point than ingredients like shea butter, yet it melts the moment it comes into contact with skin. Its ‘hard’ form makes it ideal for use in solid applications such as shampoo, soap, and lotion bars, as well as lipsticks and face masks. This would be especially useful for brands looking to tap into the sustainable packaging trend.


PERSONAL CARE GLOBAL


Additionally, there has been greater


awareness around plastic pollution across the globe, and sustainable packaging has become an attractive selling point. Brands that choose to formulate products with Illipe butter can harness the benefit of its high melting point to create products in solid form, avoiding the use of plastic bottles in a bid to reduce plastic pollution.


PC:We are seeing a lot of interest in solid formulations currently. Can Forestwise’s Illipe butter help to deliver successful formulations for solid products? D-J: Yes, definitely. In fact, a number of products from handmade cosmetics brand Lush are formulated with our Illipe butter, and we are working with them to incorporate Illipe butter into more of their creations. As mentioned earlier, common solid


formulations that our Illipe butter have been used for include lipsticks, shampoo, soap, and lotion bars, but there are also others such as body butter, lip balms, body scrubs. The ingredient is also used in other kinds of solid products, for instance, as a substitute for cocoa butter in chocolate bars! We are also planning to introduce our


own cosmetic brand later in the year, which will include lotion bars, body balms, lip balms, and body butter formulated with our Illipe butter. Having our own line of consumer products allows us to demonstrate to the personal care market


the possibilities that our ingredients offer, and enables us to embark on our own R&D projects with other ingredients that the rainforest has to offer. And as we experiment with more ingredients, we are confident that more companies will be interested to include our ingredients in their product formulations.


PC:While consumers are keen to use natural ingredients, they are increasingly aware of the need to ensure natural produce is sustainably sourced. Can they be assured of that with Illipe butter? D-J: Manufacturers using our Illipe butter can reassure consumers that their products are sustainably and ethically sourced. With our specific sourcing methods, we offer companies full traceability for our ingredients, right from when the nut falls to the ground, to the time it is processed and leaves our facility. Furthermore, we ensure that the prices


paid to each of the 700-odd farmers that supply Illipe nuts are maximised, as they sign individual contracts with us. Theo Smits, our chief technological officer (CTO) who is based in Indonesia, oversees the product operations and logistics of our factory. With Theo on the ground, we are able to reach out to and stay in contact with the local farmers even through non-harvest seasons. Our Illipe butter is certified Fair for Life,


USDA NOP Organic, and EU Organic by Ecocert. With these certifications, our


August 2020


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