Palm Oil is a type of vegetable oil derived from the fruit of an Oil Palm Tree.

The fruit is used for Palm Oil and Palm Kernel Oil.

Palm oil is created from squeezing the pulp from the fruit and is used in various types of  food. Whilst the Palm Kernel Oil is created by crushing the Palm Kernel/seed and is used to manufacture a variety of cosmetics.

Oil Palm Trees are grown in tropical regions across Asia, Africa and South America.

The ideal growing conditions for palm oil are within 10 degrees North and South of the Equator. Unfortunately these regions house vast areas of tropical rainforest, rich in biodiversity and wildlife.

There are over 40 countries growing Oil Palm Trees but the top oil producing nations are Indonesia and Malaysia and account for 85% of the world’s oil production!

Palm Oil is the most widely used vegetable oil around the world. It can be found in almost anything from pizzas, to doughnuts, shampoo and soaps, toothpaste and even chocolate!

Unfortunately palm oil is cheaper to produce, and therefore used to replace other vegetable oils.  It’s also used in many vegan & vegetarian substitutes such as butter, chocolates, cakes and other desserts.

The only Certified Palm Oil Free vegan butter/margarine we have found is Nutelex with Coconut Oil.

Not only is palm oil found in food & beauty products, but it is also used for biofuel, cleaning products and animal feed.

Palm Oil is only grown in tropical climates, where large areas of tropical forests are cleared every day to make room for palm oil plantations.

Harvesting Palm Oil at such an unsustainable rate is causing mass deforestation, displacing native people and pushing many species like tigers, orangutans, rhinos and elephants to the brink of extinction by destroying their habitats.

It’s not only bad for our environment, it is also a major cause of climate change and the leading cause of orangutan extinction.

When land is cleared for palm oil plantations it is often burned. The fires frequently get out of control and emit enormous amounts of harmful smoke and greenhouse gases.

Furthermore, once a palm oil plantation is established, it continues to harm the environment by polluting local rivers. This can poison people and animals from the chemical pesticides and fertilisers that are used for the plantations.

When rainforest is destroyed to make way for palm oil plantations, the orangutan’s habitat is also destroyed and they have nowhere to live.

Having lost their forest home orangutans become displaced and confused. With no source of food they inevitably starve to death or wander into the palm oil plantations, only to be killed by plantation workers who often view them as pests.

As their natural habitat diminishes, orangutans become more vulnerable to poachers, who kill orangutan mothers in order to capture their infants who are kept as pets or are smuggled to sell in the illegal wildlife trade.

We can all help Orangutans by donating to organisations such as: Orangutan Foundation International Australia, Green Peace, World Land Trust.

• Check the labels on products you purchase, as palm oil can also be labelled as vegetable oil, palm Kernel, palmate, glyceryl and many more (full list below)
• Nestle is one of the biggest supporters of palm oil, so avoiding their products makes a big impact.
• Enjoy home cooked meals with fresh ingredients and bake your own deserts. There are some fantastic recipes out there!
• Sign petitions and online campaigns for Organisations such as GreenPeace, WWF and Rainforest Rescue.
• Support a charity organisation such as Orangutan Foundation or World Land Trust. 
• Look for volunteer opportunities and events near you. This is a wonderful way to directly support and help rescued, orphaned orangutans, and protect rainforest habitats from deforestation.

Yes, share this with others and create awareness.

If you or anyone you know are unsure which products are certified palm oil free, look out for labels from Orangutan Alliance (Australia) or Palm Oil Free Certification (worldwide)