With Forestwise’s recent factory opening in West Kalimantan, Indonesia, the company reports it is better equipped to supply illipe butter even in non-harvest seasons.
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Illipe butter, or tengkawang fat, is made from the nuts of the endangered Shorea stenoptera tree, which grows in the forests of Borneo. The ingredient is certified Fair for Life, USDA NOP Organic and EU Organic by Ecocert.
Illipe butter has traditionally been used by local villagers to moisturize skin and to heal sores and sunburns. The moisturizing efficacy and high melting point of illipe butter are ideal for solid formulations such as lipsticks, face masks and even shampoo, soap and lotion bars. This can be useful for brands looking to market around the sustainable packaging trend.
Dirk-Jan Oudshoorn, founder and CEO of Forestwise, shared, “We aim to prevent deforestation by developing a market for valuable rainforest products that are wild-harvested without causing any damage to the environment. We partner with rainforest communities to harvest ingredients like nuts, oil and rainforest sugar—all of which are processed into raw materials that can be used in food and cosmetic applications. And since we purchase the ingredients directly from local communities, our products are traceable to the source.”