Organic Shea Butter (Raw & Unrefined) (Certified Fairtrade)

Our organic raw & unrefined shea butter is imported in small batches from a fairtrade certified cooperative in Burkina Faso. The cooperative leases its facilities to a women's association that have the opportunity to transform the shea nuts into shea butter themselves. This allows them to obtain a much better income than selling the raw nuts to a commercial processor.

Imported by a few privileged customers, this artisanal handmade butter is unrefined and filtered to preserve all the qualities and virtues of this nutritious and soothing balm.

This organic shea butter is food grade so it can be used both for cooking and for cosmetic purposes.

The shea tree "Vitellaria paradoxa syn Butyrospermum parkii" is an endogenous tree from the tropical regions of Africa which belongs to the "Sapotaceae" family. This unique tree species is native to West Africa, particularly the savannah of Burkina Faso.

Many of the benefits of shea butter are gained when you use the product topically. It is the restorative, nourishing and protective virtues of shea butter that have made this solid fatty substance famous. Shea contains antioxidants, saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, terpene alcohols, vitamins A, D, E, F, and unsaponifiables.

Thanks to the care taken by the producers, our raw shea butter is very pure (impurity index less than 0.01%). Analyzes reveal an excellent peroxide index, very low, and an acidity level in compliance with standards.

What is the difference between the Raw & Unrefined Shea Butter and RBD Shea Butter?

• Raw & unrefined shea butter is yellowish/brown, has a light nutty odor, is solid but creamy and absorbs well into the skin. It is extracted from the pulp without using chemicals, unfiltered and contains all the myriad of vitamins and minerals found in natural shea butter.
• RBD shea butter is white and has no odor. Refined shea butter is dry steamed to deodorize while being carefully monitored to stay under 180 degrees Celsius. This neutralizes the majority of the taste and smell making ideal for cooking and use in commercial skin products.
• RBD is an acronym, which stands for Refined, Bleached and Deodorized. As the organic standard prescribes there is no use of chemical bleach or any other artificial chemical for that matter used during the process.

What does Fairtrade certification mean?

• Fairtrade products are far more than just fair prices, they create sustainable impact in three interconnected areas: economic, social, and environmental. These are known as the three pillars of sustainability:
• Economic: Fairtrade sets economic Standards for farmers and workers to benefit from income security and financial independence. These include the Fairtrade Minimum Price for most commodities, which aims to provide producers with a safety net against falling prices, along with the Fairtrade Premium that provides producers with additional money to invest as they choose. Fairtrade also emphasizes long-term partnerships that help yield sustainable and decent livelihoods.
• Environmental: Environmental criteria emphasize ecologically and agriculturally sound practices, including responsible water and waste management, preserving biodiversity and soil fertility, minimal use of pesticides, and the prohibition of the use of GMOs. Organic production is promoted and rewarded by higher Fairtrade Minimum Prices for organically grown products.
• Social: Social criteria for small-scale producers include requirements on democratic self-organization, participatory decision-making, transparency, and non-discrimination. For hired labour, our Standards require non-discriminatory employment practices, fair pay, freedom of association, and safeguards for worker health and safety. Forced labour and child labour are prohibited under the Fairtrade Standards.

Who is the Coopake cooperative?

• Located in Orodara, a small urban community nestled in the heart of orchards in western Burkina Faso, the Coopake cooperative was founded in 1963. Today, it spans 800 hectares of orchards and farmland, cultivating and processing mangoes, cashew nuts, sesame, citrus fruits, hibiscus, and shea.
• Coopake's primary goal is to value local resources while preserving the environment and providing employment for hundreds of families.
• The cooperative boasts hundreds of members, agricultural producers who have come together to process and enhance their production, enabling the local community to thrive in one of the world's poorest countries. Today, Coopake owns two processing units that employ nearly 300 people.
• Certified organic for nearly twenty years, the cooperative and its members practice no intensive farming. Instead, they garden and maintain sesame plots interspersed with shea trees, mango trees, cashew trees, and hibiscus plants.
• Coopake, a social economy enterprise, is an indispensable pillar in this community far from major urban centers. In addition to fair wages for producers and good working conditions for employees, the cooperative invests in the socio-economic development of its community through Fairtrade premiums. They develop programs focused on the needs of the population, particularly the most disadvantaged: access to drinking water, food donations, and financial support for the polio victims' association.