# Palm-free vegetable glycerin



## Starla (Jun 30, 2011)

Does anyone know where to find organic, relatively inexpensive palm-free glycerin to make soap? It seems many soaps and soap recipes contain palm oil, which I am opposed to since harvesting palm greatly contributes to rainforest destruction. The glycerin also needs to be as natural as possible (i.e. no chemical preservatives etc).
Thanks!


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## Northland Naturals (Jun 30, 2011)

hi starla,

you don't really make soap with glycerin, rather it is a by-product of real soap.  it is extracted from commercial soaps and sold for various purposes.  but if you want to make soap, you should read up about the various processes.  melt & pour may be what you're referring to, but there is a lot more to the base than glycerin.  check out millersoap.com for more info on getting started making soap.


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## agriffin (Jun 30, 2011)

Are you looking for palm free glycerin melt & pour soap?


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## honor435 (Jul 1, 2011)

I think you mean palm oil? you can make soap without palm if you are opposed to it, they do have sustainable palm for sale. No need to add glycerin to soap, since handmade soap makes glycerin.


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## Starla (Jul 6, 2011)

I understand glycerin is a by-product of soap — I want to work on some melt-and-pour soaps before making soap from scratch with lye. But I want to be sure I find vegetable glycerin without palm oil. However, if one can point me in the right direction of where to find sustainable palm oil, I would be greatly interested. I have looked into it and have come to the conclusion there is no such thing. Thanks everyone for your help!  

Also, thanks for the millersoap website. There are a few palm-free soap recipes there.


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## agriffin (Jul 6, 2011)

Hi Starla, I Just want to clarify something.

Vegetable glycerin is a liquid substance used in cosmetic and household products.

Glycerin soap is melt and pour soap.  

So you are looking for glycerin (or M&P soap) that does not contain palm oil.  

Your wording is why you got some confused answers.  Vegetable glycerin is not the same as glycerin soap.

I know that there are some palm free glycerin soap bases that use oils like rapeseed instead.  I did a search but didn't find anything at the moment.  I'll keep looking.  

(I also don't believe in sustainable palm oil although some companies market it as such.  :wink: )


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## prometheamoth (Apr 27, 2012)

*Found palm-free glycerin*

Hi.

Just found it at 
mountain rose herbs dot com

They only carry the soy-derived glycerin now, due to rainforest concerns.

(UNfortunately for me...since my DD is allergic/anaphylcatic to soy!)

I am looking for soy-free glycerin, now, actually...to make lotion, not soap...palm is ok with me.


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## serfmunke (Apr 27, 2012)

*Re: Found palm-free glycerin*



			
				prometheamoth said:
			
		

> Hi.
> 
> Just found it at
> mountain rose herbs dot com
> ...



I am all about palm free products and thought I no longer had any in my house until I read your post. **** it! I bought two bottles of vegetable glycerin and feel awful :cry:  So, now I know, learned something new today and plan on using your mountain rose herbs for my next order. Thanks for educating me and providing a solution!


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## techmonster (Aug 19, 2014)

*Simple boycotting of Palm is NOT the answer....*

Unfortunately, most palm product boy-cotters don't seem to be aware of or are not interested in the facts about palm:

1.  The Oil Palm tree is the singularly most efficient/productive plant when it comes to how much oil is produced from it.  The Oil Palm produces 4 to 10 times more oil than ANY other vegetable oil plant, including soy and rapeseed.  In fact, the Oil Palm produces 10 times more oil than Soy bean plants, and the Oil Palm requires at a minimum 10% LESS land than does the soy bean in order to produce that 10-fold increase in vegetable oil.

2.  If everyone decided to boycott palm oil and related products (and, for the sake of fantasy let's suppose all of the palm growers/producers decided to drop palm and go with another vegetable crop [which will NEVER happen]), then the amount of planetary land which would need to be deforested and chewed up for soy farms would INCREASE.  Deforestation would increase, NOT decrease.  This would ultimately cause MORE destruction to the ecology and wildlife of our already seriously endangered planet.

3.  The correct, educated, informed and responsibly solution is to immediately switch to SUSTAINABLE Palm Oil and its related products.  SUSTAINABLE Palm Oil promotes the following (through a rigorous set of regulations and criteria):

          3a*  An elimination of deforestation (in the areas where sustainable palm is managed), through ecologically respectful planting of palm trees on already existing agricultural land (called Zero-Burning Replanting).  When a palm tree on the managed acreage dies, a new palm tree is planted in its spot (no land is slash-n-burned/cleared).  In Fact, the Rainforest Alliance's regulations require that actual RE-Forestation takes place to restore the forests on land that is deemed not needed for the palm farm. Zero burning is non-polluting, contributes positively towards minimizing global warming, and complies with environmental legislation

          3b*  An elimination of chemical pesticides and herbicides.  These are replaced with natural, integrated wildlife & plant-based pest control techniques.  (certain Plants are sown within the palm tree acreage which keep bagworms and caterpillars at bay, while Owls [who live in harmony on the grounds] keep the rat population down).

          3c*  Local peoples who grow, harvest and process the oil from the managed Oil Palm farms are now provided with fair wages, decent housing, medical care and education for better, healthier, safer lives for themselves and their families (people growing Oil Palms in non-sustainably managed areas are routinely abused beyond description).

4.  So, as a bottom line, the best course of action to help reduce global warming, decrease deforestation (and in fact contribute toward reforestation), reduce wildlife habitat loss and improve the lives of the people involved in growing palms is to use Sustainable Palm Oil, NOT to boycott palm oil.

5.  To be clearer, boycott NON-Sustainable Palm Oil, yes, but switch to and SUPPORT the globally increasing spread of ecologically managed and sustainable Palm Oil.  It is better for the planet, for wildlife and for people.

6.  There is available Sustainable Palm Oil, Sustainable Palm Kernel Oil, and Sustainable Palm Glycerin, for all of our soap-making needs.  Be compassionate and caring, but go beyond that:  Be intelligent and educated in your compassion.  30 seconds on Google will provide sources. (my personal source for Organic, RSPO Certified Sustainable Palm Oil is www.soaperschoice.com Call and ask for Mike Lawson.  He is their resident expert)

7.  To learn more, I suggest all fellow soapmakers visit:

·         www.rspo.org

·         www.rainforest-allaince.org

·         www.rainforest-alliance.org/publications/palm-oil-faq

·         www.betterpalmoil.org

·         www.sustainablepalmoil.org

·         www.greepalm.org


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## summerflyy (Aug 19, 2014)

Hi TechMonster, DeeAnna is not a moderator, however she is a longtime member and a very experienced soaper whom we all turned to for help with regards to soaping. 

Though it's really great for you to share new information on this very controversial topic of palm on the forum, it would be great if you had perhaps opened a new thread instead of digging up an old thread. Usually in forums that I've been on, the older threads that have been untouched for more than a few months and in this case, years, are usually left alone and preferred to not be dug up. 

It's not to say anything, but just that, perhaps you would like to discuss all these on a new thread instead ? 

Happy soaping


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## Lindy (Aug 19, 2014)

techmonster said:


> DeeAnna -
> 
> I apologize sincerely If I have , in some way, offended you and what appears to your priority of, well, "forum procedure and etiquette", rather than genuine educational discourse.
> 
> ...



 You will conduct yourself with respect on this thread and any other you choose to participate in.


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## Katje (Jun 15, 2022)

techmonster said:


> *Simple boycotting of Palm is NOT the answer....*
> 
> Unfortunately, most palm product boy-cotters don't seem to be aware of or are not interested in the facts about palm:
> 
> ...


Thank you for this. It is good and insightful to see this (your) perspective. 
The information makes logically sense to me even though I believe counter arguments may have valuable points too. These insights / info you shared just made me realize how important it is to support locally produced oils (South Africa) and maybe even trying to make my own glycerin with locally produced oils. 
It is important to debate topics and see different viewpoints...this is how we can weigh up and come to the best possible solutions to very serious issues.


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