Feb 19, 2009

Vermont Soap Organics Launches Pure African Shea Nut Butter

Middlebury, Vermont – Organic soap pioneer Larry Plesent was volunteering in Ghana teaching sustainable agribusiness skills to rural villagers when he discovered a remarkable handcrafted shea nut butter – the best that he had ever felt on his skin. Now, his company, Vermont Soap Organics, is partnering with tribal craftswomen to bring this moisturizing and healing natural balm directly to consumers in North America. Offered in a handy 2 oz. tin for $9.99 and in an economy-sized 64 oz. container, Pure African Shea Nut Butter is created by women’s co-ops in Ghana and packaged at the company’s certified organic processing facility in Middlebury, Vermont. The extra focus on handcrafted quality by the women and the personal care experts at Vermont Soap results in a premium, raw shea nut butter with long shelf life and superior performance.

Derived from wild shea trees scattered about the hot and dry savannah, Pure African Shea Nut Butter is a healing, moisturizing and protecting balm for dry and irritated skin, chapped lips, hands and feet. Application of shea nut butter significantly increases the hydration of superficial layers of epidermis and forms a smooth barrier to insulate skin moisture from the sun, wind and cold. It penetrates the skin easily and helps to restore elasticity, and to heal cracked and dry skin, skin ulcers, and small wounds.

Shea nut butter is rich in antioxidants and vitamins, is non-allergenic, has antiseptic attributes, and is helpful for addressing trouble skin conditions such as dermatitis, dry skin, eczema, insect bites, rashes, sunburn, topical burns, stretch marks and scar tissue. While the Vitamin K and cinnamic acid in shea nut butter allow it to offer UV ray protection, it also contains natural latex that helps ward off sun allergies. Shea nut butter has anti-inflammatory properties, and penetrates skin and tissue, and thus may be beneficial for arthritis symptoms, muscle aches & pains, as well as for massage.

Pure African Shea Nut Butter is completely natural and is made in a manner that would qualify as organic, but it is not (yet) certified. Vermont Soap Organics pays the womens’ groups in Ghana double the prevailing nut butter price to support fair trade and ensure optimal quality. Natural handmade shea butter has a creamy consistency, and is an attractive pale yellow in color. To learn more about Pure African Shea Nut Butter and view images of how it is made, please visit http://www.vermontsoap.com/sheaghana.shtml.

Handcrafted Shea Butter Project Supports Sustainable Development for Women in West Africa

Shea nut butter production is an important aspect of tribal culture in West Africa. For centuries, the collection of shea fruit and the nut processing has been conducted solely by women and it is often referred to as “Women’s Gold.” Globalization is a challenge facing tribes in West Africa. Multi-national companies are trying to control the shea market price and often process the nuts outside of Africa. This transfers processing jobs and revenue from the native people to the corporations. “We empower the villages by establishing sustainable commerce, assisting with organic certification, and by helping the producer groups manage their business,” says Plesent. “We also help them achieve the quality required for the export market and raise awareness of and provide advice about environmental sustainability and other social challenges,” he adds.

There are many eco-friendly aspects of traditional shea nut butter production. It is a natural, renewable product from trees that don’t require treatment with pesticides or water for irrigation. No chemicals are used in the production of traditional shea nut butter, only water and women power. Although we focus on the fruit, all parts of the tree have some practical use capitalized upon by the indigenous people.

It is worth noting the difference between traditional shea nut butter, and that produced by mass-industrial means. A large amount of the shea nut butter used in mainstream cosmetics is derived from industrial processing. Industrial nut butter is inexpensive; however, the intense processing can strip away the healing and sun protection properties. This is because these commercial shea butters are mechanically produced often with the goal of improving the yield and removing the odor and color of the material. Also, industrial operations typically use a hexane solvent extraction process, and traces of hexane, a carcinogen, may potentially be found in the resulting shea nut butter. “The handcrafting process used to make Pure African Shea Nut Butter is chemical-free and leaves all of the natural botanical goodies in there,” notes Plesent.

In addition to the new Pure African Shea Nut butter, Vermont Soap Organics offers a complete line of handmade natural aromatherapy bar soaps and liquid soaps, shower gels and nontoxic cleaners. The products are made with organic ingredients, are free of artificial colors, fragrances, preservatives, and animal by-products and they are not tested on animals. Vermont Soapworks’ manufacturing operation is certified as a USDA organic processing facility. For more information please visit www.vtsoap.com or call 1-866-SOAP4U2.