Palm oil is one of the most common ingredients in commercial soap. It produces a hard, long-lasting bar with a stable, creamy lather — and it's cheap. So why don't we use it at Pacific Coast Soap Works?
The short answer: because of what palm oil production does to the planet. Here's the longer version.
What's the Problem With Palm Oil?
Palm oil itself isn't inherently bad — it's a highly efficient crop that produces more oil per hectare than any other vegetable oil. The problem is where and how it's grown.
The vast majority of the world's palm oil comes from Indonesia and Malaysia, where demand for the crop has driven the destruction of some of the most biodiverse rainforests on Earth. Millions of hectares of tropical forest have been cleared to make way for palm plantations — destroying habitat for orangutans, Sumatran tigers, pygmy elephants, and thousands of other species, many of which are critically endangered.
Palm expansion is also a significant driver of carbon emissions. Tropical peatlands — which store enormous amounts of carbon — are drained and burned to make way for plantations, releasing that stored carbon into the atmosphere.
What About "Sustainable" Palm Oil?
You may have seen the RSPO (Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil) certification on some products. The intention is good — to create standards for palm oil production that protect forests and communities. But the certification has faced significant criticism for weak enforcement, greenwashing, and the continued deforestation of certified suppliers.
We looked at the options and decided that for a small BC soap maker, the most honest choice was simply not to use it.
What Do We Use Instead?
Palm oil performs specific functions in soap — primarily hardness and lather stability. We achieve the same results using a combination of:
- Coconut oil — produces a hard bar with excellent lather
- Olive oil — adds conditioning and skin-nourishing properties
- Shea butter — contributes hardness and a creamy, moisturizing lather
- Castor oil — boosts lather and helps bind the bar
The result is a bar that's just as hard, just as long-lasting, and just as good a lather — without the environmental cost.
It's One of Many Choices We Make Deliberately
Skipping palm oil is part of a broader commitment at Pacific Coast Soap Works to make soap that's good for you and good for the planet. Every bar we make is:
- Vegan — no animal fats or by-products (with the exception of our Oatmeal & Honey bar, which contains honey)
- Waterway safe — fully biodegradable and safe for BC's rivers, lakes, and coastline
- Free from synthetic fragrances, detergents, and petroleum-derived ingredients
- Made in small batches in British Columbia
We're not perfect — no business is. But we think carefully about every ingredient we use, and we're always looking for ways to do better.
See What Goes Into Our Bars
Every product page on our site lists the full ingredient list — no hidden ingredients, no vague "fragrance" catch-alls. Browse our full range of handcrafted soap bars and see exactly what you're putting on your skin.