08/22/2026
This is a story about resource management and an Alkali & Oil decision that aims to honor the Reduce, Reuse, Recycle concept.
In January, I met a woman who thought that she might make soap, purchased all the materials for it, and then decided that she was going to pursuit different ideas instead. She contacted me and told me that she wanted to give me her supplies, as she did not want them to go to waste. Everything was un-opened, and I was very happy to accept her generous offer.
One of the items that she gave me was palm oil. As there are so many other options, and as palm oil can be collected using methods that are not very ecologically focused, it's not an ingredient that I use. So, it sat on my shelf until this past month.
I read that palm oil has a shelf life of approximately a year. So, it seems that if I don't use it, that it will eventually oxidize and become something that was harvested without purpose. And more than I want to throw it away, I would prefer to use what I have in-house as the most ecologically sound decision. Even though it's not the most intuitive idea that using palm oil is the greenest option.
Just so you know, there are going to be some select soap batches in the near future that incorporate palm oil into the base recipe. As I have only 7 pounds, this will be a short-lived ingredient on my shelves.
It is actually a wonderful oil to work with, so I don't feel that I am offering you a deficient product in any way. This is blended with olive and coconut oils to create a gentle, cleansing bar that is hard and long-lasting. The same care that I give to all of my other products and standard oil blends will be given to the soaps that I make with palm oil!
Thank you so much for your understanding that sometimes stewardship can look a little different in our modern supply chain. As always, I appreciate your support and could not do this without you!
All my best,
Doreen
Alkali & Oil
