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photos: Alexander Ruiz Acevedo/Shutterstock.com
photos: Alexander Ruiz Acevedo/Shutterstock.com

The demand for organic raw materials is increasing considerably in the cosmetics industry. At the same time, more and more companies attach importance to fair quality. This means that the approach to sustainability has become more holistic, to  include both ecological and social criteria.

As organic products are increasingly reaching the mainstream of society in Europe, a rapidly growing group of consumers is becoming more aware of the social interrelationships in the production process. The turnover of fair-trade products has almost consistently grown at double-digit rates in recent years.

Of course, this development also has an impact on the cosmetics industry. For some cosmetics companies, such as Dr Hauschka, the quality of the raw materials used plays a very important role. These companies apply the highest standards when selecting raw materials and pay attention not only to measurable product quality but also to process quality. This also includes organic farming and fair remuneration for those involved.

Ethical sourcing of ingredients

Naturamus is a German company founded in 2014, but it draws on almost 85 years of experience. It specialises in the sustainable and ethical sourcing of high quality organic raw materials, derived from 100% transparent supply chains. The company’s product portfolio includes vegetable oils and waxes that it exports to international clients, mainly in the cosmetic industry. Initially it was the raw material sourcing department of the Wala group, the producer of Wala medicines and the Dr Hauschka Cosmetics. Then the company branched out to transfer its knowledge and expertise to long-term partners, and help them trade their products, thus enabling them to become economically independent and reach a broader customer base. Today, Naturamus continues to support Wala in improving raw material quality through a holistic approach. 

www.naturamus.de

photo: Naturamus (woman)/ Shutterstock.com
photo: Naturamus (woman)/ Shutterstock.com

Castor oil, its benefits and the challenges in sourcing 

Castor oil is a vegetable oil obtained from castor beans and used in cosmetic products, with a wide range of benefits for the face, skin, hair, lips and nails. Castor oil has long been an interesting and widely used raw material for cosmetics due to its high viscosity. But in the past, the question of where the raw material comes from and how it was produced was not really addressed.

Globally, most castor oil comes from India, where it is mainly grown in Gujarat, the dry northwest of the country. Castor oil is mainly cultivated in rain-fed agriculture, so that farmers are dependent on the few rainfalls (on average 200–300 mm per year). One of the few alternatives for these farmers is sesame or cotton, especially the regional Kala cotton. The situation is different for the small number of irrigation farmers who have a large selection of different crops such as cereals, vegetables or mango.

Castor oil was not available in organic quality for a long time because it is not used as food. 12 years ago, thanks to the initiative of Wala, the company behind the Dr Hauschka brand, smallholder rainfed farmers and a processor in India switched to organic production. 

The result is a 100% organic castor oil obtained by cold-pressing the castor seeds. This ensures the oil is pure, has a clear colour and preserves its natural compounds. The production neither involves heat treatment nor chemical extraction.

Organic farming and its benefits for farmers

Organic farming not only creates an advantage for the customers of the brand. Farmers and nature also benefit from this change. Farmers receive an appealing extra payment on the product price and have lower costs due to using compost instead of synthetic fertilisers. But especially when working with small farmers in the desert-like region of Gujarat, it is important to ensure that production is socially balanced so that the long-term livelihood of farmers is secured. 

photo: Pairoj Sroyngern/ Shutterstock.com
photo: Pairoj Sroyngern/ Shutterstock.com

 A fruitful partnership

The partnership between Naturamus and the Castor Products Company started in 2006, at a time when quality organic castor oil was unavailable on the world market. Thanks to the commitment of both partners, the first project for organic certification of castor oil was set up in the state of Gujarat, in the Kutch region, starting with two organic certified castor farmers.

Today, 828 Indian smallholder farmers have joined the project, producing high quality certified organic castor beans. In 2017, the project was taken to the next level with the introduction of the independent Fair For Life (FFL) certification including 145 smallholder farmers located in five villages Padyagadh, Makhel, Taga, Mangadh and Adesar.Through the Fair For Life project, small producers receive a premium price for their organic produce, and logistics costs from farm to processing facility are covered as well.
  
Another price premium (10% in 2018) flows into the Fair for Life fund and is dedicated to environmental and local development projects, targeting issues such as women’s empowerment, education and infrastructure for water supply.For 2 years now, the first farmers and processors have been certified according to this FFL standard.
  
The standard ensures fair remuneration for products and workers and provides additional resources for the development of the communities. An important part of the cooperation consists in the creation of a special fund. A committee of the groups involved decides independently what this money is used for. This means that neither customers nor processors have a say in these decisions. It must not benefit individual farmers but should serve to develop their communities. One major focus is on providing farmers with other sources of income, with a particular focus on empowering women in the communities.

A goal was therefore to find a way to have the traditionally cultivated organic Kala cotton processed regionally. A processor was found who was capable of processing the raw cotton into fabric, which in turn could be used as a basis for textile processing.
 
Another problem for girls was also tackled as a first step. In contrast to boys, they are often not allowed to attend secondary schools if they have to cover longer distances. So the Fair For Life funds were used in Makhel village to finance equipment for the classrooms of a 7th and 8th class. A continuation is planned.

In addition, restoring very basic facilities, such wells with drinking water supply or cattle grates, are paid for with the help of the fund’s money. In this desert-like climate, not only the farmers involved in certification benefit from the scheme, but also the entire community.
Last but not least, an ecosystem that really works is also taken into account.
In the drought of 2018, for example, the native birds suffered particularly from the lack of food and water. Appropriate feeding stations were set up to support the ecological balance even under these very difficult conditions.

“A more holistic approach to sustainability includes both ecological and social criteria”

Ralf Kunert, CEO, Naturamus

Combining organic and fair-trade certification

These small examples illustrate how committed producers, with the support of their customers in industrialised countries, can take steps to improve the situation of producers locally.

But there is also a positive effect for the cosmetics manufacturer, since he or she can use the power of this information when communicating with customers. 

Because customers increasingly care about sustainability, telling them that your sustainable cosmetic products carry both organic and fair-trade certification  really helps to give you that all-important credibility.

Author:

Ralf Kunert,
Managing Director Naturamus,
Aichelberg,
Germany 

www.naturamus.de 

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