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Frequently Asked Questions
Unrefined Shea Butter FAQ
Is your shea butter refined?
No, our unrefined shea butter is handcrafted using
traditional techniques that have been used in central Togo for thousands
of years. No chemicals are used to extract or preserve our shea
butter. See how
our unrefined shea butter is made
What color is your unrefined shea butter?
Our shea butter is an ivory, off-white color that
varies slightly depending on the season.
Does your shea butter have an odor?
Our shea butter is unrefined, therefore it does have
the characteristic nutty aroma of unrefined shea butter.
What is the texture of your unrefined shea butter?
Our unrefined shea butter has a smooth, creamy texture
with absolutely no graininess.
Is your shea butter "pure"?
Yes, our unrefined
shea butter is 100% pure. It has not been refined in any way nor
have we added any preservatives or other additives.
Other Products FAQ
What is the difference between Virgin Coconut
Oil and refined coconut oil?
Virgin Coconut Oil is unrefined and has not been
stripped of any of its natural antioxidants through the refining
process. Refined oils, including refined coconut oil, are stripped
of natural antioxidants and are highly prone to free-radical generation.
Free radicals damage skin cells and cause skin aging and cancer.
The antioxidants in virgin coconut oil not only prevent free-radicals
from forming in the oil, but also help protect against free-radicals
that the skin is exposed to. In contrast, lotions and creams made
from refined oils do not help protect against free-radicals in the
environment, and may also expose the skin to additional free-radicals.
Is your African black soap in bars?
Our African black soap is in blocks or bricks, but
can easily by melted and molded into bars. We will soon be offering
wholesale African black soap bars and liquid soap.
Customer Service FAQ
Do you provide samples?
Yes, we provide
samples for serious inquiries only. Please call us at the number
at the bottom of this page.
From where are your products shipped?
We ship from both Togo and our North American office
in Washington State depending on destination and size of order.
Orders under 5 metric tons to North America are generally shipped
from Washington. Larger orders and orders to Europe, Africa, Australia,
and Asia are shipped from Togo.
How soon will I receive my order?
For North American customers, small orders are shipped
via UPS ground and larger orders are shipped via UPS Hundredweight,
FedEx Express or Overnite Transportation. North American orders
placed before 11 am PST are shipped the same or next business day.
As soon as the carrier picks up the shipment, we provide you with
a tracking number. For customers outside North America and any order
over 5 metric tons, orders are shipped within two weeks at any time
during the year. For cargo shipments, we have contracts with Maersk
Sealand, Air France and Air Gabon (Intra-Africa shipments).
Is this operation a "scam"?
Not all African organizations are in the business
of scamming. We are a credible, legitimate, and professional organization.
We work hard to uphold a high standard of customer service.
Does buying from Agbanga Karite benefit "villagers"?
Agbanga Karite does more than benefit a "village"
or "villagers." Purchasing from Agbanga Karite not only
benefits the individuals that craft our unrefined shea butter and
other virgin oils, but also their communities and Togo overall.
First, the women who craft our oils and butters are paid fair, steady
incomes regardless of whether we sell the products or not. Second,
we allocate a percentage of our income to the communities where
our products are produced. Third, the influx of capital into Togo
provides an economic resource that helps local economies become
self sufficient. Please see our members'
page, income allocation,
community projects and
fair trade policies
for more information.
How does Agbanga Karite differ from other shea
butter suppliers?
We are a genuinely African-owned organization with
our own shea butter processing centers in central and southern Togo.
We have direct control over the production of our products, which
ensures that quality is consistent. We differ from other African
shea butter suppliers in that we maintain an office in the United
States that handles all customer service and financial transactions.
Please see our philosophy
and about us pages for
more information.
All text and images on
this site are the property of Agbanga Karite and are copyright protected.
Please do not use our images or text without our
written authorization. Unauthorized use, plagiarism, and image theft
damage our credibility and the authenticity of the information.
Please contact us if
you are our customer and are interested in using our information
and/or image on your website. Thank you for your understanding.
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