About Shea Butter
Shea Butter Catalog
Order Shea Butter
 Customer Reviews on Shea Butter Shea Butter FAQ Tour of Togo Shea Butter 1-800-664-8005
Heal and Moisturize with Shea Butter
 

How we make our Virgin Palm Kernel Oil

Virgin palm kernel oil is sometimes referred to as "hand-oil" in central Togo, because each step requires hands and it is 100% hand-crafted.Our palm oils are produced from the fruit of wild oil palms that grow along the streams and rivers throughout central Togo. We do not use any commercial plantain-grown palm fruits in our oil production. The first step is to pound the oil palm fruit to remove the red skin, which is used to producer our virgin palm oil. After the red skin and fruit is removed from the palm seed, the seeds are spread in the sun to dry for several days. Once the seeds are dry, they are individually cracked by hand with a large stone and the palm kernel is removed from the hard shell. The kernels are once again dried in the sun to reduce the water content. The dried kernels are heated slightly in special clay pots until the oil is released from the meat. The oil is poured off into clean basins, left to sit for a day, and is finally filtered and poured into clean containers. As you can see, the process of crafting our exclusive virgin palm kernel oil takes several days. The results are worth this laborious process, however. Virgin palm kernel oil is the base of our African black soap, which is popular in Togo for its pure, gentle qualities.

Uses of our Virgin Palm Kernel Oil

In Togo, virgin palm kernel oil is used as a base for traditional soaps, as a moisturizer and healing oil, and as a cooking oil. During the Harmattan (a season of hot, dry winds), virgin palm kernel oil is used heavily to prevent dry skin and chapped lips. It is also used as massage oil.

Our virgin palm kernel oil is excellent for soap making. Palm kernel oil is a base oil that almost all soapers use in some percentage. Our virgin palm kernel oil has a wonderful light brown color and caramel fragrance. Refined palm kernel oil is white, and virtually odorless. Palm kernel oil resembles coconut oil in fatty acid composition and its performance in soaps. Like coconut oil, it is very stable, resists oxidation and has a superb shelf life. The high percentage of lauric acid in palm kernel oil allows it to produce a hard soap with an exceptional lather. In fact, virgin palm kernel oil is the base oil for our African black soap, and is the reason the soap lathers so well. Palm kernel oil can also increase the hardness of balm and stick products and gives soaps and balms a smooth texture. Soapmakers recommend keeping palm kernel percentages between 10 and 30% to maximize the moisturizing properties. If used in excess, palm kernel oil can cause soaps to be drying to the skin.

back

Please call us toll free at 1-800-664-8005
For inquiries outside the USA, Canada, and Africa, please call us at 1-1-800-664-8005

 

 

 

 
Natural Shea Butter Heals and Moisturizes
 


©2003-2004 Agbanga Karite, fair trade shea butter. All rights reserved.

 

 

 

Agbanga Karite is an African-owned producer and supplier of fair trade, traditional pure natural shea butter. Our shea butter is a very high quality shea butter crafted from select shea kernels. Pure virgin shea butter is also known as natural shea butter, unrefined shea butter, pure shea butter, African shea butter, shay butter, buerre de karite, and karite butter. Agbanga Karite also supplies virgin coconut oil, virgin palm kernel oil, virgin red palm oi, virgin cocoa butter and African black soap with a base of shea butter and virgin palm kernel oil. Our shea butter, virgin coconut oil, virgin palm kernel oil, virgin red palm oil and African black soap are excellent soap-making and lotion ingredients. Agbanga Karite is an African wholesale supplier and distributor of bulk shea butter, bulk virgin red palm oil, and bulk African black soap. Agbanga Karite produces shea butter, virgin coconut oil, African black soap,virgin red palm oil and virgin palm kernel oil in Togo, West Africa under fair trade principles. Agbanga Karite is working towards African self-empowerment by setting an example for other African shea butter and red palm oil producers and other African-owned companies throughout Africa.