Coconut oil opens door for more business in Samoa

By Elizabeth Ah-Hi 26 March 2018, 12:00AM

Young social enterprise, Ethique New Zealand, has expanded and risen in the ranks of cruelty free and climate friendly-based cosmetics in the world.

And it is helping Samoa as it does.

One of the main ingredients is the secret to their beauty product range of beauty bar soaps for hair, skin and body is sourced right here in Samoa straight from our organic farmers.

As the company sees a meteoric rise in the demand for their products so too has their demand for virgin coconut oil.

Since their partnership with Women in Business Development Inc. (W.I.B.D.I) began in 2016 their orders have more than doubled and Ethique are looking to source more products and natural ingredients from Samoa.

Speaking to the Samoa Observer Founder, Brianne West, who is a qualified Scientist, said that partnering up with W.I.B.D.I was an easy decision based on the quality of the oil produced here.

She said it was important for them to support a ‘local’ neighbour country in the Pacific.

 “We likaed the idea for three reasons; the first is that W.I.B.D.I is a fantastic organisation doing fantastic things in Samoa,” she said. 

“I know Adi personally and I know how much she cares about the Pacific Islands. Also, the quality of the oil and other products is second to none and our customers love it and thirdly, Samoa is so local to us.”

 “We use the coconut oil in almost everything. It is almost in every one of our hair care bars, shampoo and conditioner, as well as our face cleansers and bodywash bars.”

The Christchurch-based C.E.O. is planning to return to Samoa to do some filming this year and she hopes to source some more products and possibly natural ingredients from the island.

 “I visited Samoa in 2016 and will be back again in a few months to film a video about W.I.B.D.I and the coconut oil. 

“I really enjoyed my time there, meeting people who work in all aspects of the cooperative. I hope to source more in the future, there are lots of options. We are also purchasing coconut shell soap dishes and looking at some other ingredients too.”

According to Ms. West, Ethique was founded in 2012 and was born out of her passion and mission to rid the world of plastic bottles starting the cosmetics industry. 

All of Ethique’s beauty products are sold in biodegradable and compostable packaging.

The young beauty company was named in a list of the U.S. Foreign Policy magazine’s 100 leading ‘Global Thinkers’ of 2016 – appearing a long side billionaire philanthropists like Melinda Gates and Mark Zuckerberg.

By Elizabeth Ah-Hi 26 March 2018, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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