Little Soap Company, a pioneer in eco-friendly soap products since 2008, has reaffirmed its commitment to using RSPO-certified Palm Oil and Palm Oil derivatives across its range of natural soaps and personal care products.
When palm oil is produced sustainably, it has positive social, economic and environmental impacts. When it is produced unsustainably, the effects can be negative. This distinction has led to misleading myths about palm oil.
“As a responsible business, we are committed to ensuring all the Palm Oil we use is sustainably sourced and certified by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO),” says Emma Heathcote-James, founder of Little Soap Company. “Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do, and we believe it’s possible to use Palm Oil in a way that benefits the environment, wildlife, and communities, while also ensuring high-quality products for our customers.”
Read Little Soap Company’s full Palm Oil Statement here.
The discourse around Palm Oil is back on the news agenda following the European Union Commission’s decision to extend the deadlines for the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) to the end of 2025 for large companies and June 2026 for smaller enterprises.
The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that 420 million hectares of forest — an area larger than the EU — were lost to deforestation between 1990 and 2020. EU consumption represents around 10% of global deforestation. Palm oil and soya account for more than two-thirds of this.
Little Soap Company acknowledges the environmental and ethical concerns surrounding Palm Oil. However, Emma Heathcote-James emphasizes that Palm Oil, when sustainably grown and harvested, can have less environmental impact than alternatives.
“Palm Oil is the most productive oil crop globally. Replacing it with alternatives would require significantly more land, potentially causing further deforestation and harm to biodiversity,” she explains.
Little Soap Company’s commitment to sustainability aligns with the RSPO’s mission to create a fully transparent supply chain. “We need to focus on improving the industry rather than banning Palm Oil outright. Sustainable sourcing ensures we support smallholders and communities while working to protect forests and wildlife,” Emma adds.
Learn more about the RSPO here.
Little Soap Company also supports the EU’s decision to extend the EUDR timeline, giving small producers more time to align with the regulations. “It’s essential to find the right balance—progress needs to be inclusive, and small-scale farmers must not be excluded from the global supply chain,” Emma concludes.
Little Soap Company continues to lead by example, having always used only RSPO palm oil offering eco-conscious customers ethical products that prioritize sustainability without compromising on quality.
Find out more about Little Soap Company’s naturally-based soap bars here.