Lush Cosmetics: Replanting the Sumatra with Orangutan Soap

There are only 14,600 Sumatran orangutans left in the wild, and the world's dependency on palm oil is a big contributor to this ever-dwindling figure. Clear-cutting vast portions of the Sumatra to plant this one crop has devastated orangutans' natural habitats and forced to them to the edge of extinction. For orangutans to survive, something needs to be done—and soon. The good news is that, with the right agricultural techniques that promote replanting and rewilding of the forest, native wildlife can repopulate and prosper within just a few years. To that end, Lush headquarters around the world have pledged to contribute to the purchase of a plot of deforested land on the border of the rainforest in Cinta Raja, Sumatra. So how can you help? That's where Orangutan Soap comes in. This patchouli and orange-scented sudser helps fund this vital reforestation project. We’ve created 14,600 Orangutan Soaps with 100% of the purchase price (minus tax) going to support the purchase of a palm plantation in Indonesia and help restore it back to native forest. The base of Orangutan Soap is palm-free and made with extra virgin coconut oil from Nias, Sumatra. The soaps will be available online on our websites from February 15 until it sells out. What about when the soap does sell out? Our long time philanthropic fundraiser, Charity Pot Body Lotion, also currently supports four groups that are also working to prevent environmental destruction, fighting climate change and protecting wil