Where does our Shea Butter come from? We can show you!
We at Earth to Body are fortunate enough to have friends of the family who work with the Fédération NUNUNA. Our friends have personally met these hard working women of Burkina Faso, where this miraculous gift comes from. We asked them to take some photos and write a description of this organically grown and fair trade product. We hope this allows you to feel a closer connection to the Shea Butter we use and to the hard-working women who yield it.
“Our shea butter is imported from the Fédération NUNUNA, a Union shea butter producer groups based in Léo, Burkina Faso. Located 165 km outside of Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso, the Fédération NUNUNA consists of 4596 women producers of shea butter and sesame oil.
Our shea butter is purchased according to the principles of fair trade, meaning that producers are paid equitable prices for their products. Fair trade also implies environmentally sustainable production techniques, trade with democratic producer cooperatives, as well as safe and dignified working conditions. The Fédération NUNUNA was the first association to receive its fair trade shea butter certification in the world.
The Fédération NUNUNA reinvests profits into its community, resulting in literacy programs and the building of schools and health clinics. It is strongly committed to protecting the shea tree, thereby leading to the species’ conservation.”
The Burkinabé villagers refer to the Shea tree as "Women's Gold". It is considered extremely important in Burkina Faso. After cotton and livestock, Shea nuts are the country's third most important export.
The oil is extracted from the kernel of the sheanut.
The women of Burkina Faso work hard to process the nuts by crushing and grinding them to yield Shea Butter. (Also see photo above)
Shea Butter is high in fatty acids, vitamins and minerals and is also used in chocolate and cooking.
We are extremely proud of our Shea Butter!
We use shea in several products, but to truly experience the 'Women's Gold' try our Sheamu Butter or our Shargan Butter
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