Source Botanicals
Something new in Africa!
Source Botanicals offers only the finest natural, wildcrafted and organic
botanical extracts and cosmetic products from across the African Continent.
 
Nilotica Shea Butter: the skin sings
Source Botanicals offers a full range of products based on Nilotica
shea-butter, from the nilotic Shea-butter tree, Vitellaria paradoxa
subspecies nilotica. Our shea-butter is cold-pressed from wildcrafted and
organic shea-nut by women producer groups in northern Uganda and Southern
Sudan - there is no finer natural-process shea-butter available on the
international market.
Proceeds from the sale of these products sustain the Shea Project for Local
Conservation and Development (The Shea Project).
Source Botanicals Shea Products
Source Botanicals offers the finest quality natural process shea butters,
packed in 100 ml flint glass jars with heavy phenolic cap and attractive
4-color label.
Products are cold-pressed from wild-gathered, non-certified organic sheanut
by producers in northern Uganda and Southern Sudan.
Nilotica Unscented Shea Butter

The softest shea butter on the market, melts easily into the skin.
min. 24 $7 per unit
min. 72 $5 per unit
min. 1000 $4.50 per unit
 
Nilotica Scented Shea Butter
Nilotica Shea Butter, lightly scented with a delicate blend of all-natural
essential oils of frankincense (Somali beyo), African geranium and ylang
ylang.
min. 24 $7.50 per unit
min. 72 $5.50 per unit
min. 1000 $5.00 per unit
 
New Sudan Unscented Shea Butter
A denser, more fragrant shea butter, sticky with unsaponifiables.
min. 24 $7 per unit
min. 72 $5 per unit
min. 1000 $4.50 per unit
 
New Sudan Scented Shea Butter
New Sudan Shea Butter, lightly scented with a delicate blend of all-natural
essential oils of frankincense (Somali beyo), African geranium and ylang
ylang.
min. 24 $7.50 per unit
min. 72 $5.50 per unit
min. 1008 $5.00 per unit
 
 
Bulk Prices:

Source Botanicals Nilotica Shea Butter Products
Source Botanicals offers the following prices for its ethical trade shea
butter products, made by women's producer groups in Northern Uganda and
Southern Sudan.
Price discounts for higher volumes are very considerable.
 
Nilotica Whole Shea-butter
The original - soft and smooth. Pure cold-pressed whole nilotica
shea-butter from the Northern Uganda Shea Processors Association (NUSPA).
Nilotica Whole
Shea Butter
per kg: per lb:
Orders minimum 9kg / 20 pounds: $ 29.70 $ 13.50
Orders over 25 kg / 55 lb: $ 27.50 $ 12.50
Orders over 50 kg / 110 lbs: $ 25.00 $ 11.50
Orders over 100 kg / 220 lbs: $ 21.00 $ 9.50
Orders over 500 kg / 1100 lbs: $ 16.50 $ 7.50
Orders over 1000 kg / 2200 lbs: $ 12.10 $ 5.50
 
Source Botanicals Nilotica Shea Butter Fractions
Nilotica Shea Oleate
The oleate fraction of cold-pressed nilotica shea-butter, very smooth and
creamy. A semi-liquid at room temperature (about the consistency of olive
oil in the refrigerator). Excellent for massage products, and for
nourishing therapeutic or cosmetic formulations.
Nilotica
Shea Oleate
per kg: per lb:
Orders minimum 9kg / 20 pounds: $ 38.50 $ 17.50
Orders over 25 kg / 55 lb: $34.10 $15.50
Orders over 50 kg / 110 lbs: $ 29.70 $ 13.50
Orders over 100 kg / 220 lbs: $ 25.00 $ 11.50
Orders over 500 kg / 1100 lbs: $ 21.00 $ 9.50
Orders over 1000 kg / 2200 lbs: $ 16.50 $ 7.50
 
Nilotica Shea Olein
Incomparable silky texture on the skin, the lightest liquid oil fraction of
cold-pressed nilotica shea-butter. Also known as "Precious". Perfect for
the finest serums and facial products. Production to order, 6-8 weeks
delivery.
Orders minimum 9kg / 20 pounds:
US $61.60 / kg, US $28.00 / lb
Orders over 55 pounds / 25 kg:
US $55 / kg, US $25 / lb
 
New Sudan Shea-butter
A new product from women's producer groups in the SPLM-administered areas
of New Sudan (Southern Sudan). Thick, 'sticky' consistency, naturally
higher in unsaponifiables.
New Sudan
Shea Butter
per kg: per lb:
Orders minimum 9kg / 20 pounds: $ 29.70 $ 13.50
Orders over 25 kg / 55 lb: $ 27.50 $ 12.50
Orders over 50 kg / 110 lbs: $ 25.00 $ 11.50
Orders over 100 kg / 220 lbs: $ 21.00 $ 9.50
Orders over 500 kg / 1100 lbs: $ 16.50 $ 7.50
Orders over 1000 kg / 2200 lbs: $ 12.10 $ 5.50

What is Shea Butter?
Shea butter is a natural botanical product derived from the seed of the
wild savanna fruit tree Vitellaria paradoxa, found from Senegal to Ethiopia
and Uganda. As a medicinal, cosmetic and cultural product, shea butter is
unique in the world; it is not hard to understand why the shea tree is held
as sacred by nearly all the peoples who live with the tree.

With a solid form in West Africa (the paradoxa variety) and a softer
consistency in eastern and highland Africa (the nilotica variety), shea
butter has a wide range of nourishing effects, both as a nutritious food
oil and in body care. Shea butter is a precious natural resource of the
ancient savanna woodland, and has long been the domain of women.
Since the days of the pharaohs, shea butter has been prized for its healing
properties in skin care, based on the activity of its unique and active
natural compounds (including karitene and butyrospermol, along with high
levels of allantoin), which are known to promote healing and promote
regeneration of healthy skin.

In recent years, shea butter has come to be appreciated internationally as
an active therapeutic ingredient in the most elegant and effective hair and
skin care products; even a tiny fraction of shea butter in the ingredient
list adds great value to any cosmetic formulation.

Shea butter is used an anti-inflammatory and an emollient, to soothe dry,
chapped or damaged skin, and to activate healing of wounds. Shea butter
moisturises hair as well as skin, with deep penetrative properties. Shea
butter has an anti-elastase action, which promotes a supple and flexible
skin texture and is active against wrinkles.

Shea butter is used for the treatment of stretch marks during or after
pregnancy, on dermatoses including eczema and rosacea, on mild sunburn,
and superficial burns. Naturally rich in tocapherol (vitamin E), shea
butter has an anti-oxidant effect, protecting the skin from the ageing
effects of free radicals. Shea butter also activates circulation through
skin capillaries, promoting cell regeneration and healthy tissue growth.
As a 'nutraceutical,' shea oil (olein) is a healthy food oil, naturally
high in triterpene alcohols which have been proven to lower human
cholesterol. The Nilotic variety of eastern Africa is particularly rich in
olein.

Shea butter also has natural UV protective effects (estimated at SPF 2 to
4), without interfering with the skin's natural production of vitamin D in
sunlight. Shea butter has no known toxicity, and is considered
non-allergenic and safe for use on infants. Indeed, in societies who live
with the tree, it is commonly used as an anointing and protective balm on
baby's skin at birth.

In cosmetic formulations, shea butter is used as a choice and active
ingredient in emollient creams and lotions for dry, sensitive and delicate
skin; softening hand and foot creams; nourishing shampoos and conditioners
for brittle, dry, damaged or delicate hair; baby skin and hair care
products; anti-wrinkle creams for mature skin, particularly around the
eyes; anti stretch-mark creams; sun and after-sun products, lip balms, body
butters and massage products.

In its pure form, shea butter is most effective in moisturising, soothing
and protecting dry or damaged skin, to promote healing and regeneration of
healthy skin, and to help prevent or clear stretch marks and prevent wrinkles.
Since the therapeutic substances in shea butter are found in its delicate
non-fatty (or unsaponifiable) fraction, the therapeutic value of shea
butter may be greatly reduced if it is chemically processed. Cold-pressed
(crushed) shea butter is richest in therapeutic unsaponifiables.
 
Source Botanicals and The Shea Project
While there are many shea butters on the market internationally, there is a
very wide range of qualities available. The market has been dominated for a
century by West African shea butter, usually chemically processed and
refined into a hard, white fat which has no odor or color. Most of this
product is extracted industrially in Europe, or refined there from
low-quality 'crude' shea butter of West African origin.

In eastern Africa, shea butter has only recently been developed as a
high-quality product, particularly under the Shea Project for Local
Conservation and Development (The Shea Project). As production areas in
Uganda, Sudan and Central Africa are far from ocean ports, export of the
raw material is not an option, and shea butter from the Nilotic variety has
instead been developed into a natural process export-grade product with a
very high value.

Nilotica shea butter produced under the Shea Project is a wild-crafted,
non-certified organic and natural process cold-pressed (crushed) shea
butter which is not refined or chemically treated. Nilotica shea butter is
sold in pure form to discerning consumers under the Source Botanicals label.
Source Botanicals recognises that product quality is directly related to
producer equity and ownership by women, who maintain a vital link between
the family and the natural environment.

Source Botanicals works directly with producers - mainly rural women - to
ensure the highest standards of product quality, and a premium price
directly to the producer. Production of Nilotica shea butter is carefully
supervised and recorded, down to the origin and quality of the shea nuts
from which each batch is produced. Prices paid to the producer are three to
five times higher than local prices for traditional shea butter.
Income to women from shea butter helps to maintain a healthy household,
providing income needed for food, clothing, education and medical care, and
a wide variety of productive investments which help develop the local
economy. With increased household income from its sustainable use, the
value of the living shea tree has been increased, and greater economic
power given to women from this ancient women's resource.
For more information on Source Botanicals and the Shea Project, please
email us at

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