

In case you didn’t read our previous blog post, we’re going to reiterate a little bit and then tell you how to avoid supporting this practice. The demand for coconut oil has gone up as many vegans and other conscience consumers stopped using palm oil. But the shocking twist here is that coconut oil is not cruelty free- not by a long shot. The problem is that in many regions the coconuts are picked by enslaved monkeys, many of which had previously inhabited the region. Yes, you heard that right, there are companies that support the slavery of intelligent creatures and there is a chance that you’re buying a product from a company that supports this practice.
How it Works
Sadly, many of these monkeys are born in captivity and never have a chance to socialize with others of their kind. Even more tragically, however, many monkeys are stolen from nursing mothers and forced to live out their lives in small cages. So how is it that this is happening right under our noses? How is it that no one has noticed? The truth is that people have noticed, and very few are actually taking action against it. The monkey training facilities are often used as tourist destinations with the proceeds going to fund this reprehensible practice.
It’s a serious problem, and it almost seems unstoppable, but there are measures you can take in your life to make sure that you aren’t lending your support to these companies. We understand that the products you buy in the store probably aren’t going to say something along the lines of ‘Product Supplied by Enslaved Monkeys’, but we have managed to pull together a pretty comprehensive list of companies confirmed to not support this practice. In addition to that, they dedicate themselves to avoiding the use of child labor while ensuring that all coconut pickers are paid fairly for their labor.
Companies who do NOT use monkey slave labor:
3 Buddhas Coconut Water
Alaffia
Artisana Organics
Aunt Patty’s
Ayam
Better Body Foods
Big Tree Farms
Bio Planète
Carrington Farms
Cha’s Organics
Coconut Bliss
Coconut Magic (Australia)
Coconut Secret
Dr.
Bronner’s
Earth Circle Organics
Edward & Sons
Essential Trading
Harmless Harvest
La Tourangelle Artisan Oils
Maison Orphee
MELT Organics
Naked Coconuts
Native Pacific “Banaban” (Queensland)
Natural Value
Nutiva
Ojio (Ultimate Superfoods)
Sanso-Boeki LLC (Japan)
Silk
So Delicious
Spectrum Organics
Trader Joe’s
Tropical Traditions
Vita Coco
Sticking to these products is not going to stop the practice entirely – it’s really only the tip of the iceberg, but you’re contributing to a cause, and you’re sending a clear message to companies that you won’t tolerate practices like these. With our voices combined in solidarity, it’s a strong message to send.