Alternative to Lard

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Before I quit selling after covid hit, I sold as many non-vegan soaps with my tallow/lard recipe as my non-vegan high palm recipe soaps. BTW 40% Palm 27% Lard also makes a nice soap. Most recipes with 40% or higher palm and shea butter will move fast, so do not plan intricate swirling. Mixing lard and OO with Palm will help with slow trace along with a 30% lye concentration.

I would not use Avocado Oil over 40% for the simple reason Avocado oil at 100% gives 0 lather even with a 1 year cure time. Avocado soap with Avocado and Avocado was a standard soap in my line of soaps.
 
not necessarily. Muslims might have an issue with lard in their soap, but not palm oil
Also some Jewish people. Although my neighbor knows my soap has lard and she’s fine with that.
Well, now these are religious issues, not ethical issues. However, just because one belongs to a religion which observes dietary food laws, that does not equate to restrictions of other uses of those products.

For example, in my youth, we observed specific dietary food laws that restricted us from eating any animal without a cloven hoof or any shell fish, among other things. That did NOT mean that we did not wear or use leather shoes or belts made from those animals or that we didn't collect seashells, etc. Dietary food laws only applied to the consumption as food and nothing else.
 
Well, now these are religious issues, not ethical issues. However, just because one belongs to a religion which observes dietary food laws, that does not equate to restrictions of other uses of those products.

For example, in my youth, we observed specific dietary food laws that restricted us from eating any animal without a cloven hoof or any shell fish, among other things. That did NOT mean that we did not wear or use leather shoes or belts made from those animals or that we didn't collect seashells, etc. Dietary food laws only applied to the consumption as food and nothing else.

Interesting. How does one differentiate? Without getting too philosophical, aren’t our ethics rooted in religious beliefs? (Not challenging your statement, just curious because I find the history and origins of our beliefs interesting.)
 
Interesting. How does one differentiate? Without getting too philosophical, aren’t our ethics rooted in religious beliefs? (Not challenging your statement, just curious because I find the history and origins of our beliefs interesting.)
One does not have to be religious to believe in right and wrong, which is what ethics is about. Ethics is based on logic and reason, rather than traditions and doctrine.
 
^^^Everything Earlene said! There is a difference between a religious issue and an ethical one.

When I was considering selling soap, I asked a local rabbi if he would have a problem with using a lard soap. His reply (paraphrased) was that he wasn't going to eat the soap. He also said that other rabbis might have other opinions, but he was not aware of anyone that avoided using any non-food products that contained other porcine products.

You need to do your own research before using anything that your target market will have a problem with. Your outcome may be way different than mine.

My opinion on using lard is that it is a by-product of the meat industry. No one is raising pigs strictly for their lard. It is either going to be used or disposed of in a landfill. I might as well use it. And, as it makes awesome soap that is quite nice on my skin, I am going to keep using it. I do have a problem with people destroying habitat in order to grow more palm trees.
 
One does not have to be religious to believe in right and wrong, which is what ethics is about. Ethics is based on logic and reason, rather than traditions and doctrine.
Not arguing, just digging deeper. Which came first, the idea of rigjt and wrong, or religion. (I always thought our ideology stemmed from religion)
 
I think the topic has been derailed.
Not arguing, just digging deeper. Which came first, the idea of rigjt and wrong, or religion. (I always thought our ideology stemmed from religion)
How would I know? I am only 72. Mankind has lived on this earth a very long time, and I have no idea how philosophy or even religion or even ethics evolved from the neanderthal era (or earlier? or later?) I believe this discussion does not belong in this thread.

This thread is a about substitutions for lard. My apologies to @michael732.
 
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