Sourcing Stories: Explore the Origins of Cold Pressed Cranberry Oil

What is the product?

Our cold pressed Cranberry Oil is stunningly fresh and has a light, fruity aroma. Packed with anti-oxidants and essential fatty acids, this oil helps cell regeneration and is an excellent emollient, making it perfect for skin care formulations. Not only is it a nutrient packed plant oil but it’s an upcycled, zero waste product too!

How is it grown?

The cranberries that go into our cranberry oil are sustainably grown in Canada.

Cranberries are native to North America and the US and Canada are the world’s largest suppliers with Quebec and British Columbia as some of the key regions for growing.

Cranberries are grown on peat-rich fields often called beds or bogs that are covered by a dense mat of woody, cranberry vines. Cranberries grow on the vines throughout the spring and the summer, ready for harvesting between July and October. Once the cranberries are ready, they’re collected in a process known as wet harvesting.

How is it harvested?

Wet harvesting is when the cranberry bogs are flooded with 50-60cm of water (enough to cover the vine tips) about 12 hours before the harvest begins. The next day farmers walk through the bog or use a machine to gently shake the trees. This loosens the berries and makes them float to the surface. From here they are corralled and pulled through the water until they can be lifted out at the edge and loaded onto lorries.

How is the Cranberry Oil made?

We work with a cranberry processor who has been involved in cultivating and sustainably harvesting cranberries for generations.  They use cranberries from their own fields near Quebec, as well as other well-established farms to produce dried cranberries, juices and frozen fruits.

The production of cranberry juice results in millions of seeds being left over and these are then pressed to become Cranberry Seed Oil. Because of this, Cranberry Seed Oil as well as our Exfoliating Cranberry Seeds, are by-products and zero waste, making them an environmentally positive ingredient.

Once the cranberries have gone through the juicing process, our processing partner filters the seeds out. These are then pressed on a screw press which generates pressure to grind and crush the oil out of the seed. Cold pressing means that no heat or chemicals are used and the resulting oil retains its nutrient rich compounds.

What are the benefits of Cranberry Seed Oil?

Cranberry Oil is packed with skin rejuvenating components that moisturize and help with anti-aging. It’s rich in fatty acids and has a good balance of omega 3, 6 and 9 to help promote cell regeneration and deliver silky smooth skin. It’s also a good skin protector, bursting with antioxidants including Vitamins A, C and E.

Cranberry has a light, fruity aroma and is ideal for use in skincare oils, serums, creams and lip balms. Not only that but because it’s loaded with nutrients and essential fatty acids, Cranberry Oil can help reduce dandruff, help scalp irritation and itching. These qualities make it the perfect oil to use for shampoos, conditioners and hair serums.