Sustainable skincare isn’t just about what we put into a bottle. It’s about what we give back. Behind every ingredient we use is a landscape, a history, and a community. These are the people who know the land best: farmers, foragers, craftspeople, elders. Their knowledge not only shapes the way we formulate, but also guides how we give back.
For us, ethical sourcing is only the beginning. From Papua to Borneo, we reinvest back into local initiatives that strengthen community resilience, safeguard biodiversity, and ensure that the people behind our ingredients benefit directly from the success they help create.
Papua: Planting Seeds for the Future
In the highlands of Wamena, buah merah (red fruit) isn’t just a skin-nourishing powerhouse — it’s a symbol of protection, healing, and family tradition. Today, buah merah also supports something else: education.
As a way of giving back, we’re committing a portion of proceeds from our Papua Red Fruit Plumping Cream to support education-focused initiatives in the region. While details are still being finalised, our goal is to help expand access to education and create long-term opportunities for children in underserved communities.
Because when we invest in the future of a place, we also invest in its power to thrive — culturally, socially, and ecologically.
Restoring Forests with Illipe Tree Planting in Borneo
Every two to three years, the mighty Shorea stenoptera trees in the rainforests of Borneo drop their nuts — the source of Illipe Butter, a rich, skin-conditioning botanical oil used in our Illipe Plumping Lip Butter. But for the Dayak communities, illipe has long been more than an ingredient. It’s part of a deep-rooted relationship with the forest.
Historically, surplus illipe nuts were often discarded due to a lack of local demand. Today, by sourcing directly from Forestwise, our supplier in West Kalimantan, we're helping turn this once-overlooked resource into a viable livelihood by creating job opportunities in wild harvesting, drying, and small-scale processing.
During our visit to Kalimantan, we toured the Forestwise processing facility — the very place where much of this transformation happens. Seeing how local skills and knowledge transform forest harvests into high-quality Illipe Butter reminded us that this is more than a supply chain. It’s the backbone of our ability to give back — making regenerative sourcing and community investment not just possible, but sustainable.
To further support the ecosystems and communities that make this ingredient possible, we also partnered with Bumiterra, an Indonesian-led reforestation initiative. Together, we’ve helped plant 460 native seedlings, including over 100 illipe trees, on ancestral land in West Kalimantan. For every ton of Illipe Butter we purchase, 13.5 hectares of rainforest are protected for a minimum of three years. It is a small but meaningful contribution to biodiversity and climate resilience.
Alongside this, co-founder Maudy Ayunda and members of our team visited SD Negeri 04 in Desa Rumbih, where she read from children’s books she authored and joined tree-planting activities with students. It was a joyful moment of learning that brought environmental stewardship to life — not just in theory, but through action.
Because this work is about more than just trees. It’s about restoring ecosystems, honoring indigenous knowledge, and sustaining livelihoods. In many ways, we’re replanting the very roots of our own success.
By giving back to the land that powers one of our most beloved products, we’re helping ensure its benefits continue for the next generation and beyond. It’s not charity. It’s a reflection of what we owe to the land, and to the people who care for it.
Beyond the Formula: A Shared Responsibility
When we talk about our ingredients, we’re also telling the stories of the people and places behind them. These aren’t just peripheral efforts; they’re central to our mission. Whether it's opening doors to education in Papua or creating job opportunities through illipe sourcing in Borneo, we believe real impact happens when we commit, long-term, to the people who make our work possible.
And when you choose From This Island, you’re not just buying skincare. You’re joining a movement — one rooted in respect, reciprocity, and a deep love for the lands that nourish us all.
