Palm Oil in Soap Manufacturing: Which Grade Do You Need?
Palm oil is one of the two most important oils in soap manufacturing worldwide — the other being coconut oil. In traditional cold-process and hot-process soap making, palm oil provides hardness, longevity, and a stable lather. In industrial continuous saponification processes, the choice of palm oil grade depends on your final product (bar soap, liquid soap, laundry soap, or glycerin soap) and cost structure.
Thailand exports three main palm-derived raw materials for soap manufacturers:
| Grade | Typical Use | FOB Bangkok Price |
|---|---|---|
| Palm FFA 70% (PFAD) | Industrial soap, fatty acid feedstock | $550–$620/MT |
| RBD Palm Stearin | Hard bar soap, laundry soap | $750–$850/MT |
| RBD Palm Olein | Cosmetic soap, premium bar soap | $880–$1,020/MT |
| Crude Palm Oil (CPO) | Industrial saponification | $780–$870/MT |
Palm FFA 70% (PFAD) for Soap Manufacturing
Palm Fatty Acid Distillate (PFAD), also called Palm FFA 70% or Palm Acid Oil (PAO), is a by-product of the physical refining of crude palm oil. It contains 70–80% free fatty acids (primarily palmitic C16:0 and oleic C18:1 acids), making it an excellent low-cost feedstock for industrial soap production.
How soap manufacturers use PFAD: In the fatty acid route (continuous saponification), PFAD is split (hydrolysed at 250°C / 50 bar steam pressure) to produce purified fatty acids, which are then neutralised with NaOH (sodium hydroxide) or KOH to produce sodium or potassium soap (toilet soap base or laundry soap). This route avoids glycerin recovery complexity and is preferred for high-volume commodity soap manufacturing.
PFAD specifications for soap manufacturers: - Free Fatty Acid (FFA as palmitic): 70–80% - Iodine Value: 52–62 - Saponification Value: 195–205 mg KOH/g - Moisture: ≤0.5% - Impurities: ≤0.1%
Pricing: PFAD is the most economical palm-derived soap feedstock at $550–$620/MT FOB Bangkok — approximately 35–40% cheaper than RBD Palm Olein. For high-volume industrial soap manufacturers in Africa (Nigeria, Ghana, Ethiopia), PFAD is the preferred raw material.
RBD Palm Stearin for Bar Soap
RBD Palm Stearin is the solid fraction produced when RBD Palm Olein is fractionated (chilled and filtered). It has a higher iodine value than PFAD and a higher saturated fat content, producing harder, longer-lasting bars.
Saponification properties: - Saponification Value (SAP): 193–205 mg KOH/g - NaOH SAP value: 0.141 g NaOH per gram of oil - Iodine Value: 32–48 (lower than palm olein — harder bar) - INS (Iodine/SAP ratio): 145–175 (ideal range for hard soap is 160–185)
Application: RBD Palm Stearin at 30–50% in soap formulation produces a very hard, long-lasting bar with good lather. Typically blended with coconut oil (20–30% for lather) and castor oil (5% for creamy bubbles). Pure palm stearin soap is very hard but with minimal lather — always requires a lather-boosting oil like coconut.
Recommended Soap Formulation with Thai Palm Oil
Classic Hard Bar Soap (industrial/laundry): - RBD Palm Stearin: 45% - Coconut Oil (76°): 30% - PFAD: 20% - Castor Oil: 5% - NaOH (lye): calculated from combined SAP values - Water: 33% of oil weight
This formulation produces a laundry/utility bar soap with: hardness (INS ~165), good lather, and very low cost. Suitable for markets in Africa and South Asia where price competitiveness is critical.
Premium Cosmetic Bar Soap: - RBD Palm Olein: 40% - Coconut Oil 76°: 25% - RBD Rice Bran Oil: 15% - Shea Butter: 10% - Castor Oil: 10% - NaOH: calculated SAP - Water: 33% of oil weight
Superfatting at 5–8% produces a mild, conditioning cosmetic bar with a creamy, stable lather.
Sourcing Palm Oil for Soap from Thailand
Jit Aree exports all three palm-derived soap raw materials — PFAD, Palm Stearin, and RBD Palm Olein — with Halal certification (CICOT Thailand), RSPO-compliant supply chain documentation, and full Certificate of Analysis per batch.
MOQ: 1 × 20ft container — approximately 20–24 MT in flexitank (PFAD/liquid grades) or 18–20 MT in bags (palm stearin, solid grade).
Documentation: Commercial Invoice, BL, Packing List, CoA, Halal Certificate, SDS, Certificate of Origin (Form D for ASEAN buyers at 0% duty).
Contact our team with your required grade, volume, and destination port for a current FOB Bangkok price quotation.