Organic alcohol is the primary ingredient in our Organic Hand Sanitizing Spray. We source our alcohol from a sustainable supplier in Ecuador.
Our medical-grade alcohol is made from sugar cane that has traditionally been produced by small farmers in the steep hills of the Bolivar and Cotopaxi provinces of Ecuador. Since 2003, the Rural Forestation and Progress Network Corporation has worked with small farmers there and has provided training and appropriate technology for organic farming, alcohol purification and better environmental practices. They have also helped five small cooperatives organize themselves into a consortium, the Sweet Organic Agri-Artisanal Consortium (or CADO in Spanish). CADO pays its members a fair price for their organic alcohol and contributes a “social premium” (i.e., Fair Trade premium) which goes into community development projects. Dr. Bronner’s has supported CADO with its fair trade certification by IMO, which has allowed it to expand its customer base in Western countries.