Planting Trees With The High Atlas Foundation

Our One Set, One Tree Program means that for every skincare set you buy, FRÉ plants an argan tree, also known as the "Tree of Life", to help replenish the endangered argan forests and support women who harvest argan oil in Morocco. For Earth Week we doubled this so that for each set sold, 2 trees were planted! Thanks to you, our amazing community, we have planted a total of 33,500 trees since FRÉ was born 4 years ago. 

Argan trees have a multi-layered impact on the environment and economy by creating sustainable development, protecting the planet and empowering women.

Argan in FRÉ

All the oil used in FRÉ’s products comes from women’s cooperatives in Morocco. The oil has magical properties that make it perfect for skin that sweats. It is 80% fatty acids and is deeply moisturizing and replenishing without leaving skin greasy. The sterols present in argan diminish the cell membrane damage caused by UVA and UVB radiation. They also protect skin against cellular stress and promote cell regeneration. The combination of tocopherol, fatty acids and potent antioxidants mean that argan naturally restores shine to dull looking skin and hair.

Our patent-pending Argania Active Complex is the core of FRÉ and goes further than argan oil alone. It's a unique combination of argan oil, leaf water and stem cells that fights the signs of aging, breakouts and helps build skin resilience. Our research in partnership with Dr. Sharon Rozenblat, botanical dermatology expert, and The Dead Sea Arava Science Center shows that this potent formula is even more powerful than chemical ingredients when it comes to anti-inflammation, anti-oxidation, and repairing and preventing UV damage. 

The evolution of argan cooperatives in Morocco

In the 1970s, argan was extracted by hand, usually through a very painstaking process, and generally by women who worked for pennies on the streets. These women did not benefit from their hard labor. However, all this changed when Moroccan scientist Zoubida Charrouf began to transform what was an environmental and economic problem into a opportunity for growth and empowerment through women's argan cooperatives. You can read more about her work HERE.

Creating sustainable development & empowering women

Today argan trees have a multi-layered impact on the environment and economy by creating sustainable development, protecting the planet and empowering women. We are proud partners of the High Atlas Foundation (HAF), an NGO that promotes organic agriculture, women’s empowerment, youth development, education, and health. HAF’s efforts focus on sustainable agriculture, education, health, women’s and youth empowerment, and capacity-building.

The argan or “liquid gold” is stored in small seeds that are later harvested by the women’s cooperatives.

The process of planting

In Morocco, the process of planting Argan trees starts at the Imgdal tree nursery where argan seeds are planted. When they become saplings they are transferred to land belonging to farmers and women’s cooperatives. HAF begins their work by buying argan seeds from the local farmers and cooperatives. The argan seeds must be placed in water to soak and soften for a few days. Once soft, the seeds are moved to a sunny and humid area, and when the plant starts emerging from the seeds they are planted in soil.

HAF has planted 31,000 argan seeds so far this year, and by the end of next week, will plant an additional 19,000 Argan seeds. By the end of May a total of 50,000 Argan seeds will be planted at the Imgdal tree nursery. If seeds don’t grow, they are replaced with new ones. Once planted, argan seeds take 50 years to reach fruiting maturity, and grow to 8-10 meters with a lifespan of 200 years or more. On the branches, fleshy pods emerge that are home to hard-shelled kernels. This is where the argan or “liquid gold” is stored in small seeds that are later harvested by the women’s cooperatives.