Argan Nursery and Forest in Essaouira, Morocco

The argan oil industry’s impact on rural empowerment is growing nationwide, in part, because of international demand on women's cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. The National Initiative for Human Development (INDH) launched in Morocco in 2005, which aims to “reduce poverty, grow the economy, and strengthen the kingdom’s social fabric” through participatory development, directly contributes to that industry's growth (Perry et al, 2019). Despite the 2011 Constitutional reforms and the 2004 Family Code (Moudawana) that reinforce INDH's priority, particularly with rural agriculture, women’s lives in rural Morocco have not significantly changed because funding and oversight are not enough. Women (and men) in these communities need additional skills that begin with conversations about their goals.

Argan oil production in Morocco is female-driven – the domain of Amazigh women for centuries – so the economic growth should provide a better life for them. Research reveals their strength and resourcefulness, financially supporting themselves despite illiteracy and immobility (social and physical). However, these women are often exploited if they lack basic business skills. While involvement in INDH cooperatives does more than just boost income – increasing optimism and improving freedom of movement – there is not a definitive correlation between working and financial independence for them. Without education, particularly numeracy, women are less likely to control their earnings and more likely to be victimized. Similarly, men are more likely to support women in their endeavors if the men have their own financial goals. Investing in women’s education and numeracy while also helping men to set these financial goals was cited as "the only reliable predictor of men recognizing opportunities in the communities for women to improve their lives."

This is where the High Atlas Foundation comes in. By engaging community members in conversations about their needs and finding out what they want for themselves, such financial goals are established, paving the way for more successful cooperatives, and providing the necessary mathematical, financial, and managerial skills through programs such as USAID's Farmer-to-Farmer. HAF has also partnered with FRÉ skincare to empower women’s cooperatives and their communities in the Essaouira province (Marrakech-Safi region), where they have great potential to spread organic agricultural and processing practices, especially with argan.

Initiated in 2018 with the joint FRÉ-HAF planting of 2,000 argan trees for the 40-women Izouran cooperative of Essaouira’s Smimou municipality, this provided not only income and environmental benefits, but also training workshops and school supplies for their children (helping combat high dropout rates still pervasive in rural areas). FRÉ and HAF significantly expanded their sustainability initiative in 2019 by planting 2,600 argan trees with three additional women’s cooperatives in Essaouira and 13,000 argan seeds in an HAF community nursery in the Marrakech region. In 2020, this increased to 33,000 seeds that will eventually be transplanted to the women’s cooperatives’ properties. To successfully translate this partnership into more action, FRÉ and HAF are planning to help the cooperatives with FRÉ’s direct purchase and export of their argan cosmetic products. These actions will certainly have a very positive impact on the women’s economic level and also promote business expansion and create more job opportunities.

Perry, Wendy, O. Rappe, A. Boulhaoua, L. Hassan Loux, Y. Elhouss, H. Ait Ahssain, Z. Ait Barich, H. Akhiyat, T. Aznague, and S. Hraid. “Argan oil and the question of empowerment in rural Morocco.” The Journal of North African Studies, vol 24, no 5, 2019, pages 830-859.

Our two core missions are to empower women and protect the planet. When women are strong, when women lead, the world is stronger and safer.
Thanks to all of you, the FRÉnds, we have already planted 33,000 Argan Trees in Morocco with the High Atlas Foundation, thus empowering more than 3,000 women who harvest Argan Oil. Thank you for making that possible.
As we are celebrating our 4th birthday on June 25, we have decided to work on a new phase of our social mission.
Our dream has always been to be a movement for social change and we feel the time has come to start a new moment in the FRÉ journey.
We will of course continue to plant Argan trees in Morocco and to enrich our action, we want to add a US-based and global social action.
In the coming days and weeks, we are organizing a brainstorming with the FRÉ Ambassadors to define how we can promote racial justice and equal opportunities.

FRÉnds 2020 is here and we are now able to share with you the number of Argan trees we'll plant this winter in Morocco, thanks to the 2019 FRÉ Sets sales. So, we will plant .... 18,000 Argan trees! Yes, than last year! We are very proud of this fantastic achievement of the FRÉ Community and thank each of you for your contribution With the trees planted this year, 1,800 Moroccan women who harvest Argan oil in cooperatives will double their income, improve their quality of life, give a better education to their children and support their families. We will also contribute to the fight against global warming and Argan deforestation. In the coming weeks, we'll keep you informed about the Argan trees planting with the High Atlas Foundation, our philanthropic partner. THANK YOU FRÉndsYOU made this collective achievement possible!!! 

We are not a brand. We are a movement!

On “FRÉ Day”, June 21, we celebrated two years of action!

FRÉ was born with a passion to create the best skin care solution for active skin, and a passion to create a brand with a real social impact. We even dreamt of leading the way and showing the world that corporations can be social game-changers if they have the will to contribute to human progress.

It is only the beginning of our journey, but today, we wanted to share with you, our FRÉnds some of our community’s achievements. Our mission is to lead change around two issues that we consider to be the calling of our generation: protecting our planet and empowering women. We believe that our world is currently unbalanced since women still do not fulfill their full leadership potential. When women are strong, the world is stronger. When women are free, the world is freer. And when women’s communities rise, whole societies rise.

One Set, One Tree

For every set sold, we plant an Argan Tree of Life in Morocco.

Thanks to you, and to our partners at the High Atlas Foundation, we’ve planted over 15,000 trees so far! We also provide workshops and educational tools for women’s cooperatives in the Essaouira region, as well as for their children and families.

We plant 1,000 times more trees than we use and love this program because planting a tree has a strong and concrete impact. Planting one tree helps double the annual income of Moroccan women who produce Argan Oil. Eachtree also replenishes the endangered Argan forest and ensures the livelihood of local cooperatives for years to come.