Oncidium mask

[RoseSD]

Did you know that in Taiwan, sticky juice inside oncidium psudobulb is the main ingredient for a very popular and effective facial disposable mask? Apparently it is enriched with polysaccharides, Mannan, vitamin C.
Can't wait to try it out.

[Diane56Victor]

Oh no! yet another reason for unscrupulous orchid hunters to ravage areas for profit.

[RoseSD]

Originally Posted by Diane56Victor

Oh no! yet another reason for unscrupulous orchid hunters to ravage areas for profit.

I don't know what you are talking about dear. The masks are manufactured directly by successful orchid nurseries in Taiwan that export millions of oncidiums (and other orchids) to where you buy your orchids. Taiwan exports orchids to at least 36 countries globally.
Did you know that 75% of phals we buy in the USA came from Taiwan?

[Diane56Victor]

If there is enough money to be made you will pay for it in other ways, such as more expensive plants as it will be so much cheaper for those nurseries not to actually grow the plants for sale but just to harvest the pbulbs.....dear.

[tmoney]

interesting for sure. the girls dad planted a bunch of pomegranates for the skin care beauty industry, and as those markets go it's now pretty abysmal return and there is a better return for food grade / eating pomegranate. you cant blame those growers for trying to make the most out of what they have. and if folks are buying stock for whatever reason, then hey, good on em

[RoseSD]

Originally Posted by Diane56Victor

If there is enough money to be made you will pay for it in other ways, such as more expensive plants as it will be so much cheaper for those nurseries not to actually grow the plants for sale but just to harvest the pbulbs.....dear.

I am still unclear what your worries are or about? You don't like facials? 😂

[Roberta]

Some of us have issues with killing orchids (even "farmed" ones) to make products from their parts. In too many places, greedy people don't limit themselves to the farmed ones.

[RoseSD]

Originally Posted by Roberta

Some of us have issues with killing orchids (even "farmed" ones) to make products from their parts. In too many places, greedy people don't limit themselves to the farmed ones.

It's all about context. Technology has enabled mass production of orchids (and save the wild ones from being poached) and the market demands have led to different parts of the plants for various uses. For example, in this nursery they export only the cut ocidium flowers to Japan as that's what Japanese like to buy (like we buy cut roses). I wouldn't consider the use of psudobulb as cosmetics ingredients inappropriate in anyway, unless some thinks cut roses or rose flavored fragrance are inappropriate also? Not knowing the context and only inject one's own bias only leads to unnecessary misunderstandings.

[Ray]

Originally Posted by RoseSD

Technology has enabled mass production of orchids (and save the wild ones from being poached)...

But it doesn't.

[Dimples]

Originally Posted by RoseSD

It's all about context. Technology has enabled mass production of orchids (and save the wild ones from being poached) and the market demands have led to different parts of the plants for various uses.

The problem isn't so much with the large manufacturers going out and poaching wild plants; they know better than to try that, it's much easier and legally safer to grow their own. The problem arises when individuals decide to capitalize on the newfound market by poaching wild plants for a quick buck. We're seeing that here in California and other parts of the US Southwest and northern Mexico with our native white sage populations. Sage bundles have grown in popularity and while there are people growing nursery-acquired plants for their materials, there are a lot of people going out and unsustainably harvesting wild plants. It's so bad in this case that wild populations in some areas are on the verge of being wiped out, and that isn't even considering the impacts this is having on our native tribes.

So, it's very likely that wild orchids will suffer a similar fate due to the increased demand. This isn't to say that using orchids for cosmetics is inherently wrong, just that ignoring the unpleasant and damaging consequences of the new use isn't something we should do.