Kapok seeds can be processed into oil. The principle of harvesting oil from kapok seeds is through pounding and pressing. According to kapok oil producers in Purwosari, Pasuruan Regency, East Java, Ceiba pentandra seed oil is of prime quality with a protein content of over 30%.

The process begins with cracking the seeds, pounding them, and then pressing them. A transparent, golden oil separates from the oilcake.

To obtain oil without fiber contamination, he suggests installing a blower approximately 5 meters high. Then, the oilcake is poured from the sack onto a conveyor belt that carries it to the blower's mouth.

The oilcake falls to the bottom of the blower because it is heavier than the fiber, while the fiber is retained at the top. The kapok seeds then enter a row of pounders. The pounders pound the seeds until they are crushed and release the oil.

Below the pounders is a screw press that separates the oil from the oilcake. The oil exits from the hole at the bottom, while the screw pushes the oilcake out the back.

Elephant oil foams due to its high fat content, reaching 23 grams per 100 grams. This is why various literature mentions its use as an ingredient in soap making.

However, one obstacle is the dwindling population of kapok trees, as people increasingly prefer mattresses, pillows, and upholstery filled with foam or Dacron instead of kapok. Dr. Drs. Marjani, M.P., a researcher at the Sweetener and Fiber Plant Instrument Standards Testing Center, stated that kapok is receiving less attention.

The main driver is, of course, its diminishing utilization, as kapok is often viewed solely as a source of kapok. However, the commercial value of processing kapok, which was originally just waste, cannot be underestimated.

During the flowering season, there is also the potential for honey production. Kapok is particularly suited to growing and producing in equatorial regions such as Indonesia and Africa. Kapok oil holds neglected economic potential awaiting discovery.