Welcome to our sustainable fragrance series Farm Fresh, where we explore the eco-conscious ingredients used in our CLEAN RESERVE fragrances, and share how we give back to our farmers. In addition to supporting the farmers and their communities, we’re committed to crafting products with the safest ingredients, avoiding anything that may be potentially linked to health or environmental issues (see our No-To list).
First, it’s important to truly understand what “sustainable” means.
Here’s how we define it:
-
Responsibly sourced and doesn’t deplete the planet’s natural resources.
-
Gives back to the farmers and their communities.
-
Maintains an eco-conscious life cycle, from green manufacturing to recyclable packaging.
Meet Benzoin
Benzoin is a gum resin or sap that’s extracted from trees in the Styra family. Benzoin is a popular ingredient in perfumery due to its sweet, vanilla-like scent. Additionally, it can help slow the dispersion of essential oils and other ingredients into the air so your perfume lasts longer on your skin.
To create CLEAN RESERVE Warm Cotton, we partnered with local harvesters in Laos who carefully make incisions in the tree’s bark from April to July, and then wait for the resin to be produced during the winter months. This process provides additional income to thousands of families in Laos, and our commitment to choosing Laotian Benzoin helps support the country’s long-term plans for sustainable development initiatives.
5 Fun Facts
-
Benzoin is a major component of the incense used in Western Catholic Churches, Orthodox Christian societies, and more.
-
Benzoin is sometimes used in medicine to treat minor skin sores and wounds, and to soothe irritation of the nose, throat, and airways.
-
It can also be used as a flavoring in beverages, baked goods, candy, and gum.
-
Benzoin has many other names including gum benzoin, gum benjamin, and storax.
-
There are two common types of benzoin; benzoin Siam and benzoin Sumatra. The former is found in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam, while the latter grows mainly on the Indonesian island of Sumatra.
