Japanese Incense 100 % natural ingredients are used. A paste is made out of wood and plant powders, spices, essential oils and hot water. This paste is pressed through holes and shaped like spaghetti. The incense is then cut and placed on cardboard plates and then dried gently for several days in a controlled atmosphere. Then the sticks are placed in bundles. This whole process is done by hand by experienced workers with a high standard of living (the equivalent salaries are higher than in Europe). The workshops are very clean and spaciously designed with proper management of the air and light.

Tibetan Incense

These are an integral part of the Tibetan pharmacopoeia and are prepared according to recipes selected and perfected over the centuries by generations of Tibetan doctors. They are produced from the same ingredients used to make the pills used for Tibetan medicine. Plants and wood powders are mixed with water and the resulting paste is pushed into holes to make a noodle shape. No chemicals are involved . Conditions of work are good with salaries in the good range with reference to the localstandard. The management are involved in social actions such as offering local people a high standard of effective medical care.

Indian incense

Ayurvedic incense

This medicinal incense which is 100% natural is made according to traditional precepts of Indian Ayurvedic medicine and using the " Dry masala bhattis " method (see section under Ayurvedic incense). Particular care is taken in the choice and quality of the ingredients and in their purity. The dosage is extremely precise.

Conditions of work are of good local standard. The working place is clear and clean with careful management of air in the buildings. Only women are employed for the procesing of sticks (100% by hand) and no children at any stage. Men are involved in the production of the blend and preparation of the ingredients.

The management is involved in providing a high standard of Ayurvedic medicine mostly for westerners and the running of an Ayurvedic clinic in Bangalore. They are also involved in Ayurvedic research and publications.

Traditionnal Indian incense

In the case of almost all the incense made in India chemical products play a big role. We only sell the highest standard of quality incense with no charcoal dipped incense which is generally made out of chemical ingredients. Our blends of incense are of Masala and Durbar types (see section under Indian Incense) We are working with the producers to provide a 100% natural indication wherever feasible.

Resins and plant gums

These aromatic plant extracts are obtained by making incisions into sweet-smelling trees and shrubs. Most work done locally consists of harvesting. It is done in Eastern Africa, Eastern Europe, Asia and South and Central America as well as the Mediterannean countries. The processing and packaging is done in southern France where a good standard of work conditions and salaries prevails.

The working situation is of a high standard in Laos, Greece, Amazonia and currently under scrutiny in Eastern Africa. All the plants used grow naturally. There is no risk of over exploitation of the plants we deal with. Most of them are the source of wealth for the local populations and have to be kept healthy to produce high quality resins.