Aarven

There are hands behind every stick of this incense. Hands that roll bamboo into paste made from wood powder and jigat — a natural gum drawn from tree bark — then dip each stick into pure essential oil and set it to dry. It's slow, traditional work, and it's being done in Kolkata by artisans at Silence, a non-profit organisation that employs people who are deaf, voiceless, blind, or otherwise physically disabled — many of whom had to leave mainstream education as children.

AARVEN was founded by Bee Friedmann and Amy Fleuriot-Reade with a clear conviction: that the world is losing something precious every time a handcraft dies out, and that the best antidote is beautiful design. Every material choice — organic wherever possible, locally sourced, plastic-free — is made with the artisan and the planet in mind together.

Because many of AARVEN's producer partners are small-scale groups without the resources for official certification, AARVEN carries out its own in-person audits following the ten principles of Fair Trade.