NATURAL PERFUMERY AND THE FUTURE OF SUSTAINABLE SCENT

Everyone has their scent….

INTERVIEW AND ARTICLE BY SEBASTIAN HUGH

For some, it is a faithful repeat purchase that never fails to capture compliments. For others, it is the allure of a glistening bottle. And for some, it is anything that masks the often putrid realities of city living. As the conversation surrounding the truths of the fashion industry continually seeps into the conversation, a similar conversation has evolved regarding the realities of the mass market fragrance industry. While we as consumers can feel fabric, read the care label, and ultimately distinguish the worth of a garment, sustainability in scent is often invisible. And for an industry essentially built on marketing an enhanced reality of an overlooked sense, often brands seek deception rather than a conscious decision about the worth of fragrance. It is with this insight that a number of consumers have turned to the niche category of the industry, embracing natural perfumers who put product over profit in the effort to reveal individuality in a saturated world. Over the last ten years, a number of independent brands have emerged creating natural, small-batch perfumes that not only appeal to those searching for something unique, whilst also seeking to engage in the discourse of sustainability. But just as the paths to true sustainability in fashion are continued to be forged...a similar question is still being asked - what does sustainability in fragrance mean?

To discuss the ever-expanding issue, I had the privilege of sitting down with perfumer Craig Andrade, founder of Australia’s leading natural fragrance brand The Raconteur to discuss the story of the brand, the history of natural perfumery and why it could be the key to the future of fragrance.

What is the story behind your brand and The Raconteur?

“The Raconteur is a French-derived word that means storyteller and when I chose that name I wanted it to do two things. I wanted to acknowledge the role of the French in the perfume industry. Secondly, the word is all about storytelling at its heart; my brand and my vision is to tell the story of Australian native botanicals and their use in scent. When I was studying in France at the Grasse Institute, we would talk about Australian raw materials and my teachers would say to me that they didn’t know or understand many of them. For these industry experts from the leading perfume houses in Europe to say they didn’t know about these plants and their stories, it felt like the penny dropped and I knew that I needed to tell their story”

And it is these stories that form the world of The Raconteur. Combining the precious practice of natural perfumery with the undeniable iconography of the Australian landscape, in particular, the northern beaches where his studio is based. He launched the brand in 2017, and with it, unlocked an often unspoken history of true Australian botanicals. Combining the sleek timelessness of minimal design with the individuality of his practice, that allows the focus on the stories and atmosphere of his creations to emanate. Craig’s fragrances aren’t generic or mass appealing, nor do they rely on marketing to differentiate between gender or the user. They are stories and narratives that hark back to the familiar memories of sun-drenched summer days spent on the beach, the glow of warm summer evenings, the brisk energy of a morning walk by the beach.

When we think of designer fragrances, we think of a very homogenised scent. But in niche perfumery how do you approach your perfumes in terms of designing something that appeals to gender?

“My process is completely different from mass-marketed perfume. I don’t start with market data on trends or preferences, or any sense of what may or may not be happening in the world of fragrance. That’s not a part of the equation. I don’t look at any aspect of data around what is selling well and where emerging trends are coming from - that is all completely irrelevant to me. My practice is based on the singular focus of telling the story of Australian native botanicals, which is a story that hasn’t been told in perfumery. I guess I have a particular approach to how I do that and go about the work, but my view is that it’s an exciting world and an exciting aspect of my practice. I make products and hope people will buy them, and clearly, at the end of the day, you have to sell products to be viable as a business. But the fundamental drivers for me are creating beautiful fragrances that tell interesting stories that resonate with intelligence and authenticity. That is what guides what I make.”

While to the average consumer, it can be difficult to differentiate the process of creating a natural perfume compared to a mass-market commercial product, the realities can be especially interesting. “In a mass-market fragrance, less than 1% will be naturally derived, or plant-based ingredients. And the balance of the fragrance which will make up 20% of the Eau De Parfum will be synthetic molecules. Whereas in a natural perfume, 100% of the fragrance is plant-based. When you look at 20% of the concentration, which is diluted by alcohol, that 20% will all be plant-based materials, working together to tell the story. That is why natural perfumes are more expensive to produce.

We are working with plant-based materials and ingredients that cost more to grow, harvest, distill and produce” says Craig. To many, the individual notes listed in fragrance can appear foreign, there is a surprising familiarity that comes with the ingredients of The Raconteur’s products, combining traditional scents such as Sandalwood, Lavender, Cypress with rarer known Australian natives such as oils like Prostanthera, commonly known as Mint Bush, Narolina - derived from the Paperbark tree as well as Niaouli and Kunzea. These scents, derived from the plants that act as an unrecognised background to our lives demonstrate most poignantly the importance of using naturals in perfumery. These botanicals, which have rested on the country, growing and revealing their beauty over 100 million years have never been revealed in the way of fragrance, perhaps the most transportive sense there is. This is why natural perfumery is so vital, not only in fostering a new generation of creators but a generation of storytelling.

But natural perfumery doesn’t come without its challenges. With rising restrictions formed to prevent the harvesting of endangered botanicals, Perfumers like Craig have had to re-approach their practice and creations. “This is one of the challenges that relate to the question of what we mean when we are discussing sustainable perfumery. That idea really informs the choice of not using certain materials. But when we talk about sustainability in perfumery, we need to define what it means. Just because a natural material exists or is important, I will not necessarily use it. On the contrary, I have to know if there are challenges in the farming or the supply of those materials, which is where the IUCN ”Red List” comes in. This list contains critically endangered and threatened ingredients. Take Frankincense for example. It’s an ingredient we all know and love but is under significant threat. I have had to make decisions about not using ingredients that are endangered or red-listed because if I do, I am effectively contributing to the problem of over-harvesting and endangering the precious material. I won’t use it until there is a point where there is a more sustainable supply - which will probably be linked to a chapter where the economics in the supply chain can work more in favour of the growers. That’s where we have a point of departure between a natural perfumer and a mass-market perfumer.” Craig says. As natural perfumery and the production of oils meet the demand, many have prompted the question - if harvesting natural products is essential to creating these items, with some going extinct, how is it

sustainable? It is a valid question, and this is where the balance needs to be struck between more conscious choices we make about which ingredients we use, and which we leave out. If we’re going to celebrate the beauty of nature in making natural perfumes, we must do so with care, diligence, and with an eye on sustainable sourcing.

Here is what makes a Fragrance sustainable-

Production is environmentally & ethically conscious:

Just as with fashion, determining the location and background of the company where the essential oil is produced is crucial when determining the conditions in which it was created. Most companies will list vital information in the about page or have a separate page of sustainable information.

The brand encourages low waste practices in...

Many brands have turned to ‘use and refill’ practices to encourage consumers to adopt a practice outside of waste. Some small brands may be willing to facilitate a refill by emailing them. The Raconteur has a Recycle and Refill program designed to reduce single waste items. Once you have finished candles, reed diffusers, and roll-on fragrance oils, you can mail back the original vessel and receive a 35% discount on your “refill” order for that same product.

Use of naturally derived or ethically sourced chemicals

Another crucial aspect of a sustainable fragrance is the use of natural or at least ethically sourced materials for the fragrance. Studies suggest that mass-market fragrances use chemicals to stabilise and improve performance can have harmful effects such as endocrine disruption and skin irritation. The mass-market perfume industry is also exempt from having to list their ingredients on packaging in many countries to preserve confidentiality, so brands utilising transparent information are also a better choice.

With all this knowledge, it can be daunting to implement such practices into our everyday lives, but it is this knowledge that is the first step to promoting a more positive attitude towards how we choose our favourite fragrance. Research, ask questions, and become aware of what goes into a perfume. After researching this article, I am still only scraping the surface of a deeply complex issue.

Buying from brands that put the product over profit by creating a smaller batch with curated ingredients means a small production footprint and ultimately a more ethical product. This is why brands like Raconteur are vital in leading a shift in how we consume fragrance. Craig’s vision goes beyond market trends and the industry at large. It is a singular vision of storytelling and of bringing to light the beauty of Australia’s unique native botanicals in fragrance. “Niche perfumery is no different from hand-tailored jackets or going to restaurants where the chefs can tell you about the provenance of the ingredients. I think the trends are exactly the same. It’s about people wanting to have more unique experiences or products in their life that match their personality or assist in expressing their identity through the choices they make. It’s not about generic, homogenised, mass-produced clothing, furniture, food or hotel rooms. We’re in an age where more people are concerned about the impact we are having on the environment through our consumer choices. Ultimately, natural perfumes, made in small batches, that work with nature in a more conscious way, is just one avenue along this “more sustainable” path.”