Raw materials and biodiversity in perfumery: sourcing, oud, and sustainability

A natural material is not automatically a sustainable material. In perfumery, environmental impact depends in particular on the species concerned, its origin, how it is harvested or cultivated, extraction, transport and the resource’s ability to regenerate.

This distinction is particularly important for oriental perfumery, where oud, woods, resins, spices and certain floral materials play an important role.

Sustainability, naturalness and traceability: three different concepts

A serious approach must therefore examine the material and its entire supply chain, rather than being limited to the “natural” label.

Why can a material put pressure on biodiversity?

Risk varies considerably between materials. A plant resource may be cultivated, harvested from wild populations or sourced through several supply systems.

The factors to consider notably include:

• the rate at which the resource is renewed;
• the part removed from the plant;
• the quantity required to obtain the fragrant material;
• the frequency and intensity of harvesting;
• the proportion coming from cultivated sources or wild populations;
• the status of the species and its habitat;
• local practices and the commercial supply chain.

The particular case of oud and agarwood

Oud is an excellent example because it does not refer to a single botanical material: it notably corresponds to agarwood produced by several species, mainly from the Aquilaria and Gyrinops genera.

These agarwood-producing taxa are listed in Appendix II of CITES, which regulates their international trade under the Convention’s rules. This does not mean that all oud is prohibited: it means that the international trade of the specimens concerned is subject to specific controls and conditions.

CITES also notes that agarwood is traded in different forms - wood, chips, powder, oil and derivatives - and that characteristics and value can vary according to origin, quality and other factors.

Why “wild” and “plantation” are not enough to draw a conclusion

Wild or cultivated origin provides important information, but it is not sufficient on its own to determine a material’s overall impact.

It is also necessary to examine resource management, agricultural or forestry practices, processing, volumes harvested, traceability, and trading conditions.

For agarwood, CITES documents in particular the existence of supplies from plantations and wild sources. It also shows that the forms marketed and production systems are diverse.

The role of CITES: controlling certain international trade

CITES is an international convention governing the international trade in many wild species so that this trade does not threaten their survival.

For the perfumery materials concerned, it is therefore necessary to distinguish between:

• the protection of the species;
• the legality of international trade;
• the traceability of the material;
• the sustainability of its supply.

These four questions are related, but they are not synonymous.

The role of the Nagoya Protocol

Biodiversity is not solely about protecting species. Certain genetic resources and traditional knowledge are also governed by access and benefit-sharing rules.

The Nagoya Protocol, adopted under the Convention on Biological Diversity, notably establishes a framework for access to genetic resources and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from their utilization.

Responsible sourcing is not only about rare plants

A responsible supply chain may also seek to document origin, production practices, working conditions, quality, environmental impacts, and regulatory compliance.

IFRA’s sectoral approach notably covers responsible sourcing, environmental footprint, workplace well-being, safety, and transparency.

Natural versus synthetic: the wrong shortcut

Automatically equating “natural = ecological” and “synthetic = polluting” leads to an overly simplistic conclusion.

A natural material may require substantial plant material, water, land, transportation, or energy depending on its origin and process. Conversely, some synthetic aromatic materials can be designed to reproduce a rare facet or reduce pressure on a natural resource.

Natural materials and synthetic molecules are part of the perfumery palette; ingredient sourcing must incorporate environmental and traceability considerations.

How can a raw material be assessed seriously?

Why oud is a useful case study for understanding sustainability

Oud connects several dimensions of our library: botany and material, geography, extraction, traceability and now biodiversity.

Above all, it shows why a claim such as “natural oud,” “wild oud” or “oud from a particular origin” should be put into context before drawing any conclusion about quality or sustainability.

Key takeaway

The sustainability of a fragrance material cannot be inferred from its natural character. You need to consider the species, origin, sourcing method, harvesting or cultivation, extraction, traceability, regulations and the impacts of the supply chain.

For a reference library on oriental perfumery, this distinction is essential: understanding a material means not only knowing how it smells, but also understanding where it comes from, how it is obtained and the framework in which it is traded.

Reference sources: CITES and IFRA.