by Amy Pereira BS, CHNC, RYT-200, C-MI
In line with Provender’s VOICES* program of showcasing the proactive projects of Provender members, I want to highlight a number of the standards and commitments that Pranarom Scientific Aromatherapy continually supports.
Pranarom hopes that our sharing of the following practices will instill confidence in those seeking to use high-quality aromatherapy for health and well-being. Our intention is to continue to inspire farmers, producers, and communities at large to shift into genuinely recognizing and wholeheartedly supporting the vital importance of organic essential oils and all who play a role in making it all possible.
USDA Organic and ECOCERT Organic Certification
Whether obtained by steam distillation, cold pressing, or other methods, it takes massive amounts of plant material to create small amounts of essential oils. If the plant material is not organically-grown, then it can come from genetically-modified seeds, be laden with synthetic chemical and pesticide residues, or both.
Due to the concentrated nature of essential oils, Organic does matter! ALL Pranarom US products are certified organic through the non-governmental, third-party ECOCERT, and our own governmental USDA National Organic Program.
Both ECOCERT and USDA organic certification guarantee that no genetically modified organisms or synthetic, unapproved pesticides have been used to grow the plants that are, in turn, used to create the essential oils, hydrosols, or virgin plant oils. While USDA Organic is our nation’s organic certification program, with inspections conducted by this governmental agency, ECOCERT is a non-governmental, third-party agency that was founded in France, in 1991, to provide inspection and certification of organic agricultural products and services.
Like the USDA National Organic Program, ECOCERT also offers certification programs for organic body care, cosmetics, and other eco products but goes a bit further by providing certification for fair trade practices and green spaces and serves clients worldwide with a broader reach than our USDA National Organic Program. ECOCERT also regulates product packaging, ensuring that this aspect does not negate any strides made.
Eco-conscious Packaging
In addition to using only cardboard and biodegradable packing materials to ship orders to customers, Pranarom is also committed to sustainably produced packaging. While certain types of plastics may be considered suitable for storing essential oils, Pranarom packages all liquid products in amber glass. The glass not only protection from UV light and shrink but also the ability for this resource to be recycled over and over again in a more sustainable way than plastic packaging.
The cartons that house and protect many of Pranarom’s Organic Essential Oils and numerous other formulas** are also recyclable, created from sustainably-harvested eucalyptus paperboard and inks that allow them to be compostable and biodegradable too.
Wonderfully Skilled and Dedicated Farmers, Distillers & Partners
For nearly three decades, Pranarom has carefully cultivated and maintained direct relationships with the farmers, harvesters, and distillers from whom we obtain our organic, sustainably sourced plant material and essential oils. While we do not own every farm from which our plant products hail, we are honored to support the viability of these skilled artisans who so beautifully merge art and science to help us deliver the finest essential oils and plant products in the world.
Year after year, we are grateful to our partners like the Bonnets in Provence, who lovingly tend to the Lavender that yields our precious Lavender Reserve. Our gratitude also extends to the Harvesting Community Cooperative members, who respectfully collect and dry the resin from Boswellia carterii trees in the dry Somaliland desert, which is then expertly crafted into essential oil by our lovely Frankincense distillers in Vermont.
It’s through direct long-standing relationships like these – not “middlemen”- that Pranarom can offer organic scientific aromatherapeutic products at the price point that we do.
Our Planet’s Pollinators
While we primarily produce our products for inhalation or topical application, we do provide several essential oil supplements designed for consumption and that Pranoram specifically labels with supplement facts panels and internal use instructions.
Pranarom recognizes that without giving back to the earth and supporting the pollinators we will have no healthy ecosystem in which to continue to produce plant material for our aromatherapy items, let alone food to sustain us all!
Through shunning synthetic chemicals that compromise our planet’s pollinators, soil, and waterways, and through working in close collaboration and donating to partners/organizations who also cherish Earth and its sweet natural ways, Pranarom is able to monitor the quality of our practices and feel completely confident about our actions as well as the fruits of our collective labors.
Quality without Compromise and Recognition of Responsibility
Early on, through working with farmers in lesser developed countries, Pranarom recognized a duty to co-create systems to support responsible agricultural methods and promote and teach the traditional distillation process that respects both environment and end-product quality.
In the early 2000s, efforts began in Madagascar to support local farmers and distillers in the region. A few years later, Pranarom initiated a program in Antsirabe called Aromabe, providing stable and fair employment to over one hundred locals while preserving a sustainable supply of essential oils such as Ravintsara.
Pranarom is also invested in the viability of other local native and endangered species such as Rosewood and supports these ventures and many other philanthropic causes at every possible opportunity.
Leadership in Education Training
To continue to support the professional approaches to scientific aromatherapy, Pranarom is committed to sharing accurate and science-based education with our employees, retail partners, healthcare professionals, consumers, and all involved.
Throughout Europe, hundreds of pharmacists and health professionals undergo scientific aromatherapy training at the Collège International d’Aromathérapie by Pharmacist and Pranarom founder, Dominique Baudoux. These educational courses are recognized as some of the most advanced in the field.
It is through these courses and Pranarom’s science and education team leaders that we provide current, up-to-date research-based information. It is also through this science-based essential oil research that our formulators build and deliver safe and efficacious formulas to professionals and the general public alike.
A Reduced Toxic Burden for All
Unlike smog or cigarette smoke, which is visible to the naked eye, synthetic fragrance is a vapor that eludes visual identification but can elicit significant health concerns for many. Most synthetic fragrances contain some level of phthalates, substances which are known as endocrine disruptors.
Further, an increasing number of clinics, schools, public buildings, buses, and workplaces have declared their institutions fragrance-free. These restrictions are primarily due to the numerous categories of adverse health effects (e.g., respiratory, neurological, skin, eye, etc.) associated with synthetic fragrances (and the chemicals within). Unfortunately, these synthetic compounds make their way into our lives in far more ways than we may realize.
Because the FDA protects the use of fragrances under the “trade secrets” provision that was established for the perfume industry many years ago, numerous chemicals may ubiquitously lurk in products. At the same time, manufacturers need only include the word “fragrance” on the ingredients label to comply with the FDA trade secret standard.
From synthetic-free body care and exotic floral perfumes to Spring cleaning solutions and more, Pranarom is at your service and here to help you shun synthetic chemicals and support the wellbeing of you, your customers, and all of Earth’s inhabitants.
*VOICES Program: Voices of Independent Integrity Creating Exceptional Success
** including Wellness Blends, Virgin Plant Oils Diffusing Blends, Aromalgesic Muscle/Joint Care, Aromaforce Immune Support, Exotic Florals, Synthetic-free Perfumes, and New CBD Wellness Formulas Ultra
Amy Pereira is the National Educator for Pranarom USA. For nearly 25 years, she has served numerous roles in the natural products industry. With a Bachelors Degree in Environmental Science, Amy is passionately committed to environmental & human health education & is currently National Educator for Pranarom Scientific Aromatherapy as well as a Certified Holistic Nutrition Consultant.
For further information on Pranarom’s origin, product offerings, testing methods and much more, reach out to us at [email protected] or [email protected].