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. "Our mission has always been to unite traditional skills with modern design to elevate artisanal goods and create sustainable livelihoods in rural areas," they say. Bee designs everything AARVEN makes by hand, and 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. No shortcuts and no outsourcing the ethics.
