The Sustainability Challenges the Essential Oil Industry Does Not Talk About

The essential oil industry markets itself on naturalness and sustainability. The reality is more complicated. Some essential oil crops are among the most environmentally intensive agricultural products in the world. This article looks at the sustainability challenges that are rarely discussed in brand communications.

Water use

Steam distillation requires large quantities of water. A typical distillery processing one tonne of plant material per day may use 5,000-10,000 litres of water in the distillation process. In water-stressed regions, this is a significant environmental cost. Some distilleries recycle their process water; many do not.

Yield ratios

The yield of essential oil from plant material is very low for many crops. Rose absolute requires approximately 3-5 tonnes of rose petals to produce one kilogram of oil. Melissa (lemon balm) requires approximately 7 tonnes of plant material per kilogram of oil. This means that a small bottle of rose or melissa oil represents an enormous quantity of plant material.

Endangered species

Several species used in essential oil production are under significant pressure from over-harvesting. Sandalwood (Santalum album) from India is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Rosewood (Aniba rosaeodora) from Brazil is endangered. Agarwood (Aquilaria species), the source of oud oil, is listed on CITES Appendix II. Purchasing oils from these species without verified sustainable sourcing documentation contributes to their decline.

Our position

We do not sell oils from endangered species. We are transparent about the environmental costs of our products and do not claim that essential oils are inherently sustainable. We focus on reducing the footprint of our packaging and logistics while sourcing from producers who can demonstrate responsible practices.