Have you ever put on perfume in the morning only to find that the fragrance disappeared or changed by the afternoon? This is because commercial perfumes are mass produced from cheaply manufactured synthetic aroma chemicals, and rarely contain any genuine aromatics.. The average $80 bottle of perfume can cost as little as $5 to produce. Are you actually getting what you’ve paid for?
Aloeswood oil is 100% pure, natural, and authentic fragrance essence. Too thick to spray, Aloeswood is a luscious oil that feels like fine velvet when rubbed onto the skin. Agarwood does not contain one molecule of synthetic aroma chemicals, and is certifiable the core essential fragrance you are seeking in any perfume. Due to the pure nature of Ouds and its limited supply, the production rate is more costly. Read also about the Quality of Agarwood Oil.
One swipe of Oud oils will keep you emanating a rich, intoxicating aroma all day. Experience fine line of Oud, and you will never go back to using commercial perfume again!
Malaysia is an ideal country for the cultivation of Agarwood, one of the most valuable trees in the world. Many investors are looking seriously at portfolio diversification into tropical hardwoods and plantation investment. Agarwood is a highly valuable wood which produces a valuable oleoresin, seen as irregular dark patches formed inside old Aquilaria trees. Other common names for Agarwood include eaglewood, aloeswood and gaharu..
Fewer than 8% of trees produce the valuable Agarwood in nature. The locals cut down Agarwood trees indiscriminately in search of the valuable fragrant producing resin. As a result, there are hardly any of these trees left in the world. Since high quality Agarwood takes a long time to form naturally and only a small percentage of trees produce them naturally, it follows that the demand far exceeds the supply.
Agarwood is a highly valued wood and has been used in medicine, perfume, and as incense in Buddhist, Muslims and Hindus religious ceremonies. Its therapeutic property is used as an ingredient in medicine for treating pleurisy, asthma, rheumatism and jaundice. It is also known to be beneficial to the liver, lungs and stomach. Other products include sculptures, beads,,boxes, perfume, soaps, shampoos and essential oils. International trading of agarwood is not limited to finished products. Trading also takes place in the form of powder, oil, wood and wood chips. Read about Gaharu Products.
Taiwan is the most important final destination market, followed by United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Japan. Japan alone has been importing on average 29,433 kg per year, with an average purchase price of USD187/kg. (Source: Ministry of Finance, Customs Statistics).
Many foresters and investors have expressed interest in growing Agarwood but demand still out-strps supply and because this gap will not be resolved in the near future, there is a great opportunity in agarwood plantations investment..
High quality agarwood, which is black and full of oil, can fetch prices of up to hundreds of dollars a kilo and every piece of agarwood is valuable as wood bits and chips can be used to make aromatic incense sticks.
White parts of the wood scraps can also be distilled to make aromatic essential oil, which can be sold at more than US$1,000 per 10 grammes.
The residue from the distillation process is made into special oil used in Muslim religious ceremonies. As a result, most customers come from Middle East nations, while some European countries also need aromatic agarwood oil to make perfume.
Agarwood or oodh (or just agar) is a dark resinous heartwood that forms in Aquilaria trees (large evergreens native to southeast Asia) when they become infected with a type of mold.
Prior to infection, the heartwood is relatively light and pale coloured, however as the infection progresses, the tree produces a dark aromatic resin in response to the attack, which results in a very dense, dark, resin embedded heartwood. The resin embedded wood is commonly called gaharu, jinko, aloeswood, agarwood, or oud (not to be confused with ‘Bakhoor’) and is valued in many cultures for its distinctive fragrance, and thus is used for incense and perfumes.
Agarwood is known under many names in different cultures:
In Hindi (India), it is known as “agar”, which is originally Sanskrit ‘aguru’ (in Bengali, it is spelled ‘aguru’)..
It is known as Chén-xīang (沉香) in Chinese, “trầm hương” in Vietnamese, and Jin-koh (沈香) in Japanese; all meaning “sinking incense” and alluding to its high density..
Both agarwood and its resin distillate/extracts are known as Oud (عود) in Arabic (literally wood) and used to describe agarwood in nations and areas in Arabic countries. Western perfumers may also use agarwood essential oil under the name “oud” or “oude”.
In Europe it was referred to as Lignum aquila (eagle-wood) or Agilawood, because of the similarity in sound of agila to gaharu.
Another name is Lignum aloes or Aloeswood. This is potentially confusing, since a genus Aloe exists (unrelated), which has medicinal uses.
Agarwood, Gaharu, Chen Xiang or Oudh is the most precious and expensive wood presently in existence. Also known as natural treasure and the wood of God due to the numerous uses and benefits each tree provides. The use of this treasured wood is dated as early as 600 AD and it is even mentioned in the Bible as aloeswood.
Agarwood is formed when an Aquilaria tree gets infected by a certain type of fungus. This dark, aromatic resinous heartwood is then known as Agarwood or Gaharu is highly valued for its distinctive fragrance used for incense and perfumes.
A kilogram of unprocessed gaharu’s heartwood can fetch as much as RM 10,000 per kilogram. Distilled gaharu essential oil can command up to RM 100,000 per kilogram and the price is expected to rise due to increasing international demand.
This prized wood can only be found in the South East Asia Region and each region produces a different species of wood which are all highly sought after by the Middle East, China, Taiwan and Japan. Currently, Annual Gaharu exports from Malaysia amounts to RM 72 Million a year.
Due to the high value and demand for Agarwood, there have been many reported cases of robbery and theft in the wild.
Health benefits
Gaharu tea has been traditionally know to provide many beneficial properties to its consumers..
It is rich in essential nutrients such as calcium, zinc, iron, manganese and vitamins
It contains high levels of anti-carcinogen, anti-oxidant and anti-aging properties
Treats poor liver function and is a tonic for healthier liver
Maintains, stabilize and lower blood pressure
Reduces Insomnia (sleeping difficulty)
Produces a calming effect, a stress-reliever
Maintains, stabilizes and reduce blood sugar level for diabetic
Aquilaria crassna – Critically Endangered Agarwood is the highly fragrant and valuable resin used for the production of perfumes, incense, medicine and cosmetics and is generated by the Indomalesian tree genus Aquilaria. Agarwood has been used and traded internationally for over 2000 years. Habitat loss and overexploitation through increased demand have dramatically contributed to the decline of agarwood-producing Aquilaria populations. The resin is produced by the tree in response to infection by a parasitic fungus. Signs of presence of agarwood in Aquilaria are not obvious to exploiters lacking in local knowledge. As a result, trees are often cut down indiscriminately in the search for resin with a negative impact on the entire forest ecosystem. In Cambodia, agarwood collection is important to rural communities whose livelihood depends on collecting and selling resin-laden wood.
Bokor National Park (BNP) is one of Cambodia’s largest national parks, containing 14,000 ha of forest that holds a wealth of biodiversity. The construction of the largest hydroelectric dam in Cambodia began in 2007 inside the Park on the Kamchay River in a bamboo and rattan rich area of forest. Land clearance for the dam has already destroyed large tracts of bamboo forest. Half of the Park’s 4,000 ha of bamboo and rattan, along the banks of Kamchay River, will be flooded and lost along with the wealth of biodiversity held within this area and local peoples’ livelihoods as their access to these resources becomes increasingly marginalised. The most important way of generating income for local communities, including O Toch Village, is weaving and selling baskets for the fishing industry. These baskets are made from the bamboo and rattan that grows along the Kamchay River running through the Park (bamboo is used to weave the baskets and rattan to make the handles). In contrast to other rural areas in Cambodia where approximately 85% of the local community depends on agriculture, 95% of O Toch village families rely on producing and selling baskets. The market for baskets is increasing as the fishing industry expands on Tonle Sap Great Lake. As a result, larger quantities of bamboo and rattan are being extracted.. Timber trees were logged out from the degraded forest many years ago, but are an essential component of mature forest. Therefore, timber trees are included in this forest rehabilitation effort. Those trees that will be planted in the sustainable use zone of the CPA will yield timber in future years that can be used by the local communities..
This project concerns both the conservation of the highly threatened Aquilaria as well as the foundation of sustainable livelihoods for the O Toch village. The programme of activities has three streams. Firstly, the study and collection of plant propagation material of Aquilaria, bamboos and rattans from the wild was undertaken. The establishment of a functional nursery facility was completed followed by the propagation and cultivation of the selected species. Repopulation and reintroduction of the plants in-situ was followed by monitoring and surveying of the young plants. The second stream of activities concerned the establishment of the community protected area. The area will be managed and secured by the people of the O Toch village. Decisions over resource management are made democratically in community group meetings. The CPA council is made up of members of the community who were elected by the community to represent them. This area is intended to provide the local community with a sustainable source for their use and long-term development. The third area of activity was centred around training. An international expert in the sustainable use of non-timber forest products instructed and demonstrated the skills and techniques that would be most valuable to the community..In particular the training looked at aspects of plant nursery management, agarwood cultivation techniques and sustainable harvesting methods.
The in-situ/ex-situ conservation of Aquilaria and other species will continue with new plants being used for repopulation and reintroduction. This phase of the project involving integrated practical conservation and local capacity building has provided a solid foundation for both local populations of Aquilaria and community resource sustainability. This project will continue in order to secure long-term advancement for plants and people.
Abdulla Ajmal holds the distinction of being the first of the third generation of his family to join their family business of perfumes. Having served the business in various aspects, Ajmal has worked his way up and at present holds the post of general manager of Ajmal Perfumes. His core responsibilities include managing the company sales and strategic planning for expansion of the business in retail and through export.
His mission is to introduce Ajmal Perfumes in more countries in the Gulf region, as well as in the rest of the world. Ajmal also wants to create a broader range of products for Ajmal, with a vision to evolve the range into a lifestyle brand over the years to come.
In a conversation with Arab News, Ajmal talks about his multi-award winning perfumes, and the company’s latest product for youth.
Ajmal Perfumes has grown from a modest trading house into a multimillion dollar corporate entity. What was the strategy?
It was made possible by one man’s steely determination to make a difference. My grandfather, the late Haji Ajmal Ali, was the one who laid the foundation stone of Ajmal in 1951. After trying his hands at many businesses, he finally settled with Agar wood trade. It was at a nascent stage, and as time and luck would prove, it was the right choice to make. The move to Mumbai was necessitated as it was the market place for Oudh and Oudh oil in India. Our grandfather put a lot at risk by moving to Mumbai in the early sixties, leaving behind all that he knew for a prospect of a better future. All the hard work that he put in, started to show signs of prosperity. He opened our first store in Mumbai in the 60’s quickly becoming known as a quality trader of Oudh and Oudh Oil. It was in 1976 that he sent my Uncle, Fakhruddin Ajmal, to set up a store and office in the United Arab Emirates. He realized that if he was to grow further, he would have to move to where the customers were coming from. We set up our first store in 1976 in Souq Al Kabir in the UAE and today we have over 150 outlets spread across the six GCC countries and Malaysia. Honesty and integrity are two values that are engraved within each building block of Ajmal. It is the sole reason we have managed to build an empire literally out of nothing. My grandfather used to say to his clients “If you find a fault in my product, throw it in the sea and take your money back.” That is the amount of faith he had in his creations. We stand by that philosophy and endeavor to create and retail brands that we can proudly stand behind.
Why did you choose to start your business in the GCC and not in India?
As I mentioned, our formation took place in India. We only moved to the Gulf in 1976 due to a majority of our customers in India hailing from the GCC countries. The Arab traveler would frequent India, Mumbai in particular, as it was a trade hub. Through our interactions with them and through their interest in our products, we gained the confidence to move first to the UAE in 1976 and then to the rest of the Gulf countries.
Ajmal has a vast portfolio of over 300 fragrances and you recently launched a specific fragrance for youth. Please share with us the initiative behind the launch of Prose.
We had in the past created a number of products that in our view would appeal to the youth, but we never gave it a concrete push, with prose our approach was totally different where we, for the first time took a 360 degree approach to target the youth. Prose was created to form that connection from messaging to physical product.
What distinguishes prose from other youth perfumes?
It is a vibrant fragrance and appreciably loud. Fragrances that target the youth typically revolve around the same notes, fruity/floral and sometimes gourmand. What is different in this fragrance is its vitality.
Why did you want to target the youth specifically?
The GCC region is one of the youngest regions across the world with around 65 percent of its population that falls under the age of 25 years. Arab youth are not only fashion conscious but they are also big spenders on lifestyle categories like perfumery. Therefore, it was imperative that we start looking at this segment in a holistic way. We have launched a number of products in the past that talk to this segment but this is the first time we proceeded in a much more focused manner by doing an integrated marketing communications campaign exclusively targeting this segment.
What combination and mixture have you used to coincide with the youth’s tastes?
A contemporary fragrance featuring the perfect balance between fresh, younger notes, and a more mature, and earthly aroma; Prose combines hints of bright and fresh citrus fruits such as orange, melon, and apple, with a fruity trifecta of strawberry, coconut, and sugar, all a brief prelude to an invigorating base composed of a rich laden amber, vanilla, and musk. Whether these young ladies are in search for a fabulous dress or exploring the city’s charm with friends, Prose is just the ideal blend for any occasion, leaving them with a delightfully refreshing scent coupled with soothing, warm, and long-lasting undertones.
How will you stay ahead of the other competition targeting the youth?
We have a strategy in place that we will roll out through the year. We aim to have a number of marketing activities that we will commit to over an extended period to get closer to them.
How are you planning to keep the youth interested in your future products, with the assistance of Prose?
We understand, the youth need something new to keep their interest going and we will do a number of programs through the year to work on the engagement element and create products for them that will work on the connect element.
How do you asses the demand on Ajmal youth products?
We live in region where the youth population is on the rise, the market exists and is expanding. Our current product portfolio is aimed at the slightly older generation and we understand the need to create something specifically for the younger segment. They are highly individual in their tastes; for us to be acceptable, we need to work on their taste palette and offer them something they will readily accept. As an ongoing practice, we do regular feedback with them, to understand their requirements in order to achieve a higher success percentage over the next product designed for them.
How do you assess the popularity of Ajmal youth products among the younger generation?
There is no secret formula that guarantees success. We will work toward creating fragrance by them, for them through various activities that we will do through the year. The Ajmal Young Perfumer Talent hunt is a great platform for the youth, an initiative that we started last year and we will continue to work toward making it even more lucrative and interesting for the youth.
You are the first of the third generation of Ajmals to join the family business. What did you add to this business?
I joined the family business in 1996, and brought an international outlook to the traditional way of business. Shortly after my joining we launched our French line, or Western line of fragrances. Today we have a 60:40 split in our product line,, where 40 percent of all fragrances created fall in the French Category. Alhamdulillah it’s been an amazing journey so far, surrounded by talented individuals who care about the growth and success of the brand as much as I do. I feel blessed to have spent the amount of time that I have growing and learning as the brand grew and evolved as well.
What are your core responsibilities?
I started my career as an assistant manager in the sales and marketing department. We have a policy that governs family members that join the business. We must spend time in the core areas of the business, understanding and learning processes before we can progress to one department and grow over time. Today my responsibilities are looking after the sales and marketing of Ajmal perfumes in the capacity of general manager.
You ranked 37 of 100 most powerful Indians in the Gulf in Arabian Business. How do you feel about that?
I feel humbled by the report. It feels great to see Ajmal feature as a name to be reckoned with. It has everything to do with the brand and where we have reached so far. I am honored by it and hope that we can reach new heights in the future.
Where do you see Ajmal ten years from now?
Ten years from now, I would love to see Ajmal being retailed and known as a global brand.
What is your future plan for Ajmal?
Our vision, one that we are all constantly working hard to achieve, is to be a globally recognized premium brand.
Agarwood has been treasured for thousands of years by cultures around the world for its one-of-a-kind, complex fragrance. Like sandalwood, agarwood is a fragrant wood which retains its pleasing aromatic qualities. It’s also similar to sandalwood in that it’s been used to create incense, essential oils, and perfumes since ancient times. China, Vietnam, India, New Guinea, parts of Europe and many other places have long cherished or even revered agarwood for its various qualities. Relative scarcity and the potential for overharvesting have endangered the future of this precious wood, but the introduction of cultivated agarwood chips to the market is helping to protect it.
Agarwood In The Wild
Agarwood and sandalwood share another characteristic: both are found in multiple tree species. Unlike sandalwood, however, finding a tree that produces agarwood relies upon more than simply knowing which species to choose. That’s because agarwood is actually formed due to a special reaction between the tree and a mold which grows inside of it. Harvesting prized agarwood chips from wild sources has always posed a challenge.
In order to procure agarwood chips or the essential oils produced by agarwood, the harvester must first find trees known to be able to produce it. Then, they must ensure that the trees have already been exposed to the mold which results in the production of the rich, dark resin that makes agarwood unique. Even once this is identified, the entire tree isn’t composed of agarwood; only the heartwood. The demand for agarwood has always outstripped the supply, but with modern harvesting technology, it became easier to overharvest wild sources of agarwood.
Cultivated Agarwood
Because of their special significance to many cultures and its unique fragrance profile, agarwood chips are still in great demand today. However, continuing to harvest agarwood from wild sources is problematic. First, wild sources could not come close to meeting the demand for this much beloved scent. Second, overharvesting could endanger the future supply of agarwood. The common sense solution to this problem is cultivated agarwood. Cultivated agarwood is produced by the same species of trees as agarwood found in the wild, but it’s carefully propogated and harvesting is responsibly scheduled in order that these agarwood resources may be renewed.
The Future of Agarwood
Wild trees which produce agarwood chips are now under legal protection in many locales in order to prevent their extinction, while cultivated agarwood chips have grown in popularity.
For those with any interest in aromatherapy and fragrances, understanding agarwood, its history, and its uses is a must. This precious resin-saturated heartwood has been treasured since the beginning of written history, by countless cultures the world over, due to its special, one-of-a-kind fragrance.
In order to understand what makes agarwood so special, however, more than its fragrance must be taken into account. Agarwood chips have always been considered precious due to their relative difficulty to obtain. Agarwood is not simply the wood of specific species of trees, like the aromatic sandalwood. Instead, a special biological interaction between these trees and an invasive mold serves as the catalyst for agarwood production.
Its rarity in combination with its rich scent has resulted in the prominence of agarwood chips, incense, and oils around the world. In addition to being considered a precious resource due to its fragrance, other benefits have also been ascribed to agarwood.
Medicinal Benefits
Many cultures around the world have traditionally used agarwood in the treatment of various ailments. Traditional Chinese medicine has long considered products made from agarwood chips to be beneficial to those suffering from digestive ailments,, for example. Likewise, powdered agarwood was used in Indian Ayurvedic medicine for similar complaints.
Spiritual Benefits
Such a precious resource naturally has been linked with spiritual health and well-being as well. Ayurvedic traditions have suggested that burning cultivated agarwood chips can produce a pleasant and productive atmosphere for meditation. Likewise, Tibetan practitioners have traditionally believed the use of agarwood chips or their extracts to have a positive influence on mental and emotional well-being.
Other Benefits
Agarwood has played an important role in human history for thousands of years, so it should come as no surprise that the uses for and benefits of agarwood chips are nearly endless. Agarwood chips can be used to achieve balance within a home, as it is embraced by practitioners of feng shui as well. It has gained notoriety as an aromatherapy ingredient, and even an aphrodisiac. Some people even wear bracelets with beads crafted from agarwood chips. And of course, it has always been a staple of the beauty industry thanks to its long-lasting, beautiful scent.
Trying Agarwood For Yourself
A multitude of agarwood products are available, from freshly harvested wild chips, to carefully tended cultivated agarwood chips, oils, and perfumes. Explore agarwood’s many benefits with an open mind, and you may be surprised!
The capability to enhance enlightenment, meditation, clarity and spirituality lies in the pure form of agarwood oil. For this very reason it has been valued as the most sacred oil. This oil has been considered as the top in therapeutic treatment, as it strongly invokes a deep sensation of relaxation. It is used in aroma therapy.
It is good for providing relief in anxiety and also provides strength thus it is used for fragrant aroma massage. It is said when you inhale the aroma of this oil, it transmutes ignorance and brings energy in the form of calmness to the mind and spirit. If you combine it in right proportions with the right types of oils the essential oil can be used as an aphrodisiac.
It’s Origin
The agarwood oil is obtained from Aquilaria trees. These evergreen trees are uprooted and the oil is extracted from the earth wood by the process of steam distillation. Its aroma is exclusive and pleasant because of the process in which the oil is extracted. It is also because of the fungal infection that is embedded in the wood. The aroma of this oil can be used as a cure for various physical and mental illnesses through aroma therapy.
The oil contains a natural component which is known as valerian. Thus the oil is used to make essential oils that can provide you relief from insomnia and even reduce your stress levels. If it is used as a blend with other natural oils,, it can provide wonderful fragrances. It can do great work for skin infections; provide pleasant fragrance in the environment where it is used.
Earthy Element
Agarwood is an earthly element. Agarwood oil that is extracted from this tree has great natural, medical and therapeutic properties. This has been accepted by not only our ancestors but also by this modern world that has recognized the true value of this oil. The oil is very difficult to find, as there is a great shortage of agarwood trees.
The oil is used in a diluted from to cure headaches, sore throats etc. It is used in the manufacture of fragrance sticks that are burnt in a close room to provide a soothing atmosphere. It also relaxes the mind of the people who are present in the room.
Agarbattis
These sticks are also used in India in the performance of religious ceremonies or when offering prayers to God. These fragrance sticks that are made from agarwood oil have other ingredients too. These sticks are also known as ‘agarbattis’. The sticks are a source of income of the rural people in India. These sticks are being exported to most corners of the world.
Agarwood comes from the tree which is found in South and South East Asia, where it is found in large numbers. The oil of agar was initially used for medication or perfumes but today it has become the most sought after oil. It is very much in demand all over the world, as man has realized the rich qualities of agarwood oil.
Vietnam Agarwood 