Raw materials make the magic of fragrance possible. Those of the natural variety are highly prized but also more challenging due to fluctuating yields in harvest, the amount of resources required to grow them, and overall cost.

Bloomberg reported that in 2022, tuberose harvests in Grasse, France, were down by 40%, and flower yields overall were down by almost 50%. Berjé Inc’s market reports show that in 2024, the lemongrass oil market had near-historic low prices and availability had decreased due to heavy rains, while the davana harvest saw numerous challenges due to heavy rainfall, which caused the loss of seeds and nurseries. The purchase of new nurseries then led to an increase in production costs. The delicate balance of the ecosystem of natural fragrance ingredient production can easily be disrupted; it's a constant possibility many manufacturers need to prepare for by tracking weather conditions and keeping a close eye on the meteorological (but also political and social) changes that can impact the price and availability of their harvests.

Looking at the wider agricultural landscape, governmental support— such as the $369 billion dollar climate bill passed in 2022 to assist clean energy programs (including $20 billion for farmers seeking US Department of Agriculture Conservation Assistance funding or France’s €1 billion ($1.03 billion) in additional funding to support sustainable agricultural practices in 2024—are one avenue of improvement. Another option is the implementation of climate-smart agriculture (CSA), which prioritizes addressing climate change in the agrifood system and is tailored towards specific socioeconomic contexts and agro-ecological conditions through the use of precision farming, agroverstry, and climate-resilient crop varieties.

Other manufacturers are seeking alternatives. DSM-Firmenich is exploring using AI-environment-controlled biofarms through a partnership with start-up Interstellar Lab as one means of counteracting this. Givaudan launched its House of Naturals in June 2024 to explore structural and operational improvements in the pursuits of land-grown ingredients. For now, a majority of raw materials not created in a glass beaker are still being grown the old-fashioned way.

On a smaller scale, with fragrance houses keeping a watchful eye over their horticultural prospects, it not only has the benefits of ensuring product quality and ethical working conditions but also a special unique selling proposition for the fragrance itself. While it’s not a feasible reality for all fragrance brands, those committing to the process see it as an extension of their product DNA.

Chanel has been growing its jasmine on the Mul family estate since 1987, and owns 49 acres of their land to exclusively grow their ingredients. Dior has the Domaine de Manon estate just outside of Grasse to cultivate jasmine. Lancome’s Domaine de la Rose, a nine-acre field, houses the flowers for its products inside stone walls to protect biodiversity.

But it’s not only the French giants growing their own materials. In June 2024, Amouage unveiled its Wadi Dawkah Omani Frankincense Essential Oil, which is grown in partnership with DSM-Firmenich  on the ​Wadi Dawkah UNESCO World Heritage Site in Oman. The brand signed a partnership with Oman’s Ministry of Heritage and Tourism in 2022 to develop the site in the Southern Governate of Dhofar, now home to over 4,000 frankincense trees across 3,500 acres. The frankincense is harvested from September through June and distilled on site.

Each tree gives a 10% yield, with one kilogram of resin providing 100 milliliters of pure essential oil. Each year’s harvest produces between 500 grams and 1.5 kilograms of resin per tree. The ingredient has an alpha-pinene content of over 70%, which carries an aroma of pine, wood, and camphor. Smelling the Wadi Dawkah frankincense, there is a smoothness and even slightly citrus quality to it. Chief Creative Officer Renaud Salmon noticed that despite the high quality of Omani frankincense, a lack of organized sourcing infrastructure has kept the ingredient from reaching a larger global reputation.

“At first, the intention was just to protect the trees, but then we realized, actually the trees are doing better, so we can do a first harvest without damaging the equilibrium of the place. As we were progressing during the harvest, we realized that the ingredient is beautiful, and there is a possibility to have an impact on the world of perfumery and the economy of Oman in a way that I genuinely believe is going to go in the right direction for everyone,” he tells BeautyMatter.

The house of Amouage also saw an opportunity to open up this ingredient to the entire fragrance industry, not just reserve it for their own creations, showing a collaboration over competition approach. “The beauty of it is that people were very receptive. I think this is the right approach because Amouage is an Omani company with a strong local anchorage where the ingredients are produced. It solves a lot of the issues about traceability,” he notes.

Salmon is passionate about keeping the value creation local to benefit the residents of Oman but also reduce the company’s ecological footprint. “What I love about it as well is that I know exactly where my ingredient is coming from. I know who picked it, I know exactly which tree produces it because every tree is coded with a QR code. I have full confidence that the people are being well treated and well paid,” he adds. “On top of that, I know that the natural resources are not under too much pressure or are not wrongly tapped. I'm quite excited about all of it because it also signals a change of mindset. All of a sudden a brand could become an ingredient manufacturer.”

Their partnership with DSM-Firmenich is also aiding in that transition. “They are the very best partner we could find. They are excellent when it comes to the expertise of transforming natural ingredients, and their vision of excellence and being very rigorous about it, aligns with our needs. It was important for me to rely also on perfumers to evaluate the product as we develop it. Lastly, it’s a very good platform for that ingredient to spread around the world. DSM-Firmenich has a lot credibility in the industry if we want the awareness of that ingredient to be there,” he states.

Matiere Premiere (which translates to “raw material” from French) is another brand showing a heightened level of commitment to the excellence of its ingredients. Founder Aurélien Guichard launched the brand in 2019, but the journey began in 2015 when he planted rose centifolia. He soon acquired his farmer’s license and opened up an organic farm.

The rose centifolia absolute for its Radical Rose Eau de Parfum and tuberose for French Flower Eau de Parfum is grown by the company directly in Grasse on their family property, under Ecocert certification. The field spans 9 acres, with 22,000 tuberose bulbs and 12,000 rose trees.

“To me, it is a return to the essentials of fragrance creation,” he told CaFleureBon. “Raw materials are for me, as a perfumer, the colors that I use to create emotions.” Guichard sees growing his own ingredient as part of freedom in his work but also being in direct contact with nature and contributing the farming activities of the region.

In June 2024, Kering Beauté took a minority stake in the brand, which will be used build out its team, increase ecommerce, and expand to 20 freestanding boutiques, putting the brands future harvests to even further use.

Whether it’s contributing to the local economy or being able to wield ultimate power over quality control and access, the brands that aren’t afraid to get in the garden are able to harvest the seeds of creation and reigniting the handmade aspects of perfumery in the process. It also shows the growing impact that fragrance brands can have outside of their own sphere of influence, creating ingredients for the industry at large. From a wider perspective, the challenges facing any ingredient manufacturer/producer—whether large or small, such as climate change or political upheaval—may not always be calculable, but the more overview company leaders have regarding these matters, the better. While certainly there is a question of how sustainable traditional models of farming will be as climate change continues to increasingly impact yields and harvests, the probability of all farmers switching to biotech-enabled or CSA models would not be an overnight matter and would require heavy funding.