ROSEHIP HARVEST SEASON
OUR SUPER PARTNERS
Equal.Ethical.Ecological is the defining ethos of Purearth. We equally value our source, our makers, and you. Our self-help groups have been trekking on foot deep into the wilderness in the Himachali valleys, foraging rosehip, or “kujja” as it is known locally by the pahadis. Our superpartners handpick these gorgeous wine-colored Rosehip Pods from glacier-fed soil. Since Purearth's inception in 2012, we have been working with self-help groups in the uncontaminated and wild forests of the Himalayas. Mindful of environmental conservation, they pick the produce in a manner that does not degrade or denude the forests. Our superpartners belong to the indigenous tribes and come with deep knowledge of ecological processes and ethical resource management. Sustainability and preservation are embedded in their knowledge systems, and it is shared and passed down through the generations, through cultural practices and rituals. We consider ourselves lucky to be a part of this immersive experience and, enabling our self-help groups through fair trade and not aid.
HAND-PICKED & HANDCRAFTED WITH LOVE
Every batch of 'Wild Rosehip Supercritical Oil' that leaves our studio comes with a story and our superpartners are the protagonists! We are grateful for this partnership as their efforts make it possible for us to use this super ingredient in our creations. It is an arduous journey, walking on foot into the mountains as no car can reach these high attitudinal terrains. Families travel together, there’s safety in numbers. In these freezing mountains, they camp for days until they have picked the produce. The process is regenerative as the bushes and roots remain untouched, and only the ripe fruit is hand-picked with the utmost care, with no machines in sight. Followed by harvesting, they undertake a long and strenuous trek and march on their way home. On their arrival, our superpartners sort rosehip pods until it dries in the crisp mountain air. These are then collected and extracted in the cleanest, purest form of CO2 or the supercritical method of extraction which is environmentally friendly. Soon, these beauties bid farewell to the lofty mountains and set on a long journey to Purearth Lab Studio in Pune. In our studio, this ingredient hand-picked with love is handcrafted in micro-batches.
PLANET OVER PROFITS
The era of modernity characterized by mass production has starkly degraded mother earth and deprived millions of indigenous groups of their habitat. In these pressing times, we ought to learn from their rich cultural heritage which has always put the planet first. We partake with gratitude and count our blessings to be able to call this our work and worship.