Scentient Nature started as one person's person project (see below) and has been growing at an organic rhythm, thanks to wonderful and inspiring collaborations.
At the time of augmenting the real life practice with webshop (development 2022, launch summer 2023), the collaborative enrichment materialize thanks to a constellation of wonderful people who collaborate (very much) part time, so...
... as far as the "homebase", the current team / network is:
Anne Sophie studied ethnobotany. She is a health practicioner and a birlliant polymath. She helps building up Scentient nature in many ways. She runs the webshop when I am not around
Sarah is a gifted sculptor and helps with logisitics.
Gina is a graphic designer with whom I have worked on other projects. I really enjoyed her work, and her sensitivity to perfume oils and her positive energy. So it made complete sense to invite her to develop the logo and some other graphic design works. Ask me if you want to be put in contact for a project of yours.
Pierre, is a naturopath, trained in Ayurveda and Chinese medicine. He is a remarkably skilled and demanding distiller, and a dear friend. In addition to buying from each other's productions, and co producing some distillations, we also source different aromatics together. We also exchange on an ongoing basis to learn from each others practice, research and experience.
Habiba creates delicate art. gives creative workshops and helps Scentient Nature with documentary work and object photography
Amanda is an illustrator that I have collaborated with on other projects. She is sharing some of her illustrations on the site, and helping with video and image editing.
Moussia is the administration & accounting supervisor.
Nicolas is the founder and main working bee: website development, content, object photography and of perfume creation, producing, sourcing, etc. You can read a bit about the birth of Scentient nature and about my backround here.
As far as our projects in the Hindu Kush, we hire around 40 people year round who cultivate the orchards, plant other things that they sell on the local markets or use for their own families, prepare local natural cosmetics with the by product of our production (like the incredible rose water). In season, we hire around 350 people. You can read more about all that here.
From the social etiquette, to the clothing, to the high walls surround each traditional property, anyone having travelled to Afghanistan knows how discrete and private its people are. Add to that general fact the privacy needed about the steady, and the excellent income for local standards that we provide our collaborators with (that can attract negativity, seen as coming from literal jealousy or 'supernatural' forms of evil eye), the fact that we hire mostly women (often widows), and several other reasons, then it is easily understandable that their preference is to remain anonymous.
But you can read about our Hindu Kush projects here in more detail.