Alternative selections for endangered species


At Vizü, we source for 100% pure quality oils only from honest manufacturers who possess ecologically-conscious farming beliefs. When sifting through our selections, we researched thoroughly on the plants’ countries of origin, and most importantly the plant species, making sure that no endangered species are used. 

Vizü replaces threatened plants with alternative species which are lesser known in the commercial market. In this way, we are helping our ecosystems to heal and help conserve endangered botanical species.

View sustainable options
Just to share a few of our choices:

Frankincense

Vizü will not sell Boswellia Caterii and Boswellia Sacra from Somalia as these two particular ancient tree species have been overexploited to meet rising global demands. Frankincense Sacra is currently listed as “near threatened” in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The ancestral forest in Somalia is unable to keep up with the present overharvesting and this is very worrying as we may lose yet another sacred tree to extinction. 

Vizü has picked Boswellia Serrata ethereal oil from its native country, India, as a sustainable alternative. The different species of Frankincense have very similar therapeutic functions as all of Frankincense oils can be used interchangeably. 

Boswellia Serrata CO2 extract is in fact considered to be the richest and most exquisite in scent and quality. This species is extremely well-known in Ayurveda even before the discovery of its unique phyto-compound, Boswellic acids, which has incredible anti-cancer properties.

Eucalyptus 

Eucalyptus Kochii and Eucalyptus Loxophleba are chosen as sustainable alternative species to Eucalyptus Blue Mallee. Among the 800 species of Eucalyptus, both Kochii and Blue Mallee share one of the highest concentration of Cineole, the component which characterises Eucalyptus oil. 

The oil of Eucalyptus Kochii is distilled by a generation of farmers who developed a sustainable business model that positively affects the surrounding environment of Western Australia. The trees in their farmland protect the ancient landscape from wind erosion and desertification, while removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. 

The oil of Eucalyptus Loxophleba comes from a plantation that was originally established for carbon credits and is now being managed for oil production in order to enhance soil salinity.

The manufacturers practise a sustainable production cycle whereby the steaming process for oil extraction is powered by burning waste leaf from previous extractions. Therefore the entire oil production process has a negative carbon footprint.

Jojoba

Our organic Jojoba is a very special case that is not sourced from it’s native soils, but taken from Peruvian plantations situated in an area which was once sand dunes. 

Jojoba is one sturdy shrub that has been very effective in combating desertification over the world, finding itself getting planted in expanding deserts and semi-arid lands. The plant adapts very well to hot climates as it is able to grow in nutrient-poor soils and also require very little water and are resistant to salts.

There are currently many successful Jojoba plantations in Peru, Argentina, India and their shrub hedges has created new ecosystem for desert animals (how brilliant!), and also act as windbreakers to stop sand from drifting!

Sandalwood

Vizü will not sell Santalum Album (Indian Sandalwood) even though it is highly valuable in skincare and herbal preparations. The uncontrolled harvesting of Indian Sandalwood has caused its tree populations to dwindle in recent years, which led India to impose an export ban on it. The trade has become so corrupt that it has turned to smuggling, adulteration, unorthodox trading, and synthetic substitutes. There are also reports that the strict regulation of Indian Sandalwood has resulted in a thriving black market which involves terrorism, threats, and murders of uncooperative villagers by Sandalwood poachers.

Santalum Album is currently labelled as “vulnerable” in IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and listed in Global Forest Resource Assessment as “threatened”.

Vizü has introduced West Indian Sandalwood, also known as Amyris; which ironically is the original adulterator of the true Indian Sandalwood.

It is unfortunate that many oils commonly sold to the public are adulterated. This is done to increase profits without much concern for the consequences to the consumer. Some of the adulteration consists of adding cheaper oil to a more expensive oil to “stretch” it. In this case, it is Amyris into Sandalwood. Many other more serious adulterations take place by adding synthetics as well as fractionalized components, which contaminate the oils.

But now we can appreciate true Amyris as itself as a beautiful wood oil!
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