Incense in The Wind: Fair Trade Incense Works/ Incense Collective / Nitiraj / Om / Bombay

Monday, 14 December 2020

Fair Trade Incense Works/ Incense Collective / Nitiraj / Om / Bombay

Incense Collective - previously known as Fair Trade Incense Works, are based in Mumbai and mostly make incense for others to brand as their own, though they did have some brands of their own which they distributed themselves, Om Incense, Nitiraj Incense and Natural Incense. Of those, only Om and Nitiraj appear to still be available. Bombay Incense was the company's distribution branch set up by Nitin Bulsara, son of the founders of Fair Trade/Incense Collective. Nitraj is named after Nitin and his brother Raj. Bombay Incense was set up in Birmingham, UK in 1979, and then also in Florida, USA in 1991. Distribution rights have since been given to Kheops International in North America, KO Shop in Australia, Liberty Trading in Japan, and Namaste in the UK. Bombay Incense distribution closed down in Dec 2024.

Fair Trade/Nitiraj make perfumed masala aimed at the Western market. They tend to use machines. This is a reliable and economical method of making incense sticks, though some purists prefer their incense sticks to be hand rolled.

I tend to quite like Fair Trade products, but never get excited by them. They are always decent scents, and the incense is well made, professional, and consistent. But there is not much excitement, creativity, or heart about them. This is professionally made incense, made with a clear eye on the profit line. Job done. There is nothing wrong with them, except, like HEM and SAC Sandesh, they lack soul. Companies like this show that it doesn't matter if the incense is masala or perfumed, what matters is the attitude and spirit of the makers.

Reviews

[* = Review over five years old, so may not be reliable]