This page explains what we check before a product is listed, how we describe it, and how to use it safely. If anything here disagrees with something you read elsewhere, this page is correct.
What we check before listing
- Origin. Where the item was made, recorded against its lot and named on its page.
- Material. What it is actually made of, including what lies under a plated or painted finish.
- Paperwork. For protected or regulated materials, the permit or licence has to exist before the product does.
How we describe things
- Plated is plated. Silver-finish and gold-finish ware is plated metal, and we say so. We do not sell solid silver or gold, and we never call plated ware silver.
- Natural means variable. Shell, seed, wood, stone and hand-hammered brass differ from piece to piece. We photograph a typical piece and say so where it matters.
- No health claims. We describe the material, where it came from and how it was made. Where a material has a long traditional use, we describe it as history, not as a promise.
- Nothing consecrated. We do not describe any product as blessed, energised or consecrated.
Documented materials
| Material | What we hold |
|---|---|
| Agarwood (oud) | CITES Appendix II sourcing and permit documents for every lot. |
| Conch shell | Bought through licensed fishery channels, with a collection record for each lot. |
| Palo santo | Moved under a Peruvian export permit. |
| White sage | Farm-grown, not wild-harvested. |
Attars and oils
Attars and oils are undiluted. Before first use, apply a little to the inside of your forearm and wait 24 hours. Stop using anything that irritates your skin. Keep them away from your eyes and out of reach of children. They are for external use only. They are not medicines and not food.
Flame, smoke and heat
Lamps, diyas, candles, charcoal, bakhoor and incense involve a real flame or real heat.
- Use them on a heatproof surface, away from curtains, shelves and anything that can catch fire.
- Keep the room ventilated when burning resin, charcoal or incense.
- Never leave a flame or hot charcoal unattended, and keep them out of reach of children and pets.
- Let lamps, chimneys and burners cool completely before you touch or move them. Brass and glass hold heat longer than you might expect.
- Fill oil lamps only when they are cold, and do not fill them past the rim of the reservoir.
Caring for metal
Unlacquered brass and copper darken naturally. Clean them with tamarind, lemon and salt, or a brass polish, and dry them straight away. Plated ware needs gentler care: wipe it with a soft dry cloth and never use polish or scourers, which wear away the plating. Plated serving pieces are for dry food only, never hot, wet or acidic food.
Packaging
We pack in card and paper. We do not use plastic foam or shredded plastic filler. Where an item needs a rigid case, it comes in a box, a tin or a velvet presentation case.