For the growing Shangri-La Green family of products the following values are important: Transparency, Quality, Sustainability & Artistry.
While these are small batch products made in the studio, and not a factory, all ingredients are completely and accurately labeled. I research the most nourishing and effective recipes. It’s important to me for these products to be both delicious, or luxurious, and healthful. Definitely boutique and artisanal, they are handmade in a clean modern kitchen with quartz countertops. Instead of being factory processed, and potentially exposure to toxic chemicals, the standardized shapes for some of the products are achieved through molds. Some of the mixing is done is a basalt volcanic stone, which is mineral rich, and the tools are bamboo and metal. The use of plastic is absolutely minimized.
One benefit of small batch is that there are no unnecessary additives (no incentives) and the preservatives are built in, such as honey or star anise. After all, they are designed to be enjoyed and made to order; not to make an excess and have them sit around and spoil. I’m not sure who could hang on to the Super Food Pecan Pie Butter for long anyway, for example!
Sourcing is also important and how sustainable that cultivation is. In other words, these products are designed and crafted mindfully. The optimizations are a work in progress too, and continue as a wonderful opportunity for creativity. For skin care and cosmetics, shea butter for example comes from a tree nut and is far more sustainable than using petroleum based products. You won’t find the latter included here. There are many examples of refining production methods, even at this scale. Another example is home grown herbs, or mini regenerative agriculture. The plants continue growing and as they drop leaves, fruit etc, naturally, those are gathered.
Packaging is another important detail and happy efforts are made to use recycled and recyclable materials, some that you can reuse, and also biodegradable packaging such as cellulose and even biodegradable packing tape! It’s important to me that Shangri-La Green stays consistent with my values of respecting the environment inasmuch as possible, continuing to learn to optimize, and provide a unique, special experience.
To learn more about the individual products and place an order, visit the Shangri-La Green Store page. For questions and custom orders, please contact: Sarah.ikerd@studio-shangri-la.com.