Why US Retailers Are Switching to
Handmade Incense Sticks
The wellness and home fragrance market in the United States is undergoing a dramatic shift from mass-produced items to products made by hand, especially handmade incense sticks from India. With the growing importance placed on sustainability, craftsmanship, and authenticity by consumers, retailers are changing how they source their products, particularly in the specialty retail, lifestyle, and wellness chain markets. This change is not just a passing trend but a shift in how consumers define value in a category where scent, provenance, and process are all as important as price.
A Changing Consumer Lens in the United States
Consumers in the United States are also becoming more conscientious about what products they fill their homes with. Items that claim to help promote relaxation, meditation, or spiritual practices are now being evaluated based on the way they’re made and how they impact the environment. Incense has gone from a niche or culturally specific item to the forefront of discussions on wellness products.
Over the past few years, many retailers have experienced increased demand from consumers for items that feel personal rather than industrial. Customers have increasingly come to associate handmade products with safety, care, and transparency in the supply chain, prompting them to seek out products made by artisans rather than manufactured through an automated process. In particular, buyers are increasingly looking to support manufacturers using traditional artisanal methods from India for the production of incense.
India’s Artisanal Incense Tradition
The incense making traditions of India have been passed down from generation to generation as a result of the various religious experiences, plant species grown according to different areas (e.g., India vs Indonesia) and local craftsmanship. Many steps are involved in preparing traditional incense; e.g., the use of natural materials like resins, herbs, essential oils and bamboo to make rolls of incense with hand-rolling and sun-drying techniques.
Handmade Indian incense is typically made to be well-balanced — versus machine-made incense, which may tend to have greater scent strength; therefore, products sold through US retailers might be more appealing to consumers looking for subtle, sophisticated, well-balanced scents to use every day rather than having a strong impact over a short period of time.
Quality Perception and Product Differentiation
As more stores market incense, the most important aspect of being successful in this market is differentiation. Handmade incense can create a story that cannot be replicated by mass-produced incense products. Consumers appreciate individual batches of product reflecting variations in raw materials and workmanship, creating an inherent uniqueness.
Many retailers have found customers appreciate this story when it is supported by an accurate label and documented origin. The true artistry of making handcrafted incense sticks sets the stage for creating premium products without using synthetic fragrances or chemical binders.
Sustainability and Environmental Responsibility
The rising importance of sustainable consideration in the US retail industry has an impact on the way consumers make purchases. Incense made from natural materials using traditional methods fits well with the consumers’ need to purchase incense that is environmentally friendly. Many producers of incense in India use processes that minimize waste, produce biodegradable materials, and minimize energy usage.
Consumers want to buy Eco-friendly incense that has no effect on indoor air quality or undermines their commitment to being environmentally aware. For retailers, offering these types of products will not only increase their customers’ expectations for responsible sourcing but also be a part of their ESG commitments.
Supply Chain Trust and Transparency
Another reason many retailers are beginning to shift toward Indian incense is due to the transparency of their supply chains. Retailers are increasingly looking to establish direct relationships with manufacturers who can prove to them their processes, the ingredients they use, and the working conditions of their employees.
The incense industry in India includes many small and midsized manufacturing companies who have been around for decades and are familiar with documenting their processes and complying with export regulations. This model provides US-based buyers a supply chain that gives them assurance regarding the sourcing of their incense as well as a consistent standard of quality.
The Role of Cultural Authenticity
Authenticity has become a product that consumers associate with commerce. Many consumers who purchase incense associate it with a South Asian tradition, through the yoga/mindfulness/holistic lifestyle. Products that are tied to a culture carry greater weight than generic products.
Indian-produced incense enjoys this association as well as when they package and market the incense in a way that recognizes the cultural history and does not exploit it.
Pricing, Margins, and Retail Viability
Even though the unit price of homemade incense is much higher than the mass-produced items, retailers are reporting a favourable margin structure. Many customers are willing to pay a significant marked up price for products that they view to be natural or responsibly made. Overall, there appears to be a consistent amount of demand and much lower return rates throughout this particular category, which improves the overall category performance.
For specialty retailers who have directly imported products from wholesale suppliers of Indian incense, many have found this to be a successful way to balance their own cost control with product differentiation.
Adapting to US Regulatory Expectations
Retailers in the United States should also take into account the reliability and compliances associated with the safety of these products. More and more, natural incense produced by Indian exporters with reliable export histories is in compliance with international export documentation, ingredient disclosure, and packaging specifications.
Retailers can eliminate a lot of potential friction points during compliance when importing by partnering with suppliers with a verified history of exports since suppliers with this type of experience alleviate a lot of the concerns on liability and consumer safety.
Challenges and Considerations
However, there are also challenges to consider when sourcing handmade incense. One challenge with handmade incense is that the lead times for manual production are often longer. In addition, many retailers have concerns about consistency since this may vary across batches. Retailers address this issue by providing supplier with clear specifications for products and orders on a phased basis. Therefore, it is very important for retailers to build effective communication with suppliers to develop strong partnerships. The more time that buyers invest into understanding the cycles of production and material availability, the better off they will be with their suppliers in the long run.
The Broader Retail Outlook
Numerous retailers in the United States are embracing the handmade Indian Incense shift, highlighting the trend toward retailing products in ways that create meaning and function on behalf of consumers. By making wellness, sustainability, and authenticating essential to their purchasing decisions, consumers are placing greater emphasis on categories that have traditionally been considered ‘Peripheral’ and granting them new and strategic relevance.
In this context, Incense no longer represents just a fragrance, but is part of a holistic Eco System associated with intentional living and ethical consumption.
Conclusion
Retailers in America are not merely changing supplier sources for Incense, but are also re-defining the role of Incense for their customers by sourcing only handmade Indian products and products that satisfy both the consumer, and their tier one and tier two suppliers.
This shift towards only sourcing handmade Indian Incense highlights a retailer’s preference for the craftsmanship of making this type of product, as well as their desire to be transparent, and realistically represent authentic cultural products.
For retailers working in an incredibly competitive and values-driven space, handmade Indian Incense represent a unique balance between Tradition and Modern-Day relevance. If consumer priorities continue to lean towards products made with natural & responsibly made materials, it is likely that this shift in sourcing will endure.
1. Why are US retailers choosing handmade Indian incense?
Because it aligns with consumer demand for natural, authentic, and responsibly produced goods.
2. Is handmade incense safer than machine-made alternatives?
It often uses fewer synthetic ingredients, which appeals to health-conscious consumers.
3. Are Indian incense suppliers reliable for large orders?
Yes, many exporters are experienced in fulfilling wholesale and retail-scale requirements.
4. Does handmade incense cost more?
Unit costs may be higher, but retailers often achieve better margins due to premium positioning.
5. Is demand for natural incense expected to grow?
Yes, driven by wellness trends and sustainability awareness.
