Here’s How You Can Make Incense Sticks From Waste Flowers

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Incense is popular in many cultures for various purposes like aromatherapy or religious ceremonies. And the process of making incense sticks isn’t rocket science.

On the contrary, it’s fairly easy and can be rewarding to people interested in producing their own scent. Did you know that you can make incense sticks and bundles of waste flowers?

In today’s article, I will teach you how to make incense sticks from waste flowers, but first, let’s learn more about floral waste in India.

What’s Floral Waste?

Unfortunately, India has a large amount of floral wastage because of the temple offerings and different festivals yearly. Furthermore, manufacturing units utilize flowers in many things such as cosmetics, food, textile, and perfume, and they have a habit of throwing away dead flowers into the nearby rivers.

It’s super dangerous for these dead flowers to be dumped into the nearby bodies of water because both the fertilizers and chemicals utilized to force plant growth can contaminate the water, making it toxic for marine life. That’s where a startup called Phool. Co founded by Ankit Agarwal comes to the rescue.

Established in the year 2017, this company has a plan to end this pollution, especially in the Ganga river. They recycle all the flowers that were dumped by the temples and turn them into items for sale, such as incense sticks. In other words, they found a way to give waste a new purpose and employ women.

They’re basically turning waste into wealth while providing a sustainable solution to the issue. And since about 420 million people in India depend on the river for sustenance, the PH level of the water shouldn’t cross the accepted level. Now, let’s learn how to make incense sticks from waste flowers at home.

Watch This Video: How Sacred Flowers Are Turned Into Incense Sticks

How To Make Incense Sticks From Waste Flowers?

The process of creating incense sticks in India is easy and is done by hand. People collect all the flowers from the different temples, then they’re broken down into powder form, and the powder is kneaded to make the form of the incense stick.

However, besides creating lovely handmade incense sticks, the company Phool. Co has been employing a lot of women and providing job opportunities.

They usually employ women who either worked as manual scavengers or were jobless beforehand. The company has provided new opportunities for women to express their full potential and become a part of something as meaningful as cleaning the Ganges.

The best part? Along with the items, they have also invented biodegradable packaging. And that’s what made the brand so popular and successful. Their goal was to create something that was amazing. So, they’ve come up with a packaging that can be sown afterward.

And once you do that, a basil plant will grow out of it. Isn’t that amazing? As you can see, Phool. Co has a very inspiring story. And they have amazing results!

So far, they’re recycled over 11,000 metric tonnes of floral waste. They’re literally empowering women, saving the environment, and decreasing pollution.

You can make incense sticks and bundles from floral waste at home with ease. Indian women make the incense sticks by hand, so you have nothing to worry about. Just follow the next steps and you will make a collection of incense bundles in record time.

Step 1: Prep and cut the flowers and herbs

Cut the stems of the herbs to 6 inches in length. Then, slice the stems of the flowers between 3-6 inches. Finally, remove any excess leaves from your flowers.

Step 2: Bundle the flowers and herbs together

Herbs with larger leaves like eucalyptus and bay make a great choice for the base of your bundle. So, lay your flowers on top of your herbs to keep them secure.

Step 3: Utilize your twine to secure your incense bundle

Unravel a piece of twine about 5-8 times longer than your bundle. Then, tie your twine around the stem side of your bundle to preserve it together. Leave a few inches of twine on the shorter side.

Once you’ve secured the base, wrap the long end of your twine up around your bundle until you get to the top. Then, wrap your bundle down in the opposite direction. Once you’ve gotten to the base of your bundle, you should tie the long end of your twine to the short end. That way, you will secure it.

I highly suggest that you wrap and pull your twine as securely and tightly as possible because herbs and flowers shrink as they dry, so keep that in mind when preparing your incense sticks at home.

Step 4: Let the bundles dry for a few weeks

Utilize the long part of the twine to tie the bundle upside down from your hanger to dry. Pick a dry, cool place with good circulation for your bundles. Furthermore, dry your bundles completely before utilizing them. Otherwise, they won’t burn properly.

Step 5: Put your bundles on a heat-proof plate

Once your incense is completely dry, take it from the hanger and put it on a heat-proof plate. Then, light the flowers and herbs until they begin to smoke. Blow out the fire and enjoy!

After you have made your first batch of incense, you can start preparing a couple of bundles beforehand so you have some dried incense bundles at hand. Keep your incense bundles in a dry, cool place because exposure to heat or moisture can cause them to become more brittle or mold.

Incense bundles make a great addition to a holiday party with your loved ones or a date night with your partner. So, take your flower and herbs waste and make something beautiful.

You can either utilize your bundle as it is. Or you can grind your dry flowers and herbs and make incense sticks with charcoal powder, sawdust powder, some water, and wooden sticks.

If you don’t want to dry your flowers and herbs, you can buy flower powder instead. The process is very easy. Just follow the simple steps in the next video and you will do just fine.

Watch This Video: How To Make Flower Incense Sticks At Home

Wrap Up

As you can notice, the guide on how to make incense sticks from waste flowers isn’t exactly intended for making sticks but bundles. However, they’re just as amazing and effective as sticks.

You can also prepare incense sticks if you follow the visual step-by-step tutorial below the written guide.

What’s your preference? Have you ever made incense sticks or bundles before? Share your experiences, questions, and suggestions in the comments, and let’s continue the discussion below!

Andrew Scents and Aroma
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