The Incense Atelier has grown out of a lifelong fascination with the East — its philosophy, literature and living traditions.

My first encounters with incense, as a teenager, hinted at distant cultures and unfamiliar places. It also felt faintly exotic and bohemian — something quietly transgressive, a little ‘grown-up’, carrying promises of independence and the unnamed pleasures of adulthood.

In my twenties, drawn ever more deeply to Eastern philosophy and religion, I travelled to India to stay in the ashrams and temple towns of the South. There I encountered Indian life, and Indian incense, in all its remarkable variety.

I remember visiting an artisan agarbatti company in Bangalore in the early 1990s, watching incense being made for the first time. In the same city, I sought out and sent home a half-kilo box of the original Nag Champa, enchanted by its opulence and rarity.

Spiritual seeking and books often go together. I went on to found a small publishing house dedicated to Eastern philosophy and contemporary teachers. Yet an abiding interest in incense never left me. On trips to London, I would return home with equal measures of books and fine incense — both, in their own way, carriers of inspiration.

In the summer of 2025, after reading about the work of Alok Panday of Malaan Gaudhoop, the idea for The Incense Atelier began to take clearer form. The intention was simple: to make available in the UK the kind of incense I had encountered over the years — much of it unavailable outside India, and some never previously available here — from lesser-known craft makers as well as heritage houses.

The focus is on natural materials and small-scale production. Many of the makers we work with are family-run workshops and temple-town suppliers, still preparing incense by hand using sandalwood, resins, herbs, and natural gums — masala incense, as it is known. Some houses trace their origins back over a century; others are more recent, but all share a concern for material quality and craft.

This remains a living practice. Alongside long-established makers, we also seek out newer artisans who approach incense with care and originality.

For me, incense has never lost its sense of quiet fascination — how such small objects can so completely change the atmosphere of a room. I use them daily to create a space that feels alive and welcoming. Our customers, I imagine, are much as I once was: curious travellers, drawn to the subtle treasures of different cultures.

The Incense Atelier exists to offer authentic Indian incense, carefully sourced and chosen as much for its beauty and fragrance as for its provenance. I hope you find something here that speaks to you."

Julian

Note: The Incense Atelier also aims to give something back. Incense making often provides vital income for women in rural India. As a small gesture, 5% of annual profits are donated to organisations supporting this work. Each year, a specific charity is selected and a short account of the contribution is published.