Holy Lama Naturals – a Body Care Range that Cares for You, its Workers and the Environment

Fairtrade Fortnight runs from 25 February to 10 March and if you’re one of the growing number who take seriously where their beauty and body care products have come from, and whether it has been produced in a fair and ethical way, Fairtrade Fortnight is a clarion call for action.   With stories of sweat shops and malpractice abounding, here’s one good news story from India: Holy Lama Naturals.

Holy Lama Naturals is a family business based in Kerala with its origins in the essential oils industry.  For over 70 years they have been making natural body care products based on ancient Ayurvedic principles, to ensure a balance of body, mind and spirit.  This sense of well-being permeates the business and is demonstrated in the way it is run and the products it makes.

All of Holy Lama Naturals’ products are made using the finest quality ingredients sourced primarily from local farmers in Kerala or elsewhere in India, building on over seven decades of strongly established relationships with farmers.  A genuine bond of trust exists between supplier and buyer not least because Holy Lama Naturals runs on a no-credit principle so that all the farmers and raw material suppliers are paid immediately and with fair prices.

In many developing communities (and let’s face it in Western society too!), there is sometimes an inequality in wages for men and women, but this is not the case for Holy Lama Naturals where equal pay is ensured, irrespective of gender.  In addition, annual wage increases are always made in line with inflation, so wages are assured, no matter how low the market falls. 

Holy Lama Naturals is also a Kerala Government recognised women’s enterprise, where over 80% of the workforce are women, mainly from disadvantaged backgrounds.  They may have been widowed, deserted by a partner, abused or left as a single parent, and under normal circumstances would have been rejected in a traditionally male dominated society.  Work at the factory provides these women with much needed self-confidence and financial independence.  Holy Lama Naturals is like a family to its employees and women of all ages, castes and religions are welcome, working together in harmony.  This practice is guided by the concept of ‘Kudumbashree’ – ‘the enhancement of a less privileged family through empowering women’.  How refreshing!

Holy Lama Naturals body care products are predominantly made from natural ingredients avoiding the use of harsh chemicals or synthetics and are GM free. They are also made without testing on animals and are vegan friendly.  Wherever possible sustainable materials are used for packaging such as the ‘oyster-like shells’ for the soaps, made from areca palm leaves that have been shed naturally by the tree.  The factory’s sustainable model ensures there is less than 1% wastage in production and any waste is used as fuel or cattle feed, making the company’s carbon footprint exceptionally low.