Where is the cleanest air on earth? That's what some curious fragrance experts wondered, whose quest took them to "the edge of the word," literally, in a remote section of Tasmania.
The fragrance specialists from German-based Symrise visited various places, including Cape Grim, which according to scientific research has the cleanest air in the world. The group also explored the Tarkine Rainforest at the northwest end of the island. This temperate rainforest is home to one of the oldest and most undisturbed plant ecosystems on earth.
Symrise's Karen Solari, vice president, marketing Scent & Care Division North America, Kari Arienti, vice president, senior perfumer Scent & Care Division North America and their videographer, David Castagneto, senior graphic artist, made the trek in search of undiscovered scents.
Symrise is a global supplier of fragrances, flavorings, cosmetic active ingredients and raw materials, as well as functional ingredients. The team brought a wealth of previously unknown scent impressions and profiles back from their trip which will be used to create new fragrances.
“Based on the results of a recent consumer study, we wanted to concentrate on the concept of purity. That's why we decided to make the place with the purest air our destination for this expedition. The rainforest, on the other hand, allowed us to experience a plant and scent environment unlike any other, providing us with new horizons for fragrance creation,” explains Solari.
Since the local and protected plants that grow in the area cannot be taken back home for research, the team traveled with its own mobile mini-laboratory. This allowed them to analyze unusual new scents from leaves, blossoms, tree barks, and grasses directly on location and even begin their creative work right there.
Fragrances from indigenous plants such as Pink Leatherwood, lichens that grow on coastal rocks and the wood of the extremely rare Huon pine were collected and now belong to the new expanded repertoire of Symrise's perfumers. Other native plants the group discovered include Tasmanian Pepperwood, Edge of the World Flower, Lemon Scented Boronia and a host of other unusual finds.
"Tasmania is a volcanic island with extremely nutrient-rich, brick-red soil that produces plants with some of the most incredible aromas we have found," says Arienti. "The air was so pure that we could smell every little nuance of scent on the wind."
The results of the scent expedition to Tasmania will now be developed into new fragrance concepts for fine fragrances and home care and introduced to Symrise customers. Perhaps the most important scent to come from the expedition is the one the group named "The Cleanest Air on Earth." The scent of "everything yet nothing," is the description the group gives. "It's almost magical what this scent does when added to the finished fragrance," enthuses Arienti.
Symrise works with its clients to develop new ideas and market-ready concepts for products that form an indispensable part of everyday life. In doing so, the company combines its insights into consumer trends with cutting-edge technologies, focusing on innovative trend and lifestyle products that have additional practical value for the consumer.
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