Aromas of Escapism: Discovering CRANBOURN

Simon Joy, founder of CRANBOURN®, shares insights into the profound impact of botanicals for and ithe brands commitment to transforming atmospheres. Each Art of AtmospheresTM collection is inspired by nature and iconic global destinations, capturing scented memories of unforgettable landscapes.

What does the power of fragrance mean to you?

I believe there is nothing quite as intricate, interesting and mysterious as our sense of smell. Fragrance has the power to generate, enhance or control our emotions, memories and overall health and wellbeing. I think that harnessing the magic of fragrance and aromatherapy can be hugely powerful in our day to day lives.

Do you have any personal scent memories?

Plenty! As a child I was fortunate enough to live in different locations around the globe, and this formed so many olfactory memories for me. I remember when we lived in Abidjan in West Africa, we had a beautiful garden full of tropical floral scents. ‘Citronelle’, or lemongrass, grew abundantly in the garden surrounding the house, and we used to turn it into a tea infusion with sugar. It had such an amazing smell. I remember while on holiday in France, my father and I tried to make a crude cologne out of lavender and rose petals. We mixed it with vodka as a white spirit, as it was all we had available.

I also remember the distinct smell of box hedge in France, too. When I was younger, we would visit the Jardins du Château de Versailles to go bike riding alongside the box hedge, and then later I stayed with friends at their beautiful old French property with a tired formal garden with a box hedge. The botanical smell is so unique– those memories stay with you.

What inspired the creation of CRANBOURN®?

My deep lifelong enjoyment of fragrance inspired me to learn more about the history and cultural significance of fragrance. For many years, I worked in the luxury goods and design industry. I noticed that quite often, there’s an emphasis on seeking short term revenue opportunities at the expense of their founders’ long term vision. I wanted to do something different, creating a business where the products don’t simply sit as soulless SKUs within an Excel sheet.

When we do something at CRANBOURN®, we always try to do it better and in a more considered way than it has been done before.

I admire the Japanese philosophy of ‘Kaizen’: change for the better or continuous improvement.
In our small way, we are always looking at ways to improve and add value to our products, even if these changes are subtle.

We are a certified B Corp, dedicated to crafting authentic high quality products with luxurious ingredients.

You use the phrase Art of

AtmospheresTM, what does this mean for how we should experience the products?

We created Art of AtmospheresTM to help consumers curate their own environment, create memories and transform moods.

If you are walking through a garden, travelling, entertaining or relaxing at a spa, the feelings you have about the atmosphere of the place are influenced by how it feels to all of your five senses.

A good atmosphere is a positive blend of the senses, and our Art of AtmospheresTM collections are crafted to enhance the olfactory element.

Why do you think it is important to champion British craftsmanship as a brand?

Britain is known for innovation, timelessness, classic style, sophistication and creativity, and was once a global industrial leader with incredible manufacturing, industrial and artisanal skills.

Supporting British business, crafters, makers and designers is so important for a number of reasons.
Investing in local independent manufacturers, helping to regenerate the highstreet and supporting emerging new designers is a topic close to our heart.

With CRANBOURN®, we wanted to take the opportunity to champion British design, artistry and craftsmanship.
We have sought to ensure that we manufacture all our products and packaging locally here in the UK.

We’re in close geographical proximity to our suppliers, so we can ensure the highest quality standards we require– and for which the UK has been internationally renowned for centuries.

I still don’t think there is sufficient appreciation of the pivotal role of fragrance and aromatherapy, a key component of wellbeing. That’s where CRANBOURN® home fragrance products come in: they are designed to help consumers craft their own unique wellbeing space.

Tell us more about the perfumers who create CRANBOURN® fragrances.

There are quite a few myths in modern perfumery (which I probably won’t be thanked for debunking!). Fragrances are highly regulated products to ensure consumer safety. Many natural botanicals contain chemical compounds. In terms of the creation process, usually I’m responsible for putting forward a creative idea or concept, which we’ll discuss and thrash out at length before the Perfumers start their highly technical work. Once the Perfumery Team begins, it's a relentless path of sampling and continual refinement until we create the scent we want. It can be very rewarding, but for the sake of transparency, sometimes it can be frustratingly slow in terms of arriving where you want to with the scent you are seeking to create! The complex journey is always worth it for the end result.

Why are botanicals so important to the CRANBOURN® process?

Nature and botanicals are pivotal to perfumery–yet for the most part, they are only discussed superficially.

Consumers are offered little information about the botanicals in their fragrances; where they originate from, how they’re grown, how they work together, etc. There’s a huge disconnect there.

We aim to change this.
We want consumers to be better nformed about what they’re purchasing.

In our modern lives, we’ve largely lost touch with our original natural environments... but our wellbeing can be positively impacted by a return to nature. Botanical fragrances offer the unique opportunity to recreate natural scents in cities or suburban buildings, where we’d normally lose access to them. As a business, we’re dedicated to offering extensive education about the world of botanicals. We have created a unique olfactive botanicals directory on our website, where consumers can browse and learn about different botanicals from around the globe. We’ve also created an ever-growing Journal area filled with insights and resources.

How would you describe CRANBOURN® in three words?

Quality, luxury and sustainability (with an honourable mention to innovation and authenticity, too!).

What are you looking forward to most in the future of CRANBOURN®?

We believe as well as making exciting new products, business can also be a force for good, helping to create a better world. For business inspiration, I often look to organisations and brands outside our industry.

Fellow B Corp brands like Patagonia and Ben & Jerry’s are significant inspirations for me, in terms of doing business in the right way.

In the future, we will continually develop new and innovative products, spurred on by our obsession for quality and doing things differently from the competition while always remaining true to our values.

Whilst remaining humble and keeping our feet on the ground, there is so much that can be done in terms of new product development in our industry which hasn’t been done yet– and that excites me and everyone else at CRANBOURN®.

The future looks very exciting.