Juniper Ridge Upcycles Unused Trees to Create Their Christmas Fir Collection

In their West Oakland facility, Juniper Ridge formulates soap, body oil, fragrances, room spray, incense, tea, and essential oil & diffusers by distilling and extracting fragrance from wildflowers, plants, bark, moss, mushrooms, and tree trimmings that they harvest on the trail. Here they share how they upcycle unused Christmas trees to create their Christmas Fir Collection.

Nothing Quite Like It

Throughout history, various cultures have looked to the evergreen tree for comfort during the longest nights and coldest temperatures, celebrating all kinds of winter traditions with the reassuring scent of conifer trees. This project is a particular labor of love for our crew that creates a scent that can fill any room with the generous and warm energy of the winter holidays.

For over 10 years, the Juniper Ridge team has been working to turn the unused trees from the holiday season into something wonderful. Our team sets out on December 26th, collecting the unused holiday trees from lots in the area. Over the first weeks of the new year, we upcycle the grand, noble, and white fir trees, chipping over twelve hundred a day over a little more than six weeks.

What would have been waste created by the Christmas tree industry becomes the most authentic holiday tree scent available. The Christmas Fir Collection products are the distilled essence of the holidays itself, wrapped in positive intention, love, and the spirit of celebrations of the past. We’re able to transform around 5,000 to 7,000 trees every year – that’s more than 50,000 trees saved from the landfill since we started this project!

Converting Waste to Wonderful Scents

Our team loves dreaming up new scent profiles from tree industry waste. We love this line because, during times of higher consumption and gift-giving, it provides an option that contributes to diverting waste, rather than creating additional excess.

In addition to the holiday tree upcycling, we work all year with different organizations, from family-owned businesses like our Christmas tree partners, to the forest service and Caltrans. Whether the trees are removed for fire mitigation or a by-product of holiday celebrations, we’re happy to do our part in making sure they aren’t felled in vain.

If you’re thinking about ways to make your holiday tree decorations a bit more sustainable, it’s surprising, but the truth is a real Christmas tree is often the most sustainable option (outside of using the Juniper Ridge Christmas Fir line), as long the tree doesn’t end up in a landfill.

There are initiatives all over the country to ensure that trees get a second life, whether as compost or to help prevent coastal erosion. Make sure to check out what services are available in your community, so you can enjoy your holidays sustainably.

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www.juniperridge.com

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