Our lead commodity
Around 80 to 90 per cent of the world's patchouli oil comes from Indonesia. World output itself is small, roughly two thousand tonnes a year, so fragrance houses almost always end up at a distillery here. This page covers the grading basis and how it ships.
Unlike commodities where Indonesia is merely one supplier among many, in patchouli oil it faces no serious rival. World output is only about two thousand tonnes a year, most of it leaving distilleries in Aceh and Sulawesi. What buyers ask is rarely whether it is available, but what the content is and how consistent it stays.
Patchouli oil works as a fixative in perfume. Synthetics have struggled to replace that property, so demand holds even when prices climb.
The two regions with the longest distilling tradition. Their oils differ in character, and some buyers name the region in the contract.
Patchouli alcohol content depends on the raw material, distillation time, and the type of still used. A laboratory result therefore matters more than a region name.
Grades
Usually 30 per cent and above for export. This is the figure buyers price against, and every shipment leaves with a test result.
Yellow to light brown. Oil that runs too dark usually came from an iron still, and some buyers reject it.
Carried over from distilling equipment. Fragrance houses check for it because it affects how the aroma holds.
Aceh or Sulawesi. Not merely a note, since the aroma character differs and some contracts require it.
Load economics
Where kapok is limited by container space, patchouli oil is not. The value per kilogram is high enough that freight barely registers in the final price. That makes shipping far more flexible: there is no need to wait for a full container to accumulate.
Samples and first orders of patchouli oil are therefore much easier to arrange than for bulk goods. Tell us the content you need and we will match it to the distillery whose output comes closest.
Calculator
Enter your volume and compare a 20ft against a 40ft high cube.
Weight and volume per package are indicative. Once your packing is confirmed we recalculate together with freight.
Common questions
One 180 kilogram drum. Because the value per kilogram is high, single-drum and consolidated shipments still make sense on freight, unlike bulk commodities.
Yes, every shipment carries a patchouli alcohol test result. If you need additional parameters such as specific gravity or refractive index, say so at the start so the testing is arranged together.
Yes. A small sample is sent first, and its test result becomes the agreed grade for the shipments that follow.
The aroma character differs because the raw material and distilling practice are not the same. Some buyers specify one in the contract. If you have not decided, tell us the end use and we will suggest which fits.
It is affected by plant age, distillation time, and the equipment used. That is why we quote content per lot from an actual test rather than a general figure.
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