forever friday: wellbeing with weleda
October 30, 2009
I have to admit that Weleda only truly entered my stratosphere when I had my baby. Suddenly, the naturopathic powders for Colic and Teething found their way into our daily lives.
Over the years, I had seen the homeopathic Weleda cures in chemists and always wondered what they were like. I wasn’t fully up to play with skin care although I have tried (and liked) the Wild Rose Day Cream, $37.50, which has the most divine smell of real roses.
But it wasn’t until I met the New Zealand owners that I understood the history behind the brand.
Weleda began in the 1920s when Rudolf Steiner (yes, also from the education system) and Dr Ita Wegman developed anthroposcopic medicine - using nature to stimulate the body to heal itself. It also incorporates biodynamic and organic farming practises to ensure that each product is the most potent and most able to correct imbalances.
Weleda NZ began in the 1950s when pharmacist Colin Mahon met doctor Ken Friedlander, both shared an interest in anthroposophy and moved to Switzerland to further their knowledge. On his return in 1955, Colin founded Weleda (NZ) Ltd.
In 1958 English pharmacist Sylvia Walters moved to New Zealand to help Colin - she’d been managing Weleda in England. They moved the dispensary from Auckland to Havelock North in 1959.
Some of the products (especially the skin care) are sent from overseas, but some are blended here, from the Weleda farm in the Hawkes Bay which is between two vineyards - Black Barn and Te Mata. There’s a no spray policy - neither vineyard can spray their vines within a certain distance of the Weleda Homestead to protect the quality of the herbs and crops.
The ingredients, the packaging, the formulations - everything is carefully considered and strictly managed. Yes it’s natural and organic, but no it’s not hokey and made by a bunch of hippies blending rose leaves. It’s the creation of pharmacists - so there’s substance beneath the essential oils.
While we were filled in on all this we sipped Sea Buckthorn Elixir, $24.50, - a rejuvenating tonic that strengthens the immune system and has a delicious mandarin flavour. We also got to sniff the newest offerings - the Creamy Body Wash, $19.50, of which I took home the Wild Rose.
From what they said it’s not a hugely profitable business - the process of making these holistic products is expensive -it’s not sent to china to be packaged in plastic. The Weleda philosophy means that most of the money is poured back into the company. However it is a global company, it’s available in just over 50 countries around the world - each Weleda country trades ingredients with another and it is all done in fair trade. It’s commendable.
Tamsin xo
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