Sustainable agarwood means choosing agarwood with a clear origin, favouring trees that are planted and inoculated over those taken from natural forest. All Aquilaria species are listed in Appendix II of CITES, meaning international trade needs permits. This post briefly explains why that matters and what a buyer can do.
Why Aquilaria trees are under pressure
Agarwood forms when an Aquilaria tree is wounded or infected by fungi and produces resin to protect itself. Healthy wood has almost no scent; the resin is what carries the value. Because only some trees contain resin, for years harvesters have felled very many wild trees in the search.
As a result, wild Aquilaria populations have declined sharply in many parts of Southeast Asia. According to CITES documents, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) assessed two key species, Aquilaria crassna and Aquilaria malaccensis, as Critically Endangered in its 2018 assessment. It is worth checking the latest status on the IUCN site, since classifications can be updated.
This does not mean every agarwood product is harmful. It means the origin of the wood, wild or planted, permitted or not, is a question worth asking. How the resin forms is told in how agarwood forms.
What CITES is and what it requires
CITES is the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. It sorts species into appendices. Appendix II covers species not necessarily facing extinction right now, but whose trade must be controlled to avoid that outcome.
For agarwood, Aquilaria malaccensis was placed in Appendix II in the mid-1990s (documents give 1994 or 1995), and all Aquilaria and Gyrinops species were added to Appendix II by a 2004 decision (in force from 2005). You can check official information at cites.org.
Appendix II does not ban trade. It requires an export permit issued by the exporting country’s authority, on condition that the export does not harm the species’ survival in the wild. This applies to wood, chips, oil and many processed products, depending on the specific rules. Each country also has its own laws; if you carry or ship agarwood across a border, check the rules of both countries.
Sustainable agarwood: cultivated trees and the principles behind it
Today, most Aquilaria crassna traded internationally comes from plantations. A 2025 study reported by Mongabay found that over 99% of traded A. crassna came from cultivation, while many other species still depend heavily on wild trees.
Cultivated agarwood comes from planted trees stimulated to form resin, for example by inoculation. This eases pressure on natural forest, but it is not automatically “green”. A sustainable plantation needs:
- seedlings of known origin, not taken from the forest;
- planting on land already used for agriculture, with no forest cleared to make room;
- planned harvesting and replanting;
- transparent records of planting area, tree age and how resin is induced.
Cultivation also takes time: many years before harvest. So good-quality cultivated agarwood is not something that can be made quickly and cheaply. The two sources are compared in wild vs cultivated agarwood.
What buyers can do
You do not need to be an expert to buy responsibly. A few simple questions:
- Where does it come from? An honest seller can say whether it is from a plantation or elsewhere.
- Is there paperwork? For exports, ask about CITES permits or related documents.
- Is the price plausible? High-grade natural agarwood is very rare and costly; a price far too low for the claims is a warning sign.
- Do you use it sparingly? A little agarwood is enough for a whole evening. There is no need to buy a lot.
Also be wary of ads for “rare wild forest agarwood” that do not explain the source. If it truly is wild, questions about permits and legality need even clearer answers. To tell real from fake, see spotting real vs fake agarwood.
How we think about agarwood
Yūgen treats agarwood as a precious material to be used in moderation, not a thing to show off. Among our scent groups, Agarwood stands on its own, while others such as Woody, Herbal and Soft & sweet can give warmth and calm without relying on agarwood. You can look through the options in the shop or let the scent finder help you find a fit.
To learn more about how we choose materials and work, read Yūgen’s story. We are also honest that sustainability is a journey, and there is always something that could be done better.
As an incense user, the simplest things you can do are ask, read, and burn a little less. One cone on a slow evening is enough.
FAQ
What is sustainable agarwood?
Agarwood with a clear origin, favouring trees that are planted and inoculated over those taken from natural forest.
Does CITES Appendix II ban trade in agarwood?
No. Appendix II requires export permits from the competent authority, on condition that the export does not harm the species in the wild.
What can buyers do?
Ask about origin, wild or planted, and whether it is permitted; be wary of ads for rare wild agarwood that do not explain the source; and use a little less.
Agarwood’s most precious ingredient is time, and forests need time to recover.