When we began Gilden Tree in 1990, we made a commitment to do things the right way, for the environment and for the people who make, sell and buy our products. And now, after more than 30 amazing years in business, our commitment to quality without social, environmental or ethical compromise remains as strong as ever. We are guided by the belief that using traditional healing ingredients and natural materials can be powerful, beautiful and deeply satisfying.
Our first product was the Foot Scrubber, a terra-cotta tool that works like a pumice stone to remove dry skin and calluses from feet. But unlike regular pumice stones, our terracotta Foot Scrubber never wears out. This traditional tool is common in the Indian subcontinent, but was virtually unknown in the United States at the time. Our Foot Scrubbers are made in Pakistan by a group of women who had never had the opportunity to work outside the home. Wanting to thank these women for their amazing work, in 1993 we began to pay for the education of their children, and later for the women themselves.
Ten years later, in 2003, with the encouragement of friends, we began to talk about our efforts. We were honored to be featured in a TIME Magazine article in December 2005, focused on companies that work with artisan groups around the world with a focus on giving something back.
Today, Gilden Tree’s line also includes deeply healing foot, hand & body care products, each the best that we can possibly create, and a beautiful line of natural cotton waffle bath towels and accessories. There is an inviting, almost magical aspect to every product we make, and we work hard to make this so.
We use traditional healing ingredients like Certified Organic Aloe Vera, Jojoba Oil and Shea Butter, which help people, the environment, and family farms stay healthier. Our cotton is Natural Cotton, manufactured without dyes, chemicals, or chlorine bleach, which helps protect groundwater and the people who make and use our products. Our textiles are all OEKO-TEX Standard 100 Certified, which means that no harmful chemicals are used in making them. OEKO-TEX is an international system which is rigorously applied.
We’re proud to be encouraging environmentally-friendly textile manufacturing in Pakistan where, as in many developing countries, groundwater is often contaminated. Our commitment to the environment remains as strong as ever, including our shift in 2005 to using many Certified Organic ingredients. We continue to use minimal packaging and to recycle and reuse as much as possible. To help reduce our contribution to waste stream, we choose our packaging very carefully. Our Foot Scrubber is packed in a 100% recyclable cardboard package, our amber jars are PET, which is easily recyclable, and our new Shower Steamers are made in a bag made with 50% Post-Consumer plastic. We never use retail outer boxes for individual products and our towel packaging is pretty, but the minimum required.
The most important thing from the start has been our commitment to making high-quality products that really work. The last 30 years have been an exhilarating, sometimes challenging experience, but we wouldn’t change a thing. So whether you’re an old friend or just starting out with us, thanks for being a part of Gilden Tree!