Carta takes an ecological approach to fragrance design; our practices are rooted in sustainability, environmental stewardship, and reverence for our planet.
Our fragrances are inspired by the complexity of Earth’s ecosystems and the people working to protect them.
We remind you to remain conscious of the interconnectedness of our species and the land that sustains us. We invite you to allow our fragrances to encapsulate you on your journey, wherever that may be.
Our Story
Carta was founded in 2017 by Heather D’Angelo, a San Francisco-based perfumer, musician (with the band Au Revoir Simone), and ecologist. The dream for Carta originated while she was collecting botanical samples from the Malaysian rainforest as part of her research at Columbia University. After several years of working with plant-based aromatic compounds, she developed an understanding that scent, like music, is a transportative instrument. Both have the arcane power to suspend moments and places in time. The line, named after the Italian word for map, reflects the spirit of linking scent and place.
With Carta, D’Angelo explores the artistry of perfume, influenced by her background in musical composition and scientific inquiry. Rooted in her passion for environmental conservation, D’Angelo’s romance with scents is shaped and driven by a commitment to conscious practices and a desire to share the stories behind Carta’s ingredients.
Body & Earth
Kind
Carta’s artisanal pure parfums are crafted from the highest quality ingredients that delight the senses and are kind to both body and Earth. Each parfum features a signature essential oil personally sourced by D’Angelo, under the close guidance of advisors and organizations committed to ethical, sustainable, and regenerative practices. Each parfum is blended and bottled by hand and in small batches to ensure freshness.
Carta’s botanical materials are organic, vegan, cruelty-free, and never include threatened or endangered plant species from the IUCN Red List. The base of our pure parfums is organic non-GMO phthalates-free gluten-free wheat alcohol from a small-scale micro-distillery in Oregon. The formulations include skin-safe aroma molecules and are free of artificial colorants, parabens, phthalates, preservatives, and any other nasties.
Though Carta is not a member of the International Fragrance Association (IFRA), we abide by its list of banned and restricted ingredients and we conform to stringent EU ingredient regulations. Email Heather D’Angelo to obtain a copy of the IFRA-Conformity Certificate for any of our parfums.
Perfume with
a Purpose
The Amazon rainforest is one of the most vital ecosystems on Earth. It harbors over 10% of global biodiversity, stores two billion tons of carbon per year, and plays a key role in regulating the world’s climate. The forest is also home to 400 indigenous tribes that speak 195 known languages and retain a millennia’s worth of traditional knowledge about forest ecology and stewardship. Tragically, this region has been fighting a losing battle against the threats of climate change, deforestation, and land degradation for decades, with dire consequences for the health of all life on Earth. But there is hope.
“We know the Amazon can be restored,” is the motto of our 1% for the Planet conservation partner, Camino Verde, a grassroots organization located on the Tambopata River in the Peruvian Amazon region of Madre de Dios.
Their team works collaboratively with forest communities to reforest hundreds of species of Amazonian trees, protect the regions’ unparalleled biodiversity, and improve livelihoods. Carta returns a portion of all sales to help fund this critical work.
Additionally, we’re proud of doing our part to further the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals for 2030. These initiatives include: to empower women (goal 5), ensure sustainable production practices (goal 12), and to protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss (goal 15).
