Bennd keeps the health and safety of our planet in mind throughout every step of our production process. We mindfully design to reduce our environmental impact, including hand-looming and reusing leftover materials to develop new products. Our main goal is to maintain a circular economy of resources that minimizes what we take from the planet and maximizes the care taken in crafting each product.

We are committed to helping regenerate our earth and making our planet a better place. Our natural dye baths serve as organic fertilizer, plant nutrients, and compost, using the leftover ash, herbal compounds, and material to help nourish the soil and allow plants to grow bountiful. 

Doing our part to serve our environment is an integral part of our mission, and it can be yours too. Growing your own food and creating an at-home garden can be a fulfilling and effective way to love the planet we call home. A bio-dynamic garden, a holistic approach that often involves regenerative practices that go beyond organic, is an even more sustainable way to grow your food.

Biodynamics is a field of research and practice devoted to developing and implementing natural, ecologically responsible, and sustainable techniques for agriculture and nutrition. It's an ecological philosophy that proposes a kind of bidirectional connection between the environment as a field of science and the environment as a spiritual entity upon which humans are dependent in perpetuity. 

We've compiled our top tips below so you can re-create your own biodynamic garden.

Create your Garden

Find an area in your yard that receives adequate sunlight for plants to grow and thrive. Next, remove the turf, weeds, and roots in the area to create a bed. You can either dig over your garden, add your soil and fertilizer, or place it on top of the dirt already there. The last step would be to rake to level the bed.   

Use Compost and Soil Enhancement 

Having rich and fertile soil is the key to any successful garden. First, create a compost bin where you can add food waste to generate healthy soil. Once your compost has matured, typically 6-8 weeks, you can add it to your garden. You can also purchase compost soil at some garden centers if you cannot start a bin at your home.

Another great way to enhance the soil in your garden is to use biodynamic preparations. "Biodynamic preparations are intended to help moderate and regulate biological processes as well as enhance and strengthen the life forces on the farm. The preparations are used in homeopathic quantities, meaning they produce an effect in extremely diluted amounts." Says Steve Diver — NCAT Agriculture Specialist. You can purchase biodynamic preparations, activate the solution in water as per the instructions, and add it to your garden to enhance your soil and growing process.

Avoid Pests

Plant with pests in mind. There are a variety of herbs and vegetables that deter different bugs and pests from invading your garden without the use of pesticides. An article by Kiss The Ground states, "The scent of certain herbs and plants like onions and garlic discourage unwanted bugs." Plant these around your garden border to fend off unnecessary guests and keep your plants safe and healthy. 

Turmeric is an excellent natural pesticide and fungicide. Its active ingredient, curcumin, can also be used in gardening and farming to help support healthy growth and keep pests from damaging plants. If you want to use turmeric in your garden, you can mix the powder into your soil or dissolve it in water to spray on your plants.

Do your Research and Keep Learning 

No one thing makes up a bio-dynamic garden; it is holistic and functions on many levels making a conscious connection between the earth, atmosphere, and the cosmos. Therefore, it is essential to do your research to ensure you start and maintain your garden with proper care and preparation.

Starting your bio-dynamic garden at home is a great way to give back to the earth and yourself. Bennd is committed to giving back to the planet daily and ensures that we use biodegradable products, recycled textiles, and low-impact packaging to reduce our footprint. 

When crafting our Harda, Turmeric, and Sappan Wood Ayurvedic yoga mat, we use the leftovers of turmeric dye to fertilize and protect our herb gardens, a critical step in the circular Bio-economy at the heart of our mission.

Head to our website to explore our mats and how we produce our products as mindfully as possible.