Drimys winteri

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Common products:
- Bark-derived essential oil, known as “winter’s bark oil”, obtained by steam distillation of dried bark.
- Bark-derived natural brown dye, prepared by aqueous extraction and used as a textile colorant.
- Tanning extracts containing tannins, also derived from the bark.
- Timber from mature trees, used in furniture and small construction.

Industrial and craft applications:
- The essential oil serves as a fragrance raw material in soaps, detergents, candles, and fine perfumery.
- The brown dye, extracted from the bark, is employed to color protein fibers (wool, silk) and can be combined with mordants for leather tanning.
- Bark extracts are used in natural craft dye processes for hand‑loom textiles.

Colorants and tanning:
- The bark contains approximately 15 % (dry weight) of hydrolysable tannins, mainly gallotannins and ellagitannins, which provide a reddish‑brown pigment.
- The dye yields a brown hue on wool and silk and is suitable for vegetable‑tanned leather.

Wood and fiber:
- The wood is light yellow to pale brown, relatively soft (density ~0.5 g cm⁻³) and easily machined.
- It is used for interior furniture, small structural elements, and as firewood.

Fragrance and cosmetics:
- The essential oil is rich in eugenol (>30 % of total), β‑caryophyllene, and α‑humulene, giving a warm, spicy aroma that is incorporated into cosmetic formulations, skin‑care products, and perfume bases.

Properties relevant to use:
- Oil composition: eugenol, β‑caryophyllene, α‑humulene; typical specific gravity 0.95–0.98 at 20 °C; refractive index 1.508–1.513; these properties support its role as a stable fragrance material.
- Tannin profile: gallotannins and ellagitannins give high protein‑binding capacity, enabling effective tanning and coloration of protein fibers.

Standards and regulation:
- The essential oil is subject to IFRA (International Fragrance Association) standards for fragrance materials and to the European Cosmetic Regulation (EC No 1223/2009) for cosmetic safety assessments.
- Natural dye and tanning extracts must comply with textile colorfastness standards (ISO 20787).
- Timber extraction in Chile is governed by the National Forest Code and, because the species is listed as Vulnerable, requires official permits and adherence to sustainable harvest quotas.

Sustainability and sourcing:
- Drimys winteri is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List; over‑harvesting of bark and timber threatens wild populations.
- Sustainable strategies include limited bark extraction, propagation of seedlings for plantation, and compliance with Chilean forestry regulations to ensure long‑term availability.

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