Many people assume that incense sticks are simply 'incense powder plus glue,' but in fact, the craftsmanship of a good incense stick lies in what you cannot see.
Agarwood raw materials cannot be used directly; they must be cleaned of impurities and graded by oil content. This step determines how clean the aromatic foundation is. The head artisan Liu Zhiqiang once said that handmade incense sticks 'go through more than a thousand adjustments from raw material cleaning to finished product,' referring to the painstaking, repetitive work of repeatedly blending and repeatedly test-burning.
Handmade incense is made under lower pressure, giving the finished incense moderate density, more complete combustion, and an aroma closer to the spice itself; machine-made incense can be pressed at ten to thirty tons, resulting in high density and a forceful burst of fragrance, yet it easily masks the true character of the spice. Wubaiyi favors the handmade route, precisely for that one breath of 'authenticity.'
For incense sticks to take shape, natural binder is indispensable. The lower the proportion of binder and the more substantial the agarwood raw material, the purer the aroma. Products with added chemical fragrances have a one-dimensional, intense aroma that irritates the nasal passages, and they are exposed the moment they are compared with good incense sticks.
Incense sticks are agarwood's 'entry ticket,' and also its mirror for revealing true nature. Those who are willing to put in the effort—the aroma speaks for itself.
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