OUR STORY
HOW IT STARTED
In 2013, Viori founders traveled to an ancient village high upon the rice terraced mountains of Longsheng. While wandering this ancient village, they met the local Red Yao tribe who had lived in these rice mountains for centuries.
THE DISCOVERY
They kept noticing that all the women had beautiful, long, jet black hair, without a single strand of white. Even the women as “mature” as 80 years old. Confused, they asked the Red Yao women how they had preserved their hair for so long.
THE RITUAL
One of the women took them by the arm to a nearby wooden hut and pointed to a bowl with milky rice water. She told them ever since she was little, her mother would gather the rice from the Longsheng mountains, and prepare the rice to wash her hair. A tradition passed on from mother to daughter for centuries
THE SECRET
In a special ritual, the Red Yao women ferment the rice water for several days. When the rice water is ready, they take the newly formed liquid and wash their hair with it. That was their secret to their beautiful hair. That day, the friendships that would one day start Viori, were born.
LONGSHENG RICE
The Red Yao have been organically cultivating this specific strain of rice for nearly 1,000 years! Longsheng Rice is a high-starch, short grain rice, unique and specific only to the Longsheng mountains. Research has shown that rice protein helps make your hair smoother, increases shine, increases strength, and helps hair grow longer.
COLLABORATING WITH THE TRIBE
We buy (at a premium) the Red Yao's Longsheng Rice and use a complex process/ritual they have developed over hundreds of years to ferment and prepare the rice for their hair. The Red Yao ritual takes 7-10 days. We then put this Longsheng Rice water into a natural format most customers would be comfortable using regularly—our natural shampoo and conditioner bars.
OUR PROMISE
We recognize that our existence and mission as a company are inextricably tied to the extraordinary Red Yao people, forever. We are fully committed to respecting this relationship by playing a supportive role in helping preserve this unique culture. We currently do this by (a) paying a fair and sustainable premium (2X market rate) for all Longsheng rice and products we purchase from the tribe; and (b) reserving a minimum of at least 5% of profits for initiatives that go directly back to Red Yao communities.
LEARN MORE
Beyond our fair trade agreements with the Red Yao, we are continuously working with the tribe on projects that they feel will improve their tribe and maintain their culture.