Henna
Henna is the dried, milled leaf of Lawsonia inermis, a flowering shrub grown across the arid and semi-arid tropics. The leaf carries lawsone (2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone), a natural dye molecule that binds to keratin and stains skin, hair and fingernails a reddish-brown. Leaves are harvested, sun-dried, milled to a fine powder and sieved before sale. It is used as a hair-dye and cosmetic colorant, as a body-art (mehndi) pigment, and in traditional topical preparations.
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Nothing here matches what you are holding? Send it anyway. The sheets cover the markets we publish, not the limit of what the desk will look at.
Listed henna markets
Each line is a grade at a delivery point. Open one for its full specification and terms.
Price guarantee on henna
If a move in the henna price would hurt you, fix the price now. We agree it today for the months you name, and it holds whatever the market does in between.
| Buying | You use or resell henna and need to know your cost. We fix your purchase price for the quantity and months you name. |
|---|---|
| Selling | You grow, produce or hold henna and need to know your revenue. We fix your sale price ahead of production or shipment. |
| Settlement | Against delivery of the henna. |
A price is fixed only once a trader confirms it in writing. Ask the desk for a fixed price.
Caps and floors on henna
A fixed price binds buyer and seller. A cap or a floor is a guaranteed price on one side only. You pay a fee up front for it, and it is a right, not an obligation: you use it only if the market moves against you.
| Cap | For buyers. A guaranteed maximum price for henna. If the market is above the cap when you buy, you pay the cap. If it is below, you buy at the market price and let the cap lapse. |
|---|---|
| Floor | For sellers. A guaranteed minimum price for henna. If the market is below the floor when you sell, you receive the floor. If it is above, you sell at the market price and let the floor lapse. |
| Fee | Agreed and paid up front. It is the whole cost of the cap or floor, and it is not refunded if the cap or floor goes unused. |
A cap or a floor is in place only once a trader confirms it in writing. Ask the desk for a cap or a floor.
Grades
Henna is graded on the lawsone (dye) content of the powder measured by HPLC or validated UV-Vis spectrophotometry, on particle size/mesh after sieving, on moisture content, on a screen for para-phenylenediamine (PPD) and other synthetic dyes sometimes blended in to darken or accelerate the stain, and on pesticide residue and microbial load.
Lawsone (dye) content
2 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| AssayedLawsone content confirmed by independent laboratory assay | Reported as a stated percentage by mass on a passed lab report; commercial listings commonly advertise a 1.5 to 2.5 percent threshold as marketing language, but published peer-reviewed assays of commercial samples have found actual lawsone content ranging far below that, so the figure only carries commercial weight once independently tested. |
| UnassayedNo independent lawsone assay on file | Trades at a discount to an assayed lot, or not at all against a buyer who requires a passed lab report. |
Particle size / mesh
1 grade
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| SievedPowder passed through a stated mesh with documented particle-size distribution | Mesh size and distribution stated on the contract; finer, more uniform mesh is generally preferred for cosmetic and hair-dye formulation. |
Adulteration screen
2 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| PPD-freeNo detectable para-phenylenediamine or other synthetic dye | Passes the chromatographic screen at the testing laboratory's stated detection limit. |
| PPD-positiveSynthetic dye detected | Rejected as an adulterated lot; not offered to a cosmetic-ingredient or hair-dye buyer. |
Moisture and microbial load
1 grade
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Dry, soundMoisture held low enough to prevent microbial growth in storage and transit | Buyer sets the contract moisture ceiling and microbial-load limit. |
Grades outside this list trade on request. Send us the contract specification you work to and we will price against it.
Locations
| Country | Region | We trade it as |
|---|---|---|
| India | South Asia | Origin |
| United States | North America | Destination |
| Canada | North America | Destination |
| Germany | Europe | Destination |
| Italy | Europe | Destination |
| France | Europe | Destination |
| United Kingdom | Europe | Destination |
| Netherlands | Europe | Destination |
Origins and destinations outside this list trade on request. We are not limited to the locations shown here.
Timing
Harvest is when the leaf is picked at origin and processed into washed, sun-dried, milled and sieved powder. Arrival is when a shipment from that origin typically lands in a consuming market, after inspection and ocean or air freight.
HarvestArrival
| Origin | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | Window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| India | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Arrival | Harvest Mar to Nov, arrival May to JanThe Sojat/Pali belt of Rajasthan, India's dominant henna-processing hub, harvests in multiple flushes across the year, most commonly cited as March-April and October-November, with some growers running a third cut. Washing, sun-drying, milling and sieving follow immediately at origin, then inland transport to a west-coast port and onward ocean or air freight. |
Windows outside this pattern trade on request, including carry and stock already sitting in a destination warehouse.
Common questions
What grades of henna does SIP Global trade?
We quote 6 published grades of henna, including Assayed - Lawsone content confirmed by independent laboratory assay, Unassayed - No independent lawsone assay on file, Sieved - Powder passed through a stated mesh with documented particle-size distribution, PPD-free - No detectable para-phenylenediamine or other synthetic dye, PPD-positive - Synthetic dye detected and Dry, sound - Moisture held low enough to prevent microbial growth in storage and transit. Every grade is tied to a delivery point and a settlement route. Grades outside the published list are priced on request.
How is henna graded?
Henna is graded on the lawsone (dye) content of the powder measured by HPLC or validated UV-Vis spectrophotometry, on particle size/mesh after sieving, on moisture content, on a screen for para-phenylenediamine (PPD) and other synthetic dyes sometimes blended in to darken or accelerate the stain, and on pesticide residue and microbial load. Grading runs on 4 systems: Lawsone (dye) content, Particle size / mesh, Adulteration screen and Moisture and microbial load.
Where does SIP Global trade henna?
We trade henna in India, United States, Canada, Germany, Italy, France, United Kingdom and Netherlands. Origins and destinations outside this list trade on request. We are not limited to the locations shown.
When is henna harvested and when does it arrive?
Typical windows are India: harvest mar to nov, arrival may to jan. Harvest is when the lot is taken at origin, arrival is when a shipment from that origin lands in a consuming market. Windows outside this pattern, including carry, trade on request.
Can I fix a henna price ahead?
Yes. SIP Global fixes a henna price ahead for buyers and for sellers, as a price guarantee. Send the grade, the quantity and the months you need covered. We settle against delivery, and a price is fixed only once a trader confirms it in writing.
How do I get a price for henna?
Send the grade, the origin and the delivery window to the SIP Global desk. That is enough for a trader to come back with a level and a settlement route. 3 listed henna markets are published on this page, each with its full specification and terms. We buy and sell the physical cargo, prompt to long dated.
Standards and data sources
The grading language on this sheet follows published standards. Trade volumes and tariff lines are public record. Verify anything here against the source.
- UN Comtrade (opens in new tab)Official international trade statistics by HS code
- ITC Trade Map (opens in new tab)Bilateral trade flows and tariff data
- FAOSTAT (opens in new tab)FAO production and trade series for agricultural commodities