Selected and Bottled in Toronto: What It Means for Our Cold-Air Concentrates

We select our cold-air fragrance concentrates and bottle them in Toronto. Here's what that wording means, why it matters, and how to read any brand's origin claims.

Origin words carry weight, and fragrance is full of them. Our cold-air concentrates say "selected and bottled in Toronto", and we chose those words carefully. This post explains exactly what they mean, what they don't, and how you can read the origin claims on any nebulizing oil, ours included.

The short version

Our fragrance concentrates for cold-air (nebulizing) scent machines are selected and bottled in Toronto. We choose each concentrate for our range, and we fill it into amber glass bottles with black caps here. We don't compose the concentrates from raw aroma materials ourselves, and we don't claim to. The words describe the two steps we actually perform.

What "selected" means

Selecting is the decision about what goes into the range and what doesn't. For a cold-air concentrate, that decision has to cover more than how it smells on a blotter:

The scent. Each concentrate has to belong to one of our six hotel-inspired scents: Thé Blanc, Grand Foyer, Santal Vellum, Ambre Safran, Cèdre Noir and Velours Rose. Hotel-inspired means inspired by the style and feeling of fine hotel lobbies. We are not affiliated with any hotel, and we don't sell any hotel's own scent.
The standards. Our fragrances are IFRA-compliant and made without phthalates, parabens or formaldehyde.
The machine. Not every concentrated oil suits every nebulizing machine. Nebulizers turn liquid into a fine mist through a very small opening, so how an oil behaves in that system matters. If one of our concentrates isn't suited to a particular kind of machine, the product page says so.

Our guide on why diffuser oil clogs scent machines explains why machine fit matters so much, and what oil hotels use in their scent machines covers the category more broadly.

What "bottled in Toronto" means

Bottling is the physical step of filling the concentrate into its final bottle and closing it. Ours is done in Toronto, into amber glass with black caps. Amber glass helps shield a fragrance from light, and a tight cap limits air, both of which matter for how a fragrance keeps.

That's the whole claim. It's specific and checkable, and we think that's what an origin statement should be.

Why the exact wording matters

In Canada, the Competition Bureau publishes enforcement guidance on "Product of Canada" and "Made in Canada" claims for non-food products (food is handled by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency). The guidance, most recently updated in 2025, sets out when the Bureau is generally unlikely to have concerns (Competition Bureau Canada, 2025):

"Product of Canada" generally means the last substantial transformation of the product happened in Canada and at least 98% of the total direct costs of producing or manufacturing it were incurred in Canada.
"Made in Canada" generally means the last substantial transformation happened in Canada, at least 51% of the total direct costs were incurred in Canada, and the claim carries a qualifying statement such as "Made in Canada with imported parts".

A few other points in the guidance are useful for shoppers:

Substantial transformation means a fundamental change in form, appearance or nature, so that what comes out is a new and different good from what went in.
Direct costs are the materials and labour that go into producing the good.
The general impression counts, not only the literal words. The Bureau notes that pictures and symbols such as a maple leaf or the Canadian flag can, depending on context, say "Made in Canada" just as strongly as the words do.
Specific process claims are an option. The guidance says a business may state that a particular process was performed in Canada, giving "Designed in Canada" as an example.
No one pre-approves these claims. The Bureau states that it does not approve or certify origin claims (Competition Bureau Canada). The guidelines aren't a law in themselves; the Competition Act's rules against false or misleading representations are what apply.

So rather than a broad origin label, we describe the steps we perform here: selected and bottled in Toronto. That tells you exactly where our work happens.

How to judge any nebulizing oil brand's origin claims

These questions work for any brand, at any price:

Which step happened where? "Blended", "bottled", "designed" and "made" are different things. A clear brand tells you which one applies.
Is "Canadian brand" being read as "made in Canada"? Where a company is based and where its product is made can be two different places.
Is a "Made in Canada" claim qualified? Under the Bureau's guidance, a "Made in Canada" claim is expected to carry a qualifying statement.
Is there a flag or maple leaf doing the talking? Imagery can create an origin impression with no words at all. Look for the actual statement.
Will they answer a direct question? Ask what happens in Canada and what doesn't. A brand that's proud of its process will tell you.

Origin is also only one part of quality. For a cold-air concentrate, machine suitability, IFRA compliance and honest labelling matter just as much. Our guide on how to tell a good fragrance oil walks through those checks.

What stays the same, wherever we ship

We ship across Canada and to the United States, with tracking. US prices are shown in US dollars and already include US duties and import fees, so there is nothing to pay on delivery. Anything containing fragrance or liquid is final sale, because we can't confirm an opened bottle hasn't been used or altered. If something arrives broken, leaking, faulty or wrong, email [email protected] within 14 days with your order number and a photo, and we'll send a replacement or refund at no cost, usually without needing anything sent back. The full details are on our returns page.

If you'd like to see a concentrate, Thé Blanc cold-air diffuser oil shows how we describe one, including machine guidance.

Quick answers

Are Velour and Vellum cold-air concentrates made in Canada? They are selected and bottled in Toronto. We don't compose the concentrates from raw materials ourselves, so we describe them by the steps we actually perform here.

What is the difference between "Product of Canada" and "Made in Canada"? Under Competition Bureau guidance for non-food goods, "Product of Canada" generally needs at least 98% of direct costs in Canada and the last substantial transformation in Canada. "Made in Canada" needs at least 51%, the last substantial transformation in Canada, and a qualifying statement.

Does a maple leaf on a label mean a product is made in Canada? Not necessarily. The Bureau notes that symbols like a maple leaf or flag can imply Canadian origin, so look for a clear written statement and ask the brand if it's unclear.

Who approves "Made in Canada" claims? No one pre-approves them. The Competition Bureau does not certify origin claims; businesses are responsible for making sure their claims aren't false or misleading.

Will Velour and Vellum concentrates work in my scent machine? Not every concentrated oil suits every nebulizing machine. If one of ours isn't suited, the product page says so, and the Curator at [email protected] is happy to help you check.

Does Velour and Vellum sell a hotel's own scent? No. Our scents are inspired by the style and feeling of fine hotel lobbies. We are not affiliated with any hotel.

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