Frequently asked
A short reference
The questions we hear most. A longer FAQ in three languages follows before launch.
A. The maison
Who is behind Bithyné? +
A small atelier based in Hannover, with deep ties to Anatolian plant culture. The hand stays quiet; the lineage is what matters.
What does the name mean? +
Bithyné comes from Bithynia — an ancient kingdom on the southern Black Sea (today the Turkish provinces around Bursa, Iznik, Yalova, Bolu). The French ending -é gives the historical name a couture distinctiveness.
How does Bithyné position itself? +
As an editorial maison of botanical care — Türkiye × Germany. Slow, layered, written in three languages. Not a wellness brand, not a tech-skincare brand.
Why the formal address? +
The Sie-form (German) is the formal address; the equivalent in English carries quiet respect. The voice is cultivated, never breezy.
B. Heritage
Why Türkiye and not France or Italy? +
Anatolia is one of the oldest continuous plant-culture regions on earth. Roughly sixty percent of the world's rose oil comes from Isparta. The Turkish geography is where the plants are.
What are the five layers? +
Old Turkic (steppe roots), Hittite (Bronze Age plant lore), Seljuk (Konya, Mevlana, Sufi), Ottoman (apothecary, hammam, Diwan poetry), Modern Turkish (today's cultivation and the Anadolu Şifa tradition).
C. Products
When can I buy? +
Not yet. We are building the ground first — culture, sourcing, writing. Products launch when the ground is true. Subscribe to the letter for first access.
Vegan? Halal? Tested on animals? +
Vegan by formulation. EU-cosmetic-regulation compliant means no animal testing. Halal compliance follows from ingredient sourcing — details will be published before launch.
How many lines? +
Six: Rosea, Sérénité, Sage Blanc, Aurina, Melissence, and Thermées (the men's line, named after the unbroken Roman–Byzantine–Ottoman bath tradition of Bursa).
D. Sourcing
Where do the raw materials come from? +
Primarily Türkiye — Isparta for rose, Kuyucak for lavender, Black Sea hinterland for hazelnut and laurel, Iznik for melissa heritage. Specific suppliers will be named at launch.
Where will products be made? +
EU-based contract manufacturer. CPSR and EU 1223/2009 compliance are non-negotiable.