The growing array of green actives is spurring innovation in the cosmetics industry. Novel green ingredients are also bringing fresh technical challenges. New sustainable extraction and processing methods are providing fertile ground for new green actives. For instance, plant stem cell technology is enabling IRB Tech (Croda) and Mibelle Biochemistry to develop novel actives from […]

Latin America has become a large producer of sustainable foods, however it has yet to become an important consumer. Brazil is now a global source of sustainable coffee, soya beans, sugar, juices and herbs. Argentina and Chile are well-established southern hemisphere sources of organic fruits and vegetables, whilst Colombia and Peru are important exporters of […]

The fight for GM food labeling looks set to continue, with eco-labels benefiting from each battle at the ballot box.  As shown at the Sustainable Foods Summit, sales of certified eco-labeled products are soaring in the US because of growing consumer interest in food origins. Although the dust has settled on the Washington I-522 ballot, […]

Sustainable sourcing of raw materials is gaining popularity in the cosmetics industry, however Asia is lagging behind. Although Asia has become an established source of cosmetic ingredients, questions hang over the ecological and social impact of raw materials. Western cosmetic companies and ingredient firms are setting up ethical sourcing programmes in the region, with relatively […]

The palette of green materials has expanded considerably in recent years, however cosmetic formulators still face many technical and sustainability issues when using natural ingredients. Most progress has been made in the area of green emulsifiers and rheology modifiers. Ecovia Intelligence (Organic Monitor) finds that many ingredients are now available to produce elegant skin care […]