In Germany, specialty chemicals producer Evonik has brought a renewable emollients plant online in Steinau. The facility cost “double-digit million-euro[s]” and manufactures esters using an enzymatic process and vegetable oils as feedstock. The investment was made to keep pace with growing demand for sustainable emollients in cosmetics.
Emollients are cosmetic oils and waxes that make up 10-25% of cosmetic emulsions. However, currently emollients account for 70-80% of a product’s climate footprint. Switching from a chemical to an enzymatic esterification process when manufacturing emollients can reduce the climate footprint by more than 60%. All
“Emollients are no longer just about performance, they also need to have a robust sustainability profile. This investment helps us lower our footprint, while supporting the beauty industry in its transformation – meeting the demand for more responsible, eco-friendly solutions,” said Johann-Caspar Gammelin, president of the Nutrition & Care division at Evonik, said in a press statement.