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Advances In Petroleum-Free, Bio-Based Chemicals For The Cosmetics Market

Posted on : 29 Apr, 2016

 

In a largely consumer driven industry, cosmetic companies are trying to use natural ingredients in their products, to meet an increasing demand for more organically produced cosmetics. As a result, suppliers are responding to the need for raw materials to create natural cosmetics.

 

Ardra Bio is a bio-based chemical company in USA that focuses on creating petroleum-free chemicals by using artificial pathways and metabolic engineering.  Their specialisation is in petroleum-free, natural bio-chemicals for the beauty market. The first product they are working on - in collaboration with Lawrence Berkley National Laboratory – is a substance called butylene glycol, which is usually produced almost exclusively from petroleum based products.

 

The company is developing a natural alternative using traditional fermentation, by swapping the petroleum with sugar. The alternative Butylene glycol can be used as a humectant (moisture-adding element) or a solvent for fragrances and they hope to have a product in the market in approximately 12 to 18 months.

Market research firm Kline observed that natural positioning is gaining importance with consumers, manufacturers and retailers, and projected this segment’s growth at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of just under 10% through 2019.

 

Dr Pratish Gawand – one of the company’s founders – also confirmed an increasing consumer demand for natural products and identified their three main target markets as India, USA and Canada, with Europe and China as possible future markets.

 

Looking forward, Gawand believes that venture capital is the key to potential growth in the bio-manufacturing industry in Asia, noting that Malaysia and Singapore are key hubs for the sector.

 

5th Biobased World (incorporating Biobased Chem Asia and Bioplastics Market) in Bangkok on 9-11 May, 2016, will discuss more about the biobased chemicals market in Asia.

 

Contact Ms. Grace at grace@cmtp.com.sg or call +65 6346 9147 for more information.

 

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