46 SUSTAINABILITY


with them or perform an everyday task. That is OK, but any change must be easy to adopt. This applies to the way the product is used, and how it is stored, dispensed, and disposed of. An example widely adopted in recent years is the use of refillable packaging to avoid single use. This is often encouraged via a price saving that is well received by the consumer. However, if refilling requires a trip to specialist stores it may be inconvenient. Concentrated products for personal care applications make refilling easier, but reconstitution must be simple as it involves an additional step for consumers. Evaluation at point of use also plays a


critical role in the development of sustainable solutions. This encompasses any additional elements required for consumers to activate or use the product. Aspects of consumer use that typically have the greatest bearing on sustainability are energy and water. Innovating to reduce the amount of water


needed to rinse shampoo, for example, can make a significant difference to factors such as Scope 3 carbon emissions and water stewardship. However, this links back to the above points. If the changes reduce convenience or perceived efficacy, consumers may not feel satisfied with the product.


Commercial viability Sustainable design might create additional costs from a materials and supply chain perspective. Yet it could also unlock new avenues that lead to economies of scale or alternative business models. Ventures rooted in emerging sustainability requirements pose great opportunity. An ingredient manufacturer might look at


the commercial prospects of upcycled waste materials, while a premium skin care brand might explore an omnichannel at-home testing model for semi-personalised formulations. Finding ways to achieve effective interaction and balance between cost, performance, and sustainable design is important too. The consumer experience does not have to be the same as it has always been, but it does still have to deliver on performance. Consumers might well buy a single-use, biodegradable, all natural and slightly more expensive shampoo capsule due to its novelty and green credentials. However, if it does not clean the hair as well as a classic shampoo they will soon return to traditional bottled versions. Sustainable design needs to add to the consumer experience, not detract from it.


Ingredient science: understanding the implications of ingredient changes Ingredient choices are the cornerstone of sustainable personal care product design, and decision-making must be supported with scientific validation. An objective approach ensures products


meet consumer needs while improving on sustainability. Natural and synthetic ingredients alike must be subject to a thorough evaluation that encompasses sourcing, processing, stability, functional properties, and environmental fate. This can be complicated by the fact that


some sustainability properties conflict with each PERSONAL CARE October 2024


TABLE 1: SAGENTIA INNOVATION'S MATRIX FOR INGREDIENT ASSESSMENT Factors to consider


■ Water use throughout production (including irrigation of plant-based ingredients) ■ Environmental impact of production (pesticide/fertiliser use or wastewater from production or extraction of petrochemicals)


Sourcing


■ Local community impacts ■ Pre-production requirements (e.g. water, energy, solvents) ■ Wastage and potential re-use or upcycling ■ Consistency of supply ■ Raw material costs ■ Availability of alternatives


Processing


■ Complexity of processing, the number of steps involved ■ Energy use during processing ■ Water use during processing ■ Processing aids (e.g. additional ingredients which may bring their own sustainability considerations)


■ Likelihood of process contamination ■ Safety considerations (e.g. for irritant or sensitising ingredients)


Product stability


Functional properties


■ Requirements for formulation stability (e.g. preservatives) ■ Availability / effectiveness of sustainable stabilisers ■ Physiochemical properties of all ingredients


■ Ingredients’ ability to facilitate functional performance ■ Consumer expectations surrounding physical and rheological properties ■ Potential to achieve functional properties at lower concentrations ■ Consumer acceptance of deviations from existing product performance or aesthetics


Environmental fate


■ Negative environmental impacts when present in wastewater ■ Potential for build-up when released into the environment ■ Biodegradability, and biodegradation timeline and conditions (e.g. land, water treatment, freshwater, marine water, temperature)


■ Residue from biodegradation ■ Product removal (e.g. rinsed with water or removed with a wipe) ■ Impacts on the recyclability of packaging


other. What is good for water consumption is not necessarily good for carbon footprint and vice versa. Many factors have to be accounted for and informed decision-making requires consideration of the full lifecycle of the ingredient. There is no place for generalised assumptions about ingredients’ sustainability properties.


Addressing issues via sourcing Ingredients don’t fall neatly into ‘natural’ and ‘synthetic’ categories. There is a spectrum encompassing natural extracts, natural but modified, nature-identical, biosynthetic, and synthetic ingredients. Any ingredient can present sustainability benefits and concerns. It is too simplistic to label natural as good and synthetic as bad. Detailed evaluation of synthetic ingredients


involves looking at their ‘building blocks’, the energy and water used in their formation, and whether they are readily available. In some cases, it may be possible to synthesise an ingredient using more sustainable processes. Chemicals company Croda made a significant development in this vein with a process to manufacture ethylene oxide, a precursor for a range of ethoxylate surfactants, from bio- derived ethanol rather than ethylene. To evaluate the sourcing of natural


ingredients, it is useful to calculate how much resource is needed to produce a defined quantity. For instance, producing 0.5kg of lavender oil requires far less of the raw material


than the same amount of rose oil. With plant-derived ingredients, it is important


to understand the space and water requirements for cultivation, use of herbicides and pesticides, and the impact all these factors have on the environment and biodiversity. Consider wastage too, looking at the percentage of the raw material used, whether more can be incorporated, or whether waste might be used for a different purpose or in an adjacent industry.


Adapting processing methods Converting any raw material, synthetic or natural, into a functional ingredient involves various processes which usually require energy and often require water. With synthetic ingredients, including those that are nature-identical, it is also important to build an understanding of any processing materials or solvents used, and to establish how they are sourced. Natural ingredients often require multiple


processing steps which may include filtration, extraction, drying, distillation, pressing, milling, lyophilising, or sieving. Again, any additional resources used in these processes must be considered to establish the overall impact on sustainability.


Stability and functional properties Benefits associated with synthetic ingredients include high levels of stability, reliable performance, and long shelf-life. Natural ingredients can be more challenging from a


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