Croda unveils biotech innovations as the key to boosting home care markets

25 Jan 2023 --- Croda is highlighting that the home care sector has become one of the most promising areas for biotechnology innovation within the industry in a newly released report. Laundry detergents and biosurfactants are spotlighted due to their ability to match efficacy with sustainability.

Biotechnology-derived ingredients feature in a much broader range of home care products than in the past. In laundry detergents, enzymes break down stains like protein, starches and fats, making clothes cleaner. Biosurfactants have started to replace chemical surfactants, offering the same outcome without affecting water quality or possibly irritating the skin.

The report delves into the potential of the home care industry to help companies address the product expectations of customers, the barriers preventing it from being produced to scale and recommendations to reduce any barriers to development.

Self-care rises in popularity post-pandemic
According to Croda, the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated growth in the home care industry as consumers became highly aware of hygiene priorities and self-care. The move includes a focus on products and ingredients that improve cleanliness and please wellness. 

While the new “raft of innovation” in the sector appears very promising, it is being held back by several barriers. For example, the cost of ramping up production to industrial levels hampers the growth of these biotechnologically produced products and the need for highly specialized skills and a complex mix of skills.

Additionally, there is a lack of consumer understanding and a need to adapt regulations to accommodate new innovative practices and the resulting ingredients.Consumers are discerning the environmental impact of their choices and are expanding their range of sustainable consumption. 

Croda’s latest report on the role of biotechnology-based innovations in the chemicals sector looks specifically at these barriers to adoption in home care products. It advocates for the simplification of biotechnology processes to reduce costs.

In 2022, Croda International released its first report on the market of personal care in the biotechnological space, aiming to assist forward-thinking companies to leverage opportunities provided by biotechnology. The report discusses the potential for innovation, barriers to widespread acceptance and ways to overcome these hurdles.

Partnering for changes
The Croda report recommends an increase in the amount and depth of partnerships across the sector to drive change. It encourages a program of national investment to generate huge returns for the economy.

The shift from petrochemical-derived ingredients to bio-based ingredients is becoming recognized and established; however, the scale with which biotechnology can play a role has not yet been determined.

Consumers are discerning the environmental impact of their choices and are expanding their range of sustainable consumption. Home care used to be a niche option but is expected to be a fundamental toolset for future innovation, according to Croda’s report.

In related news, biotechnology-based solutions in the fragrance space are paving the way for a sustainable future while promising the scalability of rare novel fragrances. Firmenich, Sensegen and Conagen reveal what is upcoming in this space and the benefits of biotechnology for clean cosmetics.

Edited by Inga de Jong

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