Nordic Bioproducts Group expands plant-based cosmetic ingredient distribution in Europe

Finnish company Nordic Bioproducts Group (NBG) has partnered with southern European distributors to make its microcrystalline cellulose offerings available to cosmetics manufacturers across the continent. 

NBG will partner with C.Q. Massó, a distributor in Spain and Portugal, and an unnamed Italian distributor to strengthen its European supply chain. NBG is marketing microcrystalline cellulose as a sustainably sourced cosmetic ingredient that can serve as an alternative to talc and titanium dioxide.

“We’re excited to work with C.Q. Massó and others who share our commitment to advancing a safer and more sustainable beauty industry,” says Olli Kähkönen, CEO of NBG. “Our collaborations go beyond distribution. Together, we’re exploring microcrystalline cellulose’s potential to replace fossil-based and other harmful ingredients in innovative new formulations.”

Microcrystalline cellulose is refined wood pulp that is purified and partially depolymerized. It is a fine, whitish powder and is used as a gentle exfoliator, emulsifier, stabilizer and dispersing agent in personal care products. 

Some beauty brands have been using microbeads made from microcrystalline cellulose as a microplastic alternative. The ingredient is also a food additive in nutritional supplements as a filler and stabilizer.

Earlier this year, NBG opened a production facility in Lappeenranta, Finland. The facility is built to produce up to 10,000 metric tons of microcrystalline cellulose a year. NBG says it uses fewer chemicals, water and electricity in production processing than traditional methods. 

“Our collaboration with Nordic Bioproducts Group reflects our shared vision for advancing beauty formulations with ingredients that are not only safe and sustainable but also meet the high-performance demands of today’s cosmetics industry. We aim to create a new benchmark for what’s possible in the sector,” says Berta Oncins, department manager of C.Q. Massó.

Talc powder and titanium dioxide replacement 

Talc powder is a moisture-absorbing ingredient used in cosmetics. It has been suggested that talc powder exposure might cause ovarian cancer, according to the American Cancer Society. The ingredient has been in the news as pharmaceutical company Johnson & Johnson (J&J) settled state consumer protection claims and talc-related claims in bankruptcy cases filed by its suppliers. The company maintains that the claims pertaining to its talc are baseless, citing specialists.

Still, J&J withdrew its talc-based powder products from the US market in 2020. The company said it would halt sales of talc-based baby powder and transition to cornstarch-based baby powder.

According to the European Chemicals Agency and the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety, there is no sufficient evidence that titanium dioxide — used in powders and as a UV-absorbing agent in sunscreen — is toxic in cosmetics. 

Japanese ingredient supplier Kao Corporation has created novel titanium dioxide capsules as a UV-scattering agent for sunscreens. This ingredient can replace chemical UV absorbers in product formulation.