Green chemistry: Plinius Labs transforms agricultural waste into cosmetics

Belgian research company Plinius Labs is transforming agricultural waste into bio-based premium ingredients for cosmetics and food. The company has developed Ample — a new process for extracting natural compounds from flax shives — and has sought the help of Green Assist, an EU advisory initiative that supports public and private project promoters in developing and scaling sustainable, high‑impact green investment projects.

The company’s strategy is to replace petroleum‑derived additives with “greener” alternatives. The team faced challenges in investment planning, market positioning, and scaling the Ample process efficiently and sustainably. To move forward, it needed to build a pilot project and attract funding. 

Harnessing useful and natural chemicals

Plinius Labs is built on the belief that plant waste contains useful natural chemicals. Biomass, often treated as simple waste, contains molecules that play essential roles in nature, from protecting to healing. These properties can be translated into cosmetic formulas.

The company works to extract and valorize this potential, combining over 40 years of green chemistry expertise with R&D to develop natural ingredients and help industries reduce their environmental footprint.

Between July and October 2025, the EU’s Green Assist provided advisory support tailored to Plinius Labs’ project needs. The guidance included developing a business model, refining the company’s value proposition, and identifying potential investors and clients. It also helped the team strengthen their financial strategy and assess how to grow in line with circular economy goals.

“Green Assist boosted the scaling-up of Plinius Labs,” says Yves Boonen, CEO of the company. 

“Potential investors were successfully identified as well as target customers for partnering contracts in the development of our proprietary process to produce bio-based cosmetic components. The assigned expert showed dedication and expertise, keeping our team focused and enhancing the market credibility of Plinius Labs’ core competencies in green chemistry.” 

After Green Assist’s support, Plinius Labs is now ready to implement its pilot project and bring its eco-innovation closer to the market. With business and financial plans in place, the company can demonstrate the environmental and commercial value of its work and form key partnerships in the years ahead. 

In a similar move across the pond, the US Department of Agriculture spearheaded a circular economy initiative to boost the biomass market, with plans to bolster environmental sustainability while creating new market opportunities for small and mid-sized producers.