Cleaning ingredient innovation: CP Kelco divulges biotech solutions amid changing consumer landscape
03 Oct 2023 | CP Kelco
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an increasing demand for nature-based ingredients in cleaning products and reduced water-based formulations. Starting from this backdrop, Sandra Catarino, director of Global Strategic Segments, explains how CP Kelco has responded to such demands with a fermentation-derived Cellulon Cellulose Liquid that is readily biodegradable, multifunctional and enables a long-lasting fragrance.
Hello.
Welcome, Sandra to Personal Care Insights interview.
My name is Vina Patel, acting editor at Personal Care Insights.
Today, we will be discussing how CP Calco has developed cleaning products in response to consumer demands that have changed since the COVID-19 pandemic, while also sharing how solutions are environmentally sustainable.
It's great to have you today, Sandra.
Could you introduce yourself, please?
Of course.
First, it's very nice to be with you today.
I'm Sandra Catarino, and I'm the director for strategic segments at SIPCALCO.
For those of you who may not know us that , we are a global nature-based ingredient solutions provider, and we have 90 years of history, helping food and beverage and home and personal care formulators.
And we use ingredient innovation and problem solving to help customize solutions for our customers and address consumer needs.
Mhm.
Thank you.
So tell us.
How have global and economic events since COVID affected demand for nature-based ingredients?
That's a good question.
A lot of things happened since COVID.
First of all, during the COVID crisis, a lot of people, increased cleaning at home, to feel safer, obviously using multiple products to sanitize.
And they also started reading more the labels of the products they were using.
And this is still ongoing today, it remains.
And beyond the, safety and sustainability information, they also look for performance and affordability, because of the, of the difficult economical context today.
These have become more important purchase drivers for consumers and that led to the development of new concentrated products on the shelves.
These are now preferred both for sustainability reasons with less packaging, but also for affordability reasons and I'm sure you will agree no one wants to pay for just water.
So in this context, we see product developers looking for nature-based and biodegradable solutions, but also multifunctional ingredients, that provide performance in low water or highly concentrated formulations.
And as CPAC, we developed and keep innovating with cellulose, cellulose liquid.
Which is a fermented product, fermentation derived cellulose fiber, which we also call FDC for short, and it's a readily biodegradable ingredient, that can be used, especially in fabric care formulations.
Mhm.
So what are some of the main benefits of using, fermentation derived cellulose in fabric care?
I would say there's 3 big elements to this.
First is what it is.
Second relates to what it does, and third relates to what is new with cellulon FTC.
So, looking at what it is, it's, as I said earlier, it's a biotechnology.
It's made by fermentation, which is a process which is consumer friendly.
People recognize it because it's the process for making beer and bread.
So it becomes a consumer friendly and, and, a historical process that people like.
Our cellulose fiber is made by fermentation, which makes a big difference with extracting cellulose fibers from, from wood, from trees, because there's less byproducts as in this cellular FDC fiber versus wood derived fibers.
Now, if we look at what it does, its functionality is really to, to help stabilize particles.
It can be any sorts of actives like coated particles, granulated actives, without increasing the viscosity of the overall formulation.
It goes beyond fabrica, by the way, in terms of applications, it can also target surface scrubs, and dishwash liquids or any other opacified, formulations that contain, opacifiers as particles to be, to be suspended.
It also is compatible with, , of course, high levels of surfactants or low water solutions, which makes it an ideal solution for concentrated, fluid products.
And last, what's new about it?
We do have a new product which was developed since COVID, with the idea of making this cellular, cellulose liquid more compatible with cationic systems, namely fabric softeners and disinfect disinfecting cleaners.
Mhm.
And so how does CP Gelco leverage data and technology to improve product efficacy and productivity?
I would say first, we are experts in urology and textures.
So we provide data to, to our customers on , on these features and, and benefits.
And we also provide technical support, to them, to, to support their reformulation projects.
Now, a specific point that we've heard, and we're hearing in the market is that fresh is clean for consumers.
And the idea of long-lasting freshness, and a fresh scent has become as a symbol, as a signal for consumers of efficacy, performance, and cleanliness.
So it became important that cellulose, cellulose liquid is not only a functional ingredient which helps stabilize and suspend particles such as fragrance and caps, in fabric care products, but it's also supporting.
Efficacy or performance claims, such as making fragrance longer lasting on fabric, and with this new cellulone FDC grade, we support freshness that can last for up to 2 weeks on fabric after it's been washed.
And the, the, the, the last point I would make, is that we can provide performance data to formulators, so they can use our ingredients as multifunctional, solutions, but also, as I said, supporting, claims that they can make, working with, with panels, to really assess performance such as long-lasting freshness.
Mhm.
And so going on another point, how do you ensure that your products are environmentally friendly and sustainable, and what are some of the certifications or standards that you follow or adhere to?
That's an interesting question and I would say we do many things, at various levels.
The very first one, which is, , I think a very common questions we get from, from our customers is that we, or our cell on FDC complies with the most common, recognized eco labels in the cleaning industry.
But beyond labels, our focus is really on life cycle assessments and we provide data to share, , in full transparency, the life cycle of our ingredients and their possible impacts on the, on the environment through being formulated in, in our customers' products.
From raw material extraction to, , supply chain, data.
Down to the, the end of life of our of our product.
The next thing we do is, of course, we do have an ESG strategy which embeds ethical and responsible sourcing, of our raw materials, and we especially focus on circularity, topics, how to reduce waste or even upcycle, those wastes to make them, , to turn them into, valuable ingredients.
And the last thing I would like to add because it's really hot, as a topic in the industry at the moment, is that we're closely monitoring the Green Claims Directive in Europe.
The European authorities will take a closer look at sustainable claims that people are making, trying to prevent greenwashing and, , of course, we are Carefully looking and following up on these discussions, but we can, we also have great data, to share with our customers to help them apply for the EU flower, which is at the moment, I would say the green claim which is really promoted or supported by the commission and that will not be impacted by this green claim or greenwashing directive.
Mhm.
Those were some really important, topically relevant insights on cleaning innovations.
I would like to thank you, Sandra, for sharing your, opinions and, thoughts.
Thank you.
Thank you so much.
