Sustainability is more than a market trend for today’s home care consumers-it is an industry demand and a consumer requirement. Consumers are searching for home care products that use simple ingredients and feel safe to use. Accordingly, formulators are meeting these needs by utilizing sustainable materials. With formulation components made up of renewable materials sourced from sustainable palm oil or sugarcane, naturally derived ingredients can provide incredible cleaning power. Syensqo is transforming the home care industry with sustainable ingredients to create highly effective cleaning products that are tough on stains and soils but gentle on the environment.
We continue to meet and exceed industry standards for the development of sustainable home care solutions, as we provide a wide range of naturally derived ingredients and specialty surfactants for use in eco-friendly cleaning formulations.
Sustainable Home Care Ingredients with High RCI
Just as consumers demand a variety of natural home care products to choose from, formulators are looking for suppliers that can provide a range of sustainable ingredients, from high RCI surfactants to naturally derived rheology modifiers. The Renewable Carbon Index, or RCI, measures sustainability by dividing the number of carbons derived from renewable sources by the total number of carbons in an active ingredient. A high RCI surfactant, for example, contains a high percentage of carbon atoms from natural sources. Formulators that prioritize ingredients with a high RCI promote sustainability and renewability in their home care cleaning routine.
Syensqo offers a range of high RCI ingredients to enhance formulators’ ability to create sustainable home care products. Our highly efficient, natural-based surfactants for home care, Rhodasurf® 6 NAT MB and Rhodapex® ESB 70 NAT MB, both maintain an RCI of 100% and are made from Ethylene Oxide derived from ethanol, obtained from the fermentation of sugarcane. Additionally, Mirataine® LHS is made from Glycerin as an alternative to Propylene Oxide which helps increase overall product RCI as a premium bio-based surfactant for home care with excellent detergency and foam.
Life Cycle Analysis Proves Reduced Environmental Impact
As significant as consumer demand is for sustainable and renewable ingredients, the process through which home care solutions are developed must also be sustainable. Syensqo partners with CIRAIG to enhance our expertise as we utilize Life Cycle Assessments to measure and ensure our solutions are based on science, sustainable and reduce our environmental impact across all industries. We examine the entire lifespan of a product and understand how our products offer reduced carbon footprints and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. For example, Mirataine® CBS UP is an amphoteric surfactant with an improved environmental footprint derived from circular naphtha and glycerin. Life cycle analysis shows that this product offers a reduction of over 25% in net CO2 footprint without impacting other parameters.
By focusing on sustainability throughout every step of the home care formulation process, Syensqo and our customers create cleaning solutions that offer outstanding performance in the home with a reduced impact on the environment.
Sustainable Sourcing for Home Care Materials
In the past, home care cleaning products were developed with non-renewable ingredients, like petrochemicals, that speed up production processes and improve product performance. Today, however, formulators rely on ingredients that are sourced and processed sustainably and are designed to maintain performance similar to or greater than previously used synthetic materials to meet consumer demand. Responsible sourcing for home care applications is essential as consumers prioritize cleaning products that are natural and safe for the home and the planet.
Syensqo is an industry leader in creating home care specialty chemicals through sustainable processes, such as our policy for the sustainable sourcing of palm oil and palm kernel oil derivatives that create superior ingredients. As part of the top 1% of EcoVadis suppliers in Sustainable Procurement, we are committed to producing ingredients for our partners that are sourced and manufactured responsibly, like our excellent natural-based rheology modifier, Rheomer® FC NAT. From EU Ecolabel certifications to RSPO Mass Balanced Certified ingredients, Syensqo offers formulators outstanding ingredients, such as bio-based surfactants for home care and natural rheology modifiers, that result in better performing, sustainable home care cleaning solutions.
For more information on sustainable home care ingredients, contact our experts.
