Glycol replacement gains natural certification

The Tennessee-based company is the joint venture between DuPont and Tate&Lyle and Zemea propanediol is one of its flagship products for the cosmetics and personal care industries.

Corn-based glycol replacement​

Zemea propanediol is a corn-based glycol replacement and the company claims it is the first of its kind on the market.

Now the ingredient has achieved natural certification from Ecocert its popularity is likely to surge.

“Cosmetic and personal care companies who are seeking Ecocert certification for their products now have an Ecocert approved glycol to use in their formulations. They can be confident that Semea will add to their natural content requirement for Ecocert certification,”​ explained DuPont Tate & Lyle Bio Products President Steve Mirshak.

Companies seeking certification from the France-based certification body are expected to ensure that 95 per cent of the total ingredients are of natural origin and 10 per cent are organic.

According to the company, the Ecocert certification guarantees that environmental respect was practised throughout the formulation and manufacturing of the product.

The company are quick to highlight that the ingredient is derived from corn sugar, a renewable source, unlike the petrochemicals involved in the more traditional propylene and butylene glycol.

Reduction in emissions​

In addition, in a video interview with CosmeticsDesign earlier this year, Mirshak highlighted the environmentally friendly nature of the manufacturing.

Producing Zemea propanediol leads to a 50 per cent drop in greenhouse gas emissions as well as a 40 per cent reduction in the use of petroleum, than would be experienced if the company were producing the ingredient with a chemical feedstock, he said.

In personal care and cosmetics formulas such ingredients are included as moisturising agents and emollients. In addition, Zemea propanediol can be used as a solvent for naturally derived extracts, according to the company.

In addition, he noted the mild properties of the glycol replacement, noting that it was friendlier on the skin than more traditional ingredients.