Our thinking

Eau de sustainable

6 September, 2024

Each year, 990 million tonnes of plants go to waste globally, the result of seasonal demand fluctuations and quality issues. In response, Unilever has teamed up with the University of Nottingham to launch a new pilot programme, aimed at repurposing plants that would otherwise not be used.

The programme uses surplus plants supplied by Bridge Farm Group, a company that provides plants to UK retailers and stores unsellable plants in greenhouses to extend their lifespan. Through an accelerated extraction process, plants are heated in a device that extracts naturally occurring essential oils from plants, such as roses and petunias, to create new fragrances. The process also uses sound waves to accelerate cell-wall break down to improve the yield.

In similar vein, Coty, in partnership with LanzaTech, has committed to incorporate carbon-captured ethanol as part of its fragrance production process, committing to a more sustainable production process.

Both programmes highlight the potential for beauty businesses to leverage innovative science and collaboration to help tackle global waste, reduce environmental impact, and shift towards a more circular economy.

By Rosie Serlin