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Renewables:
We care about shifting from fossil to renewable resources
The transition to renewable feedstocks and eco-friendly processes is a cornerstone of our sustainability strategy. From biobased feedstocks and biodegradable formulations to our comprehensive Biomass Balance concept, BASF’s Care Chemicals Division is firmly committed to personal care, home care, industrial and institutional (I&I) cleaning and industrial formulations that fulfill the need for environmentally friendly solutions and outstanding performance.
That means, above all, that we focus on renewable feedstocks, as these resonate down the entire value chain. At the same time, we concentrate not only on raw materials, but also on processes that have minimal or even positive impact on the environment. Here, our involvement ranges from the Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) to Circular Economy initiatives.
These solutions speak to a large and growing market trend that sees consumers demanding responsible products based on renewable feedstocks with lower environmental footprint. Join us in exploring the many ways to meet environmental and consumer needs – and grow your business.
Renewable feedstocks
Natural and renewable ingredients are particularly important in personal care products that serve the needs and wishes of today’s environmentally conscious consumers. BASF’s Care Chemicals Division enables you to profit from these trends, with high-performance renewable ingredients such biodegradable polymers, mild surfactants, solutions based on sustainable argan oil, Asia’s super-fruit rambutan, certified sustainable palm (kernel) oil or further biobased feedstocks.
A history of making history: APG
Made from renewable feedstocks such as vegetable oil and starch, APGs have an excellent ecological and toxicological profile, and are classified as non-harmful to the environment and as substances with a high margin of safety even under daily use conditions. Accordingly, APGs meet EU standards introduced in 2021 for bio-based surfactants. They degrade without forming recalcitrant metabolites and are ultimately biodegradable under aerobic and anaerobic conditions.
APGs also have the qualities today’s and tomorrow’s consumers want in personal care products. These plant-derived surfactants give skincare products the mildness and look & feel people love. They enhance the efficacy of sunscreens and give shampoos the rich and dense foaming qualities consumers want. Our APGs even improve the appeal of oral hygiene products.
The new star lineup of biopolymers in personal care
Sustainably sourced renewable raw materials are used as well in our biodegradable and biobased polymer solutions as offered by the newest members of our biopolymer portfolio. With our new Verdessence™ product line, our commitment to sustainability brings you those biopolymer solutions for personal care, in line with the latest trends and designed to help you create even the most demanding cosmetic applications.
Our Responsible Active program
In order to protect our planet and its resources while having a positive impact along our bioactive ingredients value chain, we are aligning our actions towards more sustainable practices. Within our “Responsible Active” program, we launched initiatives to protect natural resources, reduce our climate impact and empower and respect people along the value chain. For example, over the past few years, the program has resulted in the supply of renewable electricity and a portfolio of more than 40 active ingredients from 100% natural origin.
Our Argan Program
BASF’s Argan Program began in 2005, when we entered a collaboration with Targanine, a network of six oil processing cooperatives from the region of Agadir in southern Morocco.
BASF’s Care Chemicals Division derives multiple ingredients from our Argan Program. In addition to Fair Trade certified argan oil, the leaves of the argan tree – previously not valorized for cosmetic applications – have been used to develop an anti-aging extract. Both argan oil and leaves are certified organic. The program benefits biodiversity and sustainable land use as well as the socioeconomic wellbeing of women from rural communities – around 1,000 in total as of 2020.