Speaker: François-Florian Bruckner

Company: Solvay

Title: A New Fully Natural and Biodegradable Miracare® Opacifier for Laundry and Other Home Care Applications

Language: English

Abstract: We present one of the first alternatives to non-biodegradable acrylate-polymer-based opacifiers for homecare applications. With non-biodegradable polymers and microplastics coming under scrutiny from regulators and consumers, the leading opacifying technologies based on styrene acrylate are becoming a concern for several brands. Finding alternatives to maintain an appealing aesthetics of liquid SKUs while relieving environmental worries has thus been in research focus for several years.

However, specificities of homecare formula, namely a rather low viscosity of the considered liquids and presence of solvent in some formats, makes the design of a more eco-friendly alternative to styrene acrylates particularly challenging.

We have successfully developed an innovative solution in the Miracare® range that overcomes these challenges and is compatible with most homecare liquid formats. It combines advanced rheological agents together with minerals of specific granulometry, yielding a readily biodegradable and 100% natural opacifier for homecare.
In this presentation, we will demonstrate the opacifying power of our solution compared to benchmark opacifiers in various formulas. Our brand new opacifier in the Miracare® range is stable in relatively low viscosities typical of liquid laundry liquids and in presence of solvent such as propylene glycol, making it suitable for use in pouches format.
Our solution allows brands to enhance the visual appeal of their homecare products while aligning with environmental goals and meeting the demands of environmentally-conscious consumers.