More Sustainable Surfactants for Home & Personal Cleaning Products

Surfactants are at the center of our efforts to drive the sustainable transformation of our raw materials. It’s a key ingredient for detergents and shampoos as well as provides dirt and grease-removing power. However, many surfactants today are fossil-based, which is not renewable, or derived from natural inputs whose sourcing has secondary, negative impacts. We are calling on creative minds in the market to help us find new, sustainable ingredients that are based on natural raw materials that optimize environmental, economic and social impacts. We are committed to pursuing sustainable and purposeful growth, and we would be excited to have you join us to strive for a more sustainable future.

#renewableingredients #natureinspiredsurfactants

Criteria & guidelines

The following must be considered in the development of the final solutions:

There are some directions to explore. For example, replace palm (kernel) oil/fossil fuels-based feedstock or derive the raw material from marine and microbial sources. Of course, not limited to these.

The following approaches should NOT be considered:

Biosurfactants like Rhamnolipids and Sophorolipids are not what Henkel is looking for through this program, as they are already commercially available from different big suppliers.

Specifications and desired outcome

Biodiversity impact and excess water consumption should be taken into consideration.
A minimalistic LCA (life cycle analysis) of the technology should be the key.
Performance, including the safety of the proposed technology is non-negotiable.
Submissions should have validated technologies or can provide examples if possible. It should be more than just a first idea and should be at least with a proof-of-concept study.

PLEASE NOTE: The 2 final teams chosen by Henkel will be asked to sign a Nondisclosure Agreement before working together with Henkel in the course of this program.