Evonik launches sustainable ECOHANCE® Soft Baobab oil for natural cosmetic formulations

Essen, Germany. Evonik has launched a sustainable baobab oil sourced from the Sahel region of Ghana as the latest product in its ECOHANCE® program. ECOHANCE® Soft Baobab is refined from the non-edible seeds of the baobab fruit and can be used in a wide range of natural cosmetic formulations such as hand creams, hair conditioners and body butters. In cooperation with the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), Evonik is supporting the Great Green Wall Initiative, which ensures that the sourcing of the baobab oil protects the local ecosystem and supports social and economic projects in the region. ECOHANCE® Soft Baobab was recently certified by the FairWild™ Foundation.

ECOHANCE® Soft Baobab is the latest addition to Evonik’s ECOHANCE® program, which offers circular solutions to help the cosmetics industry move its operations and solutions into the safe operating space of the planetary boundaries. As part of Evonik’s life sciences division, Nutrition & Care, the company’s Care Solutions business serves as a preferred sustainable specialties partner to the cosmetic industry, helping companies to reduce their carbon footprint and increase their ecological and social handprint along the entire value chain.

“Sustainability drives us and collaboration defines us! ECOHANCE® Soft Baobab is a perfect example of how we uphold our core values of environmental and social responsibility. We've partnered with strong allies to build a brand-new supply chain, which allows our cosmetic customers to meet the growing demand for sustainable, high-performing natural products,” said Yann d'Hervé, head of Evonik's Care Solutions business line.

ECOHANCE® Soft Baobab was recently certified by the FairWild™ Foundation. FairWild Foundation certifies companies and products according to 11 principles and 29 criteria that address ecological, social and economic requirements for sustainable wild collection. By being FairWild certified, ECOHANCE® Soft Baobab demonstrates traceable and transparent supply chains. FairWild™ certification requires annual onsite visits by authorised certification bodies.

ECOHANCE® Soft Baobab oil is extracted from the seeds of fruit of the baobab tree in West Africa’s Sahel region. Baobab trees grow on poor soil, and tolerate heat and drought, making them essential vegetation for the Sahel and helping to prevent desertification. The wild harvest baobab fruits are traceable down to the collector. Through responsible sourcing of baobab oil in the region, Evonik is contributing to the aspirations of the Great Green Wall Initiative, which aims to restore and preserve regions of the Sahel.

Evonik’s ECOHANCE® program was started in 2019 to provide circular solutions for the cosmetic industry. The goal of ECOHANCE® is to ensure the multiplication and improvement of next-generation alternative feedstocks, considering the entire life cycle of solutions, without compromising on performance. The launch of ECOHANCE® Soft Baobab follows the launch of ECOHANCE® Care PS3, an emulsifier based entirely on olive oil residues, and ECOHANCE® Remo XP, an eco-friendly multifunctional thickener.

The Care Solutions business at Evonik places sustainability at the center of all its activities, from sourcing, production and innovative processes to capital expenditure and M&A decisions.

For the cosmetics markets, Care Solutions provides specialist in concepts for skin care, sun care, color cosmetics, hair care, skin cleansing, active ingredients, alternative preservation and product stabilization.