The Sustainable Cosmetics Summit will spotlight the key trends shaping sustainability in the cosmetics industry. Taking place in New York on 5-6th June, the summit will discuss developments in new technologies, green ingredients, and sustainability schemes.
Keynote Speakers
Shane Wolf, President of Aveda, will open the summit with a keynote on plant-based formulations. As one of the largest buyers of organic essential oils in the personal care industry, Aveda has transitioned to 100% vegan formulations and is leveraging blockchain technology to provide transparency in its raw material supply chains.
On day two, Tom Szaky, Founder of TerraCycle, will deliver a keynote titled “Rethinking Waste for Circularity.” He will discuss how the beauty industry can view waste as a resource in its shift toward a circular economy. TerraCycle has spearheaded numerous sustainability initiatives, including the use of ocean plastics in packaging, the Loop platform for reusable packaging, and specialized recycling programs such as SalonCycle for hair salon waste.
New Technologies
New technologies are playing an important role in creating green ingredients for the personal care industry. Nick Ouzounov, CTO and Co-Founder of Geltor, will share insights on how precision fermentation and synthetic biology are being utilized to create cosmetic ingredients. Following the launch of its vegan collagen in 2023, Geltor has developed a range of polypeptides for skincare and color cosmetics.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is expected to play an important role in ingredient selection and product development. The beauty tech company PulpoAR will explain how AI and Augmented Reality (AR) can provide consumers with customized beauty solutions. As AI, AR, biotechnology, and precision fermentation become more prevalent, an expert panel will assess their sustainability implications, weighing the benefits against potential risks.
Green Ingredients
Details will be given of new and emerging ingredients that can add sustainable value to cosmetic and personal care products. Such ingredients include upcycled materials, botanical actives, and novel extracts.
Regenerative agriculture is gaining traction for its positive environmental and social impacts. The Regenerative Organic Alliance will present details on its certification standard, which is currently adopted by 331 farms and nearly 65,000 smallholders. Details will be given of the cosmetic ingredients that can be grown according to the Regenerative Organic Certification scheme.
With a growing array of green ingredients available, formulators consider many issues when selecting raw materials. A dedicated panel of industry experts, including formulators and sourcing executives, will discuss key factors influencing ingredient selection.
Sustainability Schemes
As sustainability has become more prominent, the personal care industry has seen a proliferation of ethical labels and certification programs. A dedicated session will discuss sustainability schemes and future developments.
Ecovia Intelligence will provide an overview of leading certification programs in North America and the global arena. Mariano Serratore of COSMOS and Mark Smith of NATRUE will outline their standards for natural and organic cosmetics. The Environmental Working Group and Made Safe will discuss their verification programs for personal care products. Other speakers will cover carbon footprint measurement, veganism & plant-based cosmetics.
The Sustainable Cosmetics Summit promises to be an essential event for those seeking to stay ahead in the evolving landscape of sustainability in the beauty industry.
