The next Asia-Pacific edition of the Sustainable Cosmetics Summit will take place in Hong Kong on 11-12th November 2013. The North American edition will be hosted in New York on 16-18th May, Latin American edition in Sao Paulo on 18-20 September, and the European edition in Paris on 21-23 October 2013. The summits are designed for business, marketing and technical professionals in the beauty & related industries. To receive details on upcoming summits and regular updates, please contact us
The Asia-Pacific edition of the Sustainable Cosmetics Summit comprised a seminar programme preceded by two interactive workshops.
Monday 12th November: Day One
Workshop I: Formulating Using Green Preservatives, Emulsifiers & Surfactants
Workshop II: Cosmetic Packaging for Sustainability
Tuesday 13th November: Day Two
Session One: Sustainability in Practice
Session Two: Green Ingredients
Session Three: Distribution & Packaging Best-Practices
Monday 12th November: Day One
Workshop I: Formulating Using Green Preservatives, Emulsifiers & Surfactants
Some of the major technical issues associated in formulating green (natural & organic) cosmetics involve replacing synthetic emulsifiers, surfactants and preservatives. This workshop tackled the major formulation issues when replacing such synthetic materials, and offered a practical guide to companies looking at using green alternatives. How can companies develop green yet effective cosmetic formulations?
The role of emulsifiers, surfactants and preservatives in cosmetic formulations was described. Details of the major products in each ingredient category were given, followed by the green alternatives. The technical issues of using green preservatives / emulsifiers / surfactants were discussed, including their relative performance, stability, safety, and associated costs. The workshop is designed for cosmetic and ingredient firms looking at developing / using green ingredients.
Workshop II: Cosmetic Packaging for Sustainability
Although packaging has high environmental impact, few cosmetic companies have taken steps to reduce their packaging footprint. New design approaches and green materials are giving rise to a range of sustainable packaging solutions.
This workshop has been designed to help cosmetic companies reduce their environmental impact by adopting sustainable packaging solutions. Some of the solutions covered include recycling, eco-design, upcycling, bioplastics and sustainable materials. Case studies were given of cosmetic products adopting novel forms of sustainable packaging.
Tuesday 13th November: Day Two
Session One: Sustainability in Practice
The first session looked at some of the ways sustainability is put into practice in the Asian cosmetics industry. The opening keynote highlighted the green challenges faced by cosmetic companies in the Asian region. An introduction was given to sustainability, followed by a discussion of measurement approaches and a case study by a leading Japanese cosmetics firm. With growing pressure on Asian countries to ban animal testing, some of the alternative testing methods for cosmetic products were discussed. Other papers covered the use of Traditional Chinese Medicine in cosmetic products, and the growing popularity of the 'Halal cosmetic' certification scheme to meet the needs of Muslim consumers.
Session Two: Green Ingredients
This session looked at the growing use of green ingredients in cosmetic formulations. Key speakers discussed developing novel actives from Asian plant materials, alternative preservative systems, advances in green ingredients, and formulating organic skincare products for Asian consumers. The session included a discussion on the technical issues associated with formulating natural cosmetics.
Session Three: Distribution & Packaging Best-Practices
Many analysts state distribution holds the key to unlock the potential of the Asian cosmetics market. The first part of this session honed in some of the distribution issues related to green cosmetics, with papers covering direct marketing by concept stores, premium retail channels, and targeting the LOHAS consumer in Asia.
Following on from the packaging workshop, the second part of the session highlighted some of the ways cosmetic companies are adopting sustainable packaging solutions. The role of eco-design and sustainable materials were discussed in detail, whilst case studies were given of cosmetic companies adopting pioneering solutions. To conclude, the panel discussed some of the challenges in adopting sustainable packaging solutions.
The summit materials (including workshop packs and seminar proceedings) are now available for a professional fee. Click here for further details.
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