2013-09-19 20:11:45

the 3rd Sustainable Cosmetics Summit coming soon

2013-09-19 20:11:45

Ethical sourcing and biodiversity will be featured in the 3rd Asia­Pacific edition of the Sustainable Cosmetics Summit (www.sustainablecosmeticssummit.com/Asia), hosted inHong Kongon on 11-­13th November. By casting the spotlight on the environmental impact of cosmetic ingredients, the summit aims to raise awareness and encourage sustainable sourcing in the region.

Rapid economic development and industrialisation have had a heavy toll on Asian ecosystems.Asiahas lost 95% of its primary, uncut forests, whilst individual countries have lost 70-­90% of their natural habitats. Although the region has become an international source of cosmetic ingredients, the ecological price has been high. Production of palm oil ­a ubiquitous ingredient in personal care products ­has been directly responsible for the destruction of rainforests inSouth­EastAsia, putting many animal and plant species to near extinction. Many cosmetic ingredients are produced inAsiaby expanding agricultural frontiers to virgin terrain.

Dr. Muhammed Majeed, founder of international ingredients firm Sabinsa, will set the tone for the summit with his opening keynote on sustainable sourcing. He will explain why a major ethical dilemma Asian countries face is ‘economic advancement or conservation?’ WithAsiaexperiencing unprecedented economic growth, some argue that environmental degradation has been a worthwhile price to pay for rising prosperity. Proceeding speakers will give best­practices in raw material ethical sourcing, showing how economic and ecological development can be intertwined. The use of biodiversity charters and sourcing programmes will also be debated.

Novel green ingredients, especially those originating fromAsia, will also be featured. The healing properties of ayurvedic ingredients like neem and amla in cosmetic products will be highlighted. Another paper looks at the use of traditional Chinese herbs in modern skincare products. Dr. Fred Zuelli from Mibelle Biochemistry will discuss the sustainable harvesting of actives from agricultural raw material. Other topics include marine ingredients, emerging natural actives, and sustainable processing methods.