Looking Under the Bonnet of the Cosmetics and Detergents Industry
Last week, I had the privilege of exhibiting at SEPAWA Congress 2025 in Berlin, and I’m still buzzing with inspiration from what I witnessed. For those unfamiliar with this remarkable event, SEPAWA is not your typical trade show. It’s the European hub where the detergents, cleansers, cosmetics, and fragrance industries come together to reveal what’s really happening beneath the surface of our sector.
If most industry events show you the finished car, SEPAWA lifts the bonnet and lets you examine the engine. And what an engine German chemistry has built.
The Unique SEPAWA Experience
What makes SEPAWA Congress truly distinctive is its comprehensive approach to innovation. Walking the exhibition floor, you encounter an ecosystem that spans the entire value chain. Catalyst suppliers stand alongside research institutes, raw material manufacturers network with formulators, and everyone is focused on one critical mission: advancing green chemistry and sustainable innovation.
This year’s congress took place in Berlin, bringing together thousands of professionals from over 60 countries. The atmosphere was electric with possibility.
Germany’s Chemistry DNA on Full Display
Germany truly has chemistry in its bones, and SEPAWA showcases this heritage in its full glory. The depth of technical expertise, the commitment to rigorous research, and the focus on practical innovation is unmatched. This isn’t just about incremental improvements; it’s about fundamental breakthroughs that reshape how we formulate products.
Sepawa 2025 reflected three key industry priorities that are driving change:
1. High-Yield Reaction Innovation
Exhibitors highlighted advances in catalytic processes that dramatically improve reaction efficiency. For formulators like us, this translates to access to better raw materials with improved sustainability profiles and even lower price.
2. Recycling chemistry
Another compelling trend that emerged at SEPAWA is what I call “recycling chemistry”—the art of creating well-known, familiar molecules from renewable sources rather than petrochemical feedstocks. This approach is brilliant in its pragmatism.
Reformulation is expensive, time-consuming, and risky. Stability testing, efficacy validation, regulatory approval, and consumer acceptance all present hurdles when introducing entirely new molecules. But what if you could keep using the same proven molecules, just made differently?
This is the promise of recycling chemistry. By synthesizing familiar ingredients from renewable sources, we maintain performance and regulatory status while dramatically improving sustainability profiles. Of course, this makes most sense when the resulting materials are biodegradable, creating a truly circular approach—renewable in, biodegradable out.
3. Microplastics Replacement Solutions
Research institutes gave an update about how they use cellulose and polysaccharides to develop microplastics alternatives. It is a long journey but they are working also for big players in the industry as they have lost a lot of expertise in the last few years without realising the damaging long term effect of loosing this kind of know how.
4. Evonik shows sustainability can meet economics
One presentation that perfectly encapsulated SEPAWA’s value came from Evonik, who showcased their range of enzymatic emollients. During the Q&A session, an attendee asked the question we all want answered: “How does the cost compare to non-enzymatic alternatives?”
The response was enlightening and, frankly, exciting for our industry’s future.
Because enzymatic processes are remarkably efficient and operate at significantly lower temperatures than traditional chemical processes, the production costs are actually lower or the same. This isn’t just about being “less expensive than expected” for a green alternative. The enzymatic route is genuinely cheaper to run than conventional methods.
This is the win-win scenario we’ve all been waiting for. Lower environmental impact, reduced energy consumption, and decreased production costs create a virtuous circle. And here’s the best part: Evonik emphasized that these savings get shared with clients. This isn’t green chemistry at a premium; it’s green chemistry that makes better business sense.
Key Takeaways for Formulators and Brands
Reflecting on my SEPAWA experience, several insights stand out:
Green chemistry is becoming economically superior. The Evonik presentation was just one example of a broader trend. As enzymatic and biotechnology processes mature, they’re not just matching conventional chemistry—they’re surpassing it on both performance and cost.
The microplastics transition is accelerating. With regulatory pressure mounting and consumer awareness growing, the industry is moving faster than many anticipated. The alternatives are here, and they’re getting better rapidly.
Germany remains the innovation epicenter. The concentration of chemical expertise, research capability, and industry collaboration in Germany creates an environment where breakthrough innovation flourishes. SEPAWA brings this ecosystem together in one place.
Collaboration drives progress. The willingness of competitors to share research, the openness of suppliers to discuss their processes, and the engagement between academia and industry creates a rising tide that lifts all boats.
Bringing SEPAWA Innovation to Green Chem Finder
One of the most exciting outcomes of my SEPAWA attendance is the wealth of new innovations I’ll be adding to the Green Chem Finder platform. This congress served as an incredible sourcing opportunity for sustainable ingredients that deserve greater visibility and accessibility.
The Green Chem Finder mission has always been to connect formulators with genuinely sustainable alternatives, and SEPAWA delivered exactly the kind of vetted, scientifically-sound innovations our community needs. Over the coming weeks, you’ll see new enzymatic ingredients, microplastics alternatives, bio-based molecules, and recycled chemistry solutions added to the platform.
This is the real value of attending events like SEPAWA—not just learning about innovation, but actively facilitating its adoption across the industry. Every ingredient added to Green Chem Finder represents one more option for formulators seeking to improve their sustainability profile without compromising performance or economics.
Looking forward to SEPAWA 2026