Dr Roberto Dal Toso, IRB R&D manager, was invited to speak at the HBA New York exhibition during a session dedicated to green concepts and eco-sustainability.
The Green and Natural Products session introduced a wide range of topics including the organic consumer profile and organic certifications, new developments and trends in European and US markets and a sustainability and ecosustainability discussion about packaging choices, ingredient sourcing and manufacturing process. The rapid growth of green biotechnologies in cosmetics is made obvious by the increased number of products based on plant stem cells. Since 2003, IRB oriented its R&D efforts in the set up of the HTN technology, an exclusive biotech method able to source non-GMO plant stem cell ingredients with a higher level of safety and standardised active substances. This can be obtained also from rare or endangered species, thus safeguarding biodiversity, and with a tremendous environmental impact reduction. In fact, comparative data with conventional agriculture and extraction procedures have shown 99.9% water reduction and negligible soil occupation, which thus remains available for food cultivation, an 80% decrease of extraction solvents together with the total abolition of pesticides and a reduction of industrial waste. Thanks to all these advantages, HTN technology was the winner of the 2011 Italian Business Awards for the Environment in the category ‘best process and technology’.
