Programe

Programme Overview

The prior European edition of the Sustainable Cleaning Products Summit comprised two training workshops and two dedicated sessions. Please contact us to keep abreast of 2019 editions.

Wednesday 8th November: Day One

Thursday 9th November: Day Two

Session One: Sustainability & Marketing Update

Session Two: Green Formulations

Detailed Programme

Wednesday 8th November: Day One

Workshop I: Outlook for Green Labels

Green labels are gaining popularity in the cleaning products industry, with a growing number of products brandishing logos & symbols that represent some sustainability credentials. This first-ever workshop on green labels for cleaning products gave an overview of sustainability schemes and ethical labels, adoption issues, and gave future projections.

An introduction was given to green labels in the context of sustainability. What does the growing number of labels mean in terms of environmental, health or social aspects? Details were then given of popular natural & organic standards for home care products, eco-labels for environmentally-friendly products, as well as emerging schemes. The adoption issues of such labels were outlined.

A leading brand shared its experiences with green labels, emphasising the raw material and formulation issues. The marketing issues associated with green labels were also be discussed, followed by a discussion on the future direction. Will we see more fragmented schemes / labels, or is there likely to be some convergence of existing schemes? What developments can we expect to see in the coming years?

Workshop II: Advances in Bio-Based Surfactants

This new workshop looked at the growing area of bio-based surfactants and their applications in cleaning products. An introduction was given to surfactants and their related health & environmental impacts. Details were given of the different types of bio-based surfactants and their sustainability credentials. 

The technical issues of using bio-based surfactants in product formulations were outlined, including a discussion on the performance and cost issues. Guidance was also be given to companies looking to use bio-based materials in cleaning product formulations. To conclude, insights were given into the future direction of bio-based surfactants. What kind of materials will we expect to see?

Thursday 9th November: Day Two

Session One: Sustainability & Marketing Update

To begin, the keynote speaker discussed the growing importance of home care products to ethical consumers. Case studies were given of a multinational and professional cleaning company on how they are approaching sustainability. What are the sustainability priorities of such companies? What are they doing about their detergent formulations?

With growing incidence in allergies and sensitivity, details were given of allergens in detergents & home care products. Insights were given on how brands can close the packaging loops for their products, whilst a leading natural home care brand described the marketing & distribution challenges it faces. Another speaker looked at the role of cleaning products in a sustainable lifestyle. The subject was further explored in the panel discussion.

Session Two: Green Formulations

There is rising interest in green cleaning product formulations. Home care & professional cleaning companies are using green ingredients to reduce the environmental / health impacts of their products, whilst chemical firms are investing in renewable materials. This session covered important developments in this area.

Insights were given into the role of green chemistry to develop 'cleaner' product formulations. Other papers covered sustainable feedstock for detergents, green fragrances, and novel green cleaning chemicals. An experienced formulator discussed the pitfalls when developing natural home care products, giving guidance on producing sustainable products.

Please contact us to keep updated on 2019 editions.