Research project on the application of the circular economy in cosmetic assets: the case of the by-products of the cork sector.

The final objective of the project is to obtain a range of active ingredients with cosmetic utility that originate from by-products of the Catalan cork industry. At the cosmetic level, the trend towards sustainability and naturalness is taking hold. In the present project, key points of this trend come together, such as the ecological origin of the ingredients, free of synthetic substances, and the reuse of materials that would otherwise become waste from a main industrial process, reducing the environmental impact. In the case of cork, it is a product of harvesting the tree, without the tree being cut down, so it is an absolutely sustainable product and, through the use of by-products of cork from the cork industry, complies with the principles of the circular economy from the beginning of the process. The chemical composition of cork is different from that of other plant materials such as wood due to its function as a protective barrier, as it must prevent the loss of water, must control the transfer of gases and not allow microorganisms or other harmful substances.

Likewise, in the development of a new system for extracting the active principles of cork, it aims to consolidate the formulation of sustainable products by expanding the possibility of using other natural materials or by-products with attractive potential for the cosmetic industry.

ICSURO will intensively develop the research part of new methods of obtaining cork extracts.