Coty starts production for fragrances made using carbon-captured ethanol

Beauty company Coty has started production on the world’s first globally distributed fragrances made using carbon-captured ethanol.

Coty announced in March 2021 a partnership with LanzaTech to “significantly reduce” the environmental impact of its fragrance products by introducing sustainable ethanol made from captured-carbon emissions and in January, the beauty company started production at its manufacturing facility in Granollers, Spain.

Ethanol is a key ingredient in the production of fragrances and is Coty’s top fragrance ingredient by volume. By transforming carbon into a new source of ethanol, Coty and LanzaTech are looking to develop innovative solutions to reduce the beauty industry’s environmental impact.

Carbon-captured ethanol involves nearly zero water consumption, explains Coty, and reduces the need for agricultural land, in turn limiting its impact on biodiversity and lowering the company’s carbon emissions related to fragrance production.

The first Coty fragrances made using this new CarbonSmart ethanol will reach stores in the coming months, with Coty adding that it is “ahead of schedule” on its goal to integrate sustainable ethanol into a majority of its fragrance portfolio by 2023.

Dr Shimei Fan, chief scientific officer at Coty, said in a statement: “Coty’s accelerated release of fragrances made using carbon-captured ethanol represents the groundbreaking sustainability progress that I joined Coty to lead. This exciting step forward in Coty’s sustainability journey demonstrates our ability to meet and exceed the ambitious clean and green roadmaps we have set for the future.

"We are now on course to integrate carbon-captured ethanol into a majority of our fragrance portfolio ahead of our ambitious 2023 goal, putting Coty on the leading edge of sustainable fragrance innovation. I look forward to many further accomplishments to come, as we continue to deliver on our Beauty That Lasts sustainability strategy.”

Dr Jennifer Holmgren, chief executive officer of LanzaTech, added: “LanzaTech is proud to have made our first delivery of carbon-captured ethanol to Coty ahead of schedule. After two years of working side by side with Coty scientists to develop a high-purity ethanol suitable for use in fine fragrances, we are excited to see Coty bring the first globally distributed fragrances made from CarbonSmart ethanol to market, so consumers can choose products made from recycled carbon.”