News

This section contains the latest information on our website and lanolin.

Emulsifying cosmetics the natural way: IOI's LANIS AL EP Plus (1st April 2010)

When working on new natural cosmetic products, formulators often face the challenge of finding emulsifiers that both do the job and comply with natural standards like BDIH or NaTrue. Stability is an issue with not few natural formulas. This is where a traditional ingredient gets in, available now in a highly purified quality that adds superior emulsifying properties. IOI's LANIS AL EP Plus combines Lanolin's well-known emollient properties with outstanding emulsifying power. Matching and exceeding the European Pharmacopeia's "Wool Alcohols" monograph the ingredient is purified to eliminate any residual contaminants and fractionated to concentrate those natural Lanolin components that are active in emulsification. Providing manifold the water absorption capacity compared to refined Lanolin, LANIS AL EP Plus creates very stable W/O emulsions which is where previously available Lanolin Alcohols and other derivatives have failed.

Today in conventional cosmetics, few products on the market make use of Lanolin Alcohol as a sole emulsifier. Still, one of the world's most successful cosmetic formulations, the classic Nivea Crème, celebrating its 100^th anniversary next year, has always been relying on this unique product's strong emulsifying properties. Those are found only in highly purified Lanolin Alcohol, optimized to this very purpose.

LANIS AL EP Plus opens the door for new natural formulations by providing strong and stable W/O emulsions. LANIS AL EP Plus is of very light color and virtually odorless. It is produced from natural sheep's grease only, obtained from the washing of best quality Australian wool. LANIS EP Plus is eco-friendly and sustainably sourced. No chemicals or preservatives* are added making this ingredient a truly natural innovation.

Notes

1. Imperial-Oel-Import (IOI) is active in vegetable and animal-derived waxes, oils, resins and fatty acids. The company supplies customers in the cosmetic, pharmaceutical, chemical, metal, food and feed industries. Founded in 1920, the independent, family-owned business has its headquarters in Hamburg, Germany.

More information: www.imperial-oel-import.de

* upon request BHT free

Visit Imperial-Oel-Import (IOI) at in-cosmetics 2010, Paris (11th March 2010)

Wool grease production: Going East (01st March 2010)

The wool industry is seeing dramatic changes nowadays. While not too long ago, greasy wool has been processed in dozens of wool washing factories all over the world, many enterprises in Europe, Australia and the US had to close due to the industry’s ongoing crisis. Following plant closings in the 90’s and early 2000’s, last year created the deepest cut in the Western wool industry. Wool mills were shut down in Italy, Hungary, France, Germany, Australia and the US, including previous industry leaders like BWK and Jandakot.

In most cases the washing machineries are being re-installed in China, where wool can be washed at lower costs and a strongly growing local market for woolen textiles is to be served. China has become the no. 1 country in the world for wool processing. In 1999, less than 25% of wool produced in Australia was washed in China. For 2010 experts await a share of more than 80 % in Australian greasy wool processing.

In previous years China's wool washing factories would not meet Western standards in quality and created environmental issues in some cases. Today, some of the world’s largest and most modern facilities very well meet European and US wool buyers’ demands. China’s government has learned from past failures and installed strict environmental regulations, requiring heavy investments in waste-water treating systems for the wool washing plants. As smaller factories cannot always meet these demands there is a trend for concentrating in larger units today.

Notes

1. Imperial-Oel-Import (IOI) imports, exports and distributes vegetable and animal-derived waxes, oils, resins and fatty acids. The company supplies customers in the cosmetic, pharmaceutical, chemical, metal, food and feed industries. Founded in 1920, the independent, family-owned business has its headquarters in Hamburg, Germany.

More information: www.imperial-oel-import.de

2. Lanolin, or refined wool grease, is a widely used emollient and emulsifier in cosmetic and pharmaceutical products. Sheep fleeces are sent to wool scouring factories, where they are washed using hot detergent solutions. The wool grease is recovered from the washing water using high-speed centrifugation.

More information: www.lanolin.com

Wool grease availability affected as global wool production heas to historical low (1st March 2010)

World shorn (greasy) wool production is forecast to fall 9 % in 2009/10, resulting in lower availability of wool grease for creating refined lanolin products and derivatives.

This steady decline can be attributed to factors including:

substitution of wool with synthetic fibers in garments
sustained low wool prices affecting grower attitude
shift to other farming enterprises, such as meat production or conversion to dairy, resulting in reduced numbers of sheep farmed for wool production
the global financial crisis affecting exports

In Australia, shorn wool production reached more than 1,100 million kg (mkg) in 1989/90 and has been decreasing steadily since. Production has also declined in many other parts of the world, including New Zealand, South America and South Africa.

For 2009/10, Australian wool production is estimated to be between 330 mkg (Australian Wool Innovation (AWI)) and 335 mkg (Fumi Research). This is around 9% lower than the final estimate for the 2008/09 season, which itself fell 10% compared with the 2007/08 season. Production has never been lower since 1945/46.

Oliver Kromer, Managing Director, Imperial-Oel-Import commented:

“Global wool production has been declining for the last two decades, having a direct effect on wool grease availability. Within the last 18 months prices have almost doubled which seems not to be fully reflected in lanolin pricing yet. Accordingly, we do not see a change in lanolin's price upward trend in the short run.”

Notes

More information: www.imperial-oel-import.de

More information: www.lanolin.com

Imperial-Oel-Import (IOI) launches new essential lanolin website (26th February 2010)