Protect and regenerate nature challenges

• Detergent Powder with no Water Insolubles

  Overview

  We are seeking solutions to address one of the key issues faced by consumers using detergent powder:

  • presence of insoluble residues which connote poor value and product quality.

  To achieve this, we are looking at alternatives to current insoluble coating/layering aids.

  Main Requirements

  • The coating/layering material should have high resistance to gain moisture from humid environment but should ideally be also be water soluble during use by consumer.
  • Cost effective, or comparable to current coating/layering technologies
  • Stable, compatible in detergent formulations
  • Ideally a formulation solution but open to processing intervention with minimal capital expenditure

  Desired Outcome

  • Powder with no insolubles, good dissolution profile, good shelf life and no caking issues

  What we are not interested in

  • Ingredients with Safety concerns
  • Changes to powder sensories (e.g. fragrance, dissolution, foam)

  Detergent Powder with no Water Insolubles challenge: send an application

• Natural Fabric Whitening Agents

  Overview

  In line with our cleaner choices agenda, We are seeking new technologies/materials that can be used to deliver better/comparable whiteness benefits on fabrics compared to commonly used fluorescers like DASCC*. New technologies/materials should be biodegradable and manufactured using green raw materials.

  Main Requirements

  • Weight and cost efficient
  • Comparable/better performance to fluorescers
  • It should not have any gross negative on consumer fabrics (like spotting & staining)
  • Compatibility /Stability in powder detergent formulation

  Desired Outcome

  Material with Green chemistry and biodegradable with single wash whiteness boost as current fluorescers (DASCC)

  What we are not interested in

  • Technologies that have Safety concerns
  • Non-biodegradable materials
  • Materials that are not compatible with detergent powders

  * DASCC: Diamino stilbene cyanuric chloride

  Natural Fabric Whitening Agents challenge: send an application

• Natural Materials for Stain Removal and Hygiene

  Overview

  In line with our cleaner choices agenda We are seeking natural/green technologies/materials that can be used to deliver dual benefits of sodium percarbonate:

  A: stain removal on bleachable stains

  B: hygiene

  The technology can be either from renewable sources or circular economy.

  Main Requirements

  • Comparable/better performance on stain removal and hygiene to sodium percarbonate
  • Should be weight and cost efficient
  • Compatible with powder detergent

  Desired Outcome

  Performance established through standard lab tests (hygiene and cleaning) and consumer tests with no gross negatives

  What we are not interested in

  • Materials which have Safety* concerns
  • Materials which are not biodegradable

  * - E.g. non-carcinogenic, no ecotox issues, etc

  Natural Materials for Stain Removal and Hygiene challenge: send an application

• Natural Antioxidant(s)

  Natural antioxidant(s) for improving storage stability of fragrances and actives prone to oxidation

  Background:

  Synthetic antioxidants such as Tinogard TT (Pentaerythrityl tetra-di-t-butly hydroxyhydrocinnamate) and Tinogard DA (didodecyl 3,3'-thiodipropionate) have been used as highly effective stabilizers to prevent degradation of actives sensitive to oxidation. They can mitigate negative impacts of oxidatively unstable actives on stability of final formulations. However, due to their synthetic nature, they are not suitable for use in natural Skin Care formulations. Some existing natural antioxidants such as tocopherol and rosemary extract come with strong odor or color profile, which introduced undesirable sensory attributes in final formulations. There is a need for natural alternative to TInogard TT and Tinogard DA antioxidants.

  Description:

  Natural antioxidant(s) for improving storage stability of fragrances and actives prone to oxidation. Natural antioxidant must be parity or superior in performance to Tinogard TT and Tinogard DA.

  Desired Outcome:

  Proof of principle studies versus Tinogard TT and Tinogard DA:

  • GC headspace data after storage for benchmark actives: sunflower seed oil & CLA
  • Color and chemical stability data after storage
  • Rancimat test

  What we aren’t interested in:

  • Antioxidants with tox issue, registration issue, colour issue or odour issue
  • Antioxidants that degrade during storage stability
  • Antioxidants that act as potent antioxidants in skin but have poor efficacy in preventing actives from oxidation during formulation storage stability

  Natural Antioxidants challenge - send an application

• Next Generation Antimicrobials

  Background:

  Unilever invites submissions for disruptive, biodegradable and proprietary technologies that deliver superior Anti bacterial efficacy

  Description:

  
  Key Requirements:

  • Provide superior germ kill against Gram-positive.
  • Must meet Unilever SEAC (safety) & regulation guidelines (Includes launch country regulatory requirements)
  • Should be 100% biodegradable and not labeled as microplastic and ideally sustainably sourced to fit Unilever planet positive objectives
  • Must be available for implementation by July 2022 subject to scale.

  Desired Action Standard:

  • Minimum efficacy criteria: Greater than or equal to 3 log reduction in 20 seconds contact time for bacteria.
  • Test method for bacteria: ASTM 2783-16.Test method for viruses: ASTM E1052-20
  • Efficacy desired at a pH window of 9-11, in the presence of anionic surfactants

  What we aren’t interested in:

  • No existing patent infringement.
  • Technology shouldn’t negatively impact on product visual, transparency, physical properties including sensories.
  • Tech should be safe for handling in factories and consumer use and not be present on any regulatory banned/watch lists.
  • No Animal Testing with active
  • No bleach/Chlorine based or Quaternary ammonium compounds

  Next Generation Antimicrobials - send an application

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