Lignopure's patented technology transforms lignin, Earth's second most abundant biopolymer, into high-value products. The team includes CEO Joana Gil Chavez (Master's in Food Engineering, PhD in Process Engineering), CPO Daniela Arango Ospina (Master's in Technology Management, Master's in Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering), and CTO Wienke Reynolds (Master's in Bioprocess Engineering, PhD in Process Engineering).
Could you take us back to the initial moment or idea that sparked the founding of Lignopure? How did those early experiences and insights lead to the realisation of lignin's potential in cosmetics?
I think that the idea was in a way in the mind of our CEO and Founder Joana Gil even before she started to work with lignin during her PhD at the Hamburg University of Technology. I said this because she had the dream to work in sustainable solutions for a greener and more circular future, so I think that lignin found each other to set the basis of what is today Lignopure. Was then during her PhD that Joana discovered that lignin, an organic polymer in plant cells, was an amazing material with a potential not yet fully exploited, although it was produced in large amounts by the industrial processes as a byproduct of paper and ethanol.
Lignin’s molecular structure gives lignin really interesting properties that are typically advertised in cosmetics like antioxidant activity, UV protection, and oil absorption, so the question was; why this natural material is not yet used in cosmetics? What we found shaped what is today Lignopure in terms of technology, processes, and products.
Interestingly, even when lignin’s amazing properties have been well documented in the scientific literature, there were two significant hurdles for lignin to enter into the cosmetic world. On one hand, depending on the extraction process, the derived lignin is irritant, penetrant smelling, and striped to its natural properties.
To tackle this, we created a customised process to asses our suppliers and their raw materials to guarantee the best quality and activity in all our materials. On the other hand, raw lignin is a sturdy hard-to-process mass, which led to the creation of Lignopure’s patented particle technology.
How does Lignopure's patented particle technology enhance the inherent properties of lignin compared to traditional cosmetic ingredients?
Lignin is well known in the literature as an essential part of plants in terms of protective properties, but also a vital part of the structure of plants.
This gives lignin a sturdy nature, which has challenged manufacturers in their seek to use this amazing side-stream in different applications in multiple industries. The importance of Lignopure’s particle technology lies in the ability to transform this biopolymer into a smooth fine material that can be used in high-value applications, in this case, in the beauty industry.
In terms of morphology, the biorefineries’ extraction methods of lignin result in amorphous, microbiologically unstable, and complex-to-handle raw lignins, therefore controlling the particle size and shape is essential for its standardisation in industrial processes and future product applications. Particle size and shape also play a crucial role in possible uses and functionalities that a particular lignin exhibits.
Given the complexities of introducing new ingredients into the cosmetic markets, what challenges have you faced in complying with international regulatory standards?
Bringing a new cosmetic ingredient to the beauty market can be an exciting endeavour, but it is not without its challenges, moreover when this new ingredient is from a source that no one has used before in the cosmetic market. Some of the main challenges regarding this topic have been:
- Regulatory: Extensive testing to assure the safety and efficacy of the product is a must but with the very new material, we encountered that sometimes there is no clear protocol to use, which needs more time.
- Compliance: The same with regional regulations, being a new material, a more extensive documentation package has to be filed to be a complaint.
- Market education: The properties of the ingredients are well known in the industry, but the source, in concrete “lignin” is not known by cosmetic manufacturers and R&D departments, so it has been very important to communicate what is lignin, why it has the properties that it exhibits, from where it comes from, etc.
Can you elaborate on the ethical sourcing practices for your GMO-free plants? How do you ensure that your supply chain adheres to the Nagoya protocol regulations?
At Lignopure we strongly believe that sustainability is a must, that is why our commitment to a traceable and ethical supply chain and sustainability throughout our processes is rooted in all that we do and who we are.
Our focus regarding the sustainable sourcing of our raw lignin, which led us to develop a customised process assessment for our suppliers:
- Knowing the Source: The journey begins by identifying biorefineries with second-generation extraction methods which ensures a high purity and effectiveness lignin together with full documentation about the exact origin of the plants they use. This includes pinpointing the specific farms, forests, or ecosystems from which the raw materials are harvested. The manufacturing and the plant sourcing have to happen only in regions committed to the Nagoya Protocol.
- Evaluating Environmental Practices: We assess the harvesting practices employed. This includes factors like GMO-Free and sustainable internal practices information.
Can you provide examples of clinical or laboratory studies that demonstrate the efficacy of your LignoBase™ particularly in skin protection?
Of course! LignoBase is the first ingredient line of its kind to transfer lignin’s natural properties like SPF-Boosting, Antioxidant, Natural Color and Mattifying properties into multiple Personal Care formulations. LignoBase’s natural polyphenolic structure, with multiple proton donating functional groups, makes it a powerful active with free radical scavenging properties.
Each LignoBase protects skin cells from harmful oxidative stress and acts as a natural antioxidant system for formulations by stabilising actives and other ingredients prone to oxidation. Moreover, with the addition of 5% LignoBase, a regular O/W cream neutralised 70-98% of intracellular free radicals produced by human keratinocytes in culture. You can watch some of our results, which show a full antioxidant effect in human keratinocytes, being competitive with the standard Epigallocatechin gallate. On the other hand, regarding formulation antioxidant capacities, LignoBase’s antioxidant activity in the formulation was confirmed by a DPPH radical scavenging test.
On the SPF-Boosting department, LignoBase’s photo-stabilising, radical quenching properties help to stabilise the UV filter system, while its film-forming capacity allows an even dispersion of the UV filters to protect the skin. In addition, its scattering microparticles boost the photoprotective efficiency by increasing the optical path length of the UV rays before reaching the skin. All this has been demonstrated in multiple in-vitro and in-vivo tests like the ones attached.
The mattifying effect of LignoBase is due to its hydrophobic functional groups as well as an optimised particle size and surface area that give it oil control and mattifying properties, making it equal to or more effective in terms of oil adsorption capacity than Kaolin and more than twice the oil adsorption capacity compared with that of Bentonite. This makes LignoBase a very competitive ingredient for cosmetics.
How does Lignopure position its products in the competitive landscape of both the cosmetic and industries? What makes your products stand out?
LignoBase line is the first lignin-base cosmetic ingredient in the market with this purity level, which is already a significant factor that makes the line stand. These groundbreaking new three ingredients not only are incredibly effective but also upcycled, 100% naturally derived, and sustainably sourced.
Each LignoBase transfers the natural protective properties of lignin into cosmetic formulations boosting personal care formulations to deliver exceptional results for consumers’ skin while being safe for the planet.
Are there any new applications or product lines that Lignopure is currently developing to expand the use of lignin in other industries?
Indeed, Lignin offers great opportunities for the development of novel biobased materials and thanks to our expertise and patented technology, we can explore different possibilities in terms of new lignin-based products.
I can just say that 2025 and 2026 will be exciting for our portfolio and therefore for sustainable materials seekers in the nutraceutical and textile industry.
