Arihant Innochem introduces US-based Colonial Chemical's green surfactant for sulphate-free personal care products

The Mumbai-based Arihant Innochem Pvt Ltd has introduced a green surfactant, Suga Nate 160NC (sodium laurylglucosides hydroxypropylsulfonate) from Colonial Chemical Inc, for manufacturers of sulphate-free home and personal care products in India. Arihant Innochem, a leading distribution house, is the sole distributor of the Colonial Chemical Inc in India.

Sulfate-free products for personal care and household use are only going to continue to grow in popularity. While large, global chemical manufacturers continue to claim that only ‘negative press’ has been responsible for the scrutiny given to the use of sulfates in formulations, consumers are continually seeking alternative products that feature substitute ingredients – especially the ones that offer significant benefits withoutdiminishing performance.

In the past, formulators found it more perplexing to work on sulfate-free solutions than making products with conventional sulfates. The challenges for the formulator include thickening, foam quantity and quality, preservatives included in the chemical, and the mildness of the primary surfactant. Many popular products are available as sulfate-free replacements to SLS or SLES, but may not be suitable to address all of the demanding requirements of formulators needing a commercially-available surfactant with outstanding properties and performance metrics. What is needed is a very un-typical product.

Colonial Chemical’s Suga Nate 160NC, which is derived from renewable feedstock sources, is a high-performance surfactant that provides numerous advantages in a broad range of applications. Instead of only mitigating the irritation of traditional sulfates, formulators using Suga Nate 160NC can start with a high-foaming product and build to preferred aesthetic properties, without concerns of irritation to eyes and skin, any safety issues. Knowing that it’s as natural a product as can be found anywhere in the market today, Suga Nate 160NC is an all-natural, bio-based product.

Suga Nate 160NC begins with a naturally-derived raw material - alkyl poly glucoside (APG). APG surfactants are nonionic, nitrogen-free, EO free and 1,4-dioxane free, and are a natural choice for personal care products because of the level of detergency, low color, and no nitrosamine issues. There are, however, deficiencies, among them; solubility issues, handling, moderate foaming and irritation. A better way to approach the challenges of using APGs is through derivatization. A derivitized APG surfactant is easier to formulate and provides a broader range of applications. This process offers greater functionality and application in formulations, minimises the irritation to skin and eyes, and has more desirable properties than typical APG surfactants.

Suga Nate 160NC shows no visible skin reaction

Suga Nate 160NC exceeds biodegradable and toxicity requirements, meaning it is also very safe for the environment. These aren’t just ‘greenwashing’ claims, either – there are independent studies that show that Suga Nate 160NC is very friendly with organisms, is readily biodegradable, and contains no toxins that could show up in water sampling. Suga Nate 160NC is truly a green surfactant and is readily biodegradable – causing no harm to the environment and contributes to an environmentally safe fluid waste stream.

A common complaint among formulators is that APG-based surfactants ‘won’t foam’. While that may have been true in the past, Suga Nate 160NC has been demonstrated to have equal or superior immediate foam characteristics to many common surfactants as shown in hard water foaming tests. Colonial Chemical’s own Suga Nate 160NC shampoo formulation has also been demonstrated to have equal or superior foaming characteristics to other popular sulfate-free shampoos.

Along with foam, building viscosity in natural, sulfate-free formulations has been a challenge for formulators. A simple combination of Suga Nate 160NC with lauramidopropyl or cocamidopropyl betaine will give high viscosity formulations at solids levels that are achievable in all types of formulations.

Suga Nate 160NC is also a cost-effective alternative when compared to other surfactants used in typical sulfate-free formulations. By comparison, the percentage of solids required for a suitable formulation is preferable to many competitive products currently available. And the result is a very soft, luxuriant feel that cleans well and won’t dry or irritate.

Suga Nate 160NC holds the following clearances for the respective countries - TSCA, DSL, REACH, AICS, ENCS, ECL, and NZIoC. Additionally, Suga Nate 160NC is listed among the NGOs such as NPA Certified Ingredient, NSF/ANSI 305-2012, DfE approved –CleanGredients, Whole Foods Market list of premium body care products, USDA Biopreferred Product, and a GreenStar Rating of 10.

In many ways, Suga Nate 160NC lives up to its promise of being greener, milder and safer than anything else for formulating.