"Targeting Color Cosmetics"... Korea Kolmar Partners with Eastman to Develop Eco-Friendly Makeup Ingredients

Developing Alternatives to Microplastics
Targeting the Global Color Cosmetics Market

Korea Kolmar announced on January 20 that it is partnering with Eastman, the largest chemical company in the United States, to develop eco-friendly makeup ingredients.

Korea Kolmar stated that it signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Eastman on January 16 at its Integrated Technology Institute in Seocho-gu, Seoul, for the development of eco-friendly makeup ingredients. The signing ceremony was attended by Sangkeun Han, Vice President of Korea Kolmar Technical Research Institute, Travis Smith, Senior Vice President of Eastman, and other officials.

At the Korea Kolmar-Eastman Memorandum of Understanding signing ceremony, Sangkeun Han, Vice President of Korea Kolmar Technical Research Institute (right), and Travis Smith, Senior Vice President of Eastman (left), are taking a commemorative photo. Provided by Korea Kolmar.

Eastman, founded in the United States in 1920, is a leading global petrochemical company spanning various industries, including advanced materials and functional additives. The company is recognized as having world-class technology in the field of sustainable materials, such as its ability to break down waste plastics at the molecular level and recycle them into raw materials of identical quality.

Through this agreement, the two companies will jointly develop eco-friendly recycled materials to replace microplastics used in color cosmetics. Synthetic materials are necessary to achieve the spreadability, adhesion, and lasting power required for color cosmetics.

The two companies aim to develop cellulose extracted from trees and biodegradable polymers as next-generation natural recycled materials.

Korea Kolmar plans to apply the eco-friendly materials secured through this collaboration to its products to strengthen its competitiveness in the global color cosmetics market. The company aims to broaden options for its clients and solidify its position as a sustainable business, targeting the North American and European markets where environmental regulations are becoming stricter.

A Korea Kolmar representative said, "We plan to maximize synergy by collaborating with Eastman, which has strengths in the field of eco-friendly materials," adding, "We will support global clients in enhancing their competitiveness with next-generation makeup ingredients that are both sustainable and highly functional."