Coty is taking a new step in the replacement of ethanol of agricultural origin traditionally used in perfumery with ethanol resulting from carbon capture, with the launch of a first fragrance containing only alcohol made from recycled carbon. Coty announced in 2021 a partnership with LanzaTech to use their CarbonSmart ethanol, produced from carbon emitted by industrial activity but captured before it is released into the atmosphere.
Available in stores since April 1, 2023, Where My Heart Beats Eau de Parfum – the latest addition in Gucci’s The Alchemist’s Garden collection – is the world’s first globally distributed fragrance manufactured using 100% carbon-captured alcohol.
The fragrance uses CarbonSmart alcohol produced by biotech company LanzaTech. This novel technology process captures carbon from industrial emissions and, after a clean-up step, transforms it through fermentation into ethanol for use in fine fragrances.
Previously, Coty introduced CarbonSmart ethanol into its fragrance portfolio (which includes brands such as Calvin Klein, Burberry, Boss, Gucci, Chloé, Marc Jacobs Perfume, etc.) by blending it with traditional alcohol. For the launch of Where My Heart Beats Eau de Parfum, Coty has segregated the supply of carbon-captured alcohol to ensure the product is made only from recycled carbon.
“Coty is the first company to introduce carbon-captured alcohol into fine fragrances for global distribution. This is an inspiring example for sustainability being the ultimate driver of innovation. Beyond the science, there is something magical in upcycling industrial emissions into alcohol pure enough for use in fine fragrances,” said Coty Chief Scientific & Sustainability Officer, Dr. Shimei Fan.
Reduced environmental footprint
Coty announced its partnership with LanzaTech in March 2021 and started production of the world’s first globally distributed fragrances made using this technology in January 2022.
To produce this new generation ethanol, LanzaTech captures carbon from different emission sources (industry, solid organic waste) or even in ambient air, through an electrolysis process. The collected CO2 is then cleaned-up before being transformed into ethanol through fermentation.
Ethanol is a core ingredient in fine fragrance products, enabling the efficient dispersion of the scent. As most other fragrance producers, Coty uses ethanol sourced from a range of natural raw materials – including sugar cane and sugar beet, which require farm land, water and fertilizers.
By employing a new source of alcohol transformed from carbon emissions through LanzaTech’s technology, Coty intends to reduce the beauty industry’s environmental impact. A life cycle assessment by independent sustainability consultancy Quantis has shown a significantly reduced overall environment impact.
“Through this novel carbon capture approach, carbon emissions, which would typically be released into the atmosphere, are recycled into alcohol pure enough for use in fine fragrances. Furthermore, this process uses less water and reduces the need for agricultural land compared to traditional methods of alcohol production,” Coty explains.
Carbon capture and utilization (CCU) in the chemical industry could lead to a dramatical reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, according to a recent exploratory study by the Renewable Carbon Initiative (RCI), CO2 Value Europe (CVE) and nova-Institute.
