Green & Eco-Friendly Product Development

Deformulation

Chemical reverse engineering, also known as product deformulation, is the process of breaking down a formulation to separate and identify exact quantities of its components. This analysis allows Element to provide formulas with exact specifications needed to develop, manufacture and/or improve the product or manufacturing process.

Reformulation

Product reformulation allows our team to evaluate your existing formula, identify potential areas for improvement, and suggest changes to meet regulatory requirements and improve performance. Significant changes may have to occur for the aforementioned to happen.

Competitor product analysis

Understanding your competition is key to developing a new product. Competitor product analysis provides not only an understanding of a competitive product, but also allows our scientists to identify differences and similarities between two or more products. Our analyses identify, characterize and quantify the ingredients within a provided sample to uncover potential product flaws, contaminants and safety concerns, allowing you to stay a step ahead of the competition.

Green product innovation

Element’s team of innovative formulators can help turn your idea for a green or eco-friendly product into a reality. With decades of experience optimizing, reformulating and innovating a variety of products, including modifying or creating new products that meet green and eco-friendly standards, our scientists can lead the way.

Innovation and formulation development

It is not necessary to completely reinvent the wheel to deliver a new, innovative product. Element’s expertise in simple and complex formulations is not just limited to one subsection of innovation, but extends from industrial manufacturing to over the counter (OTC) to green and eco-friendly products. Our state-of-the-art facilities and team offer a comprehensive and tailored approach to formulation development to ensure your idea makes it to market.

Packaging selection and compatibility

Selecting the right packaging can be a challenge, as many factors need to be considered, from environmental impact to cost. Element’s knowledgeable teams of scientists can evaluate every option to help you determine the best solution for your specific product.

Regulatory compliance

With Element’s collective expertise and experience in regulatory compliance, you can rely on our consultative and knowledgeable team to successfully navigate the regulatory landscape that applies to your specific product, from state and federal to retailer-specific regulations and standards. The Element team is ready to collaborate to ensure your product complies with applicable regulations and/or help you to resolve any currently pending regulatory issues.

In the green and eco-friendly marketplace, there is no single widely accepted standard for eco-friendly formulation. The standards vary based upon product, target market and location. Additionally, you may be subject to location specific regulations such as FDA, EPA, or state-specific such as the California Air Resources Board (CARB). Many companies now also have their own internal guidelines stablishing their commitment to the environment and consumers.

It is important when choosing a partner to understand not only their experience in developing eco-friendly and green products, but also the instrumentation and expertise available. Element has the expertise and staff, and has worked to generate necessary documentation for certification approval. Some of the most common certifications and regulations on the current market include:

EPA Safer Choice Standard & Product Label

The EPA’s Safer Choice programs work to help prevent pollution and reduce risk to both people and the environment. By substituting potentially harmful chemicals with safer ones, the EPA’s Safer Choice Program in turn helps provide safer products for consumers and their families. One of the many benefits of this program is the Safer Choice Product Label. Element’s team of formulators have decades of combined experience working to modify existing formulas to meet regulatory standards such as the Safer Choice Standard.

Green Seal

Having the Green Seal Certified Mark designates that this specific product is more sustainable for the environment than other products in that category. Specifically preserving the climate, protecting human health, minimizing waste and beyond. Element’s team of expert scientists have the knowledge, instrumentation and expertise to improve your product and equip you with the required data to meet the Green Seal Standard.

FDA & EPA

Regulatory bodies such as the FDA and the EPA are a fundamental part of most product development processes, including green. With decades of combined formulation and product development experience, Element has the necessary expertise to effectively communicate with any regulatory bodies and help rectify any situation with the FDA and EPA.

VOC Standards & Regulations

Volatile Organic Compounds or VOCs are emitted as gases from certain solids such as aerosol sprays including spray paints, paints and solvents. Commonly known VOCs are benzene, ethylene glycol and formaldehyde. The EPA outlines “maximum VOC content limit values” to help lessen the risk to consumers for different types of commonly found VOC-emitting products.

Although there are content limit values, currently there are no federally enforceable standards for VOCs in non-industrial settings. However, there are clear guidelines and specific standards can vary in different states (Clean Air Act) and from country-to-country.

COSMOS-Standard

A single international standard for both natural and organic cosmetic products has been developed called COSMOS (COSMetic and Natural Standard). For this standard, there are two routes for certification, Organic and Natural. Element’s formulation scientists have successfully achieved the COSMOS-Standard with many clients and can add your product to the growing list.

Are eco-friendly products lower quality or less effective?

Absolutely not. With Element’s knowledge of many substitute ingredients and a creative application, our staff can exceed or match the performance characteristics of an existing product. The new formula can appear, taste or smell just like the original product.

Does developing an eco-friendly product cost more?

Not always. However, the price of materials changes over time and new ingredients are available. Within reason, you can determine the cost of your product. If you are revisiting an older formulation, it may not be optimized for today’s market and/or the current manufacturing processes. Our team can evaluate how and where to create efficiencies to mitigate price increases, improve the finished product, and keep environmental impact considerations at the forefront of development.

Will I lose control of my intellectual property?

Often when working with toll manufacturers, reformulating a product means losing control and ownership of intellectual property. In turn, this limits the options for manufacturing and future development. At Element, we work with our clients to develop, optimize and provide them with the best formulation. The strategy for the assignment of intellectual property and formulation rights to clients is established before the project begins.