[ Vantage Specialty Chemicals]
Vantage offers a wide portfolio of natural oils
SECURING THE SUPPLY OF SUSTAINABLE JOJOBA-BASED BEAUTY INGREDIENTS Climate change imposes new stress on farmers and the industries that depend on them. Vantage Specialty Chemicals explores how integrated dual sourcing creates a supply chain that is climate-change-proof, and which protects manufacturers of cosmetics.
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limate change poses not just one, but a whole slew of challenges to farmers and downstream industries. From damaging winds during a storm, to erosion and even landslides, major weather conditions have always been a concern for farms and now they are becoming aggressively more common. In spring 2018, unusually heavy rain caused massive flooding across the US Midwest, leaving some areas 10 feet deep in sand. In Nebraska alone, it is estimated that farmers lost $440 million worth of cattle. As a result of these floods, many farmers had to delay spring planting. Delays in crops aren’t just stressful for farmers – they could lead to significant supply
chain disruption for the food and personal care industry, the latter of which continues to rely more and more on naturally-derived ingredients. Beyond the catastrophic and headline-making weather disasters, farmers around the world are starting to notice that seasons aren’t what they used to be. Growing seasons are starting earlier and temperatures are getting higher in already warm climates. While a longer growing season could theoretically have some advantages, it also presents more obstacles in the short term, such as an increase in pest population. Early spring onset can also cause crops to grow before the soil holds enough water and nutrients, or it can ruin fruit crops that bud early and then later experience spring frost. Plus, warmer winters can affect other farming practices like grain storage.
An industry at risk More erratic and changing seasons pose an inevitable challenge for the cosmetic industry, which has embarked on a transformative journey toward using more natural ingredients. As the industry shifts to raw materials increasingly derived from natural feedstock, it also becomes more and more exposed to the risk that climate change represents to crops and harvests. Many oils, emollients, emulsifiers and botanical extracts are now partially or entirely derived from natural resources. Vegetable oils have benefited from the natural craze over the past few years and have become increasingly popular to formulators and consumers. These botanicallyderived ingredients resonate well with beauty and food enthusiasts concerned about their wellness and living a healthy lifestyle. Contrary to synthetic ingredients, the availability of vegetable oils is directly connected to weather conditions and so is the quality of the harvest. Purchasing
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