By Mani Meghana Godavarthi

Abstract 

There has been a major shift towards sustainability in recent days. This shift heavily impacted all industries but a late runner in such practices is the fragrance industry. The non-viability of the shift meant that businesses were always apprehensive about shifting but companies now are shifting their focus towards building a sustainable fragrance but the companies are still heavily reliant on unsustainable ingredients, this article attempts to explain how deeply intertwined are fragrance industry and environmentally unfriendly procedures.

INTRODUCTION

The Brundtland Report contended the term ‘Sustainable Development’ and defined it as follows, “Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”. But to look at it another way, sustainability is about enjoying the resources for a long period of time; hence, it is fair to say that sustainability is not only for the future generations but present generations as well. The same is not just a science concept, it is an economics concept of protecting the resources that are scarce. Sustainable practices enhance the quality of life and create a harmonious relationship betweens human beings and the environment. Recently, there has been a shift of momentum towards sustainability and incorporating sustainable practices forcing businesses to prioritise sustainability to accommodate consumer behaviour. Almost all industries are now striving towards sustainability, but there are exceptions. The global fragrance industry is growing stably at an estimated compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.51% from 2024-2032, yet it is the farthest from sustainable practices due to the difficulty in formulating a fragrance with eco-sustainable materials. However, the industry has now kickstarted into adopting a more sustainable approach but it has a long way to go. This article aims to explain the shift towards sustainability and break down the concept of sustainable fragrance while pointing out the heavy reliance of perfumers on potentially environmentally hazardous ingredients to manufacture their products.

FACTORS AIDING THE MAJOR SHIFT TOWARDS SUSTAINABILITY

To better understand this sudden behavioural shift, it is necessary to break it down into external environmental factors such as – Environment, Economic, Technological, Political and Social.

Environmental factors: There has been increasing evidence of climate which resulted in a loss of biodiversity, which includes both plant and animal species, and similarly widespread impact of pollution pushed for a better awareness of the environment and shed light on the importance of being sustainable.

Economic factors: World’s population is increasing day by day which overextends the consumption of resources. Natural resources are limited and their overuse just renders them scarcer. There is a need to shift to alternative energy sources and materials to protect natural resources from depleting. Environmental degradation associated with resource depletion will lead to other natural disasters. A growing awareness towards sustainability means more investment in such sectors, hence sustainability is now an important factor to consider with respect to how businesses function. 

Technological factors: Advancement in technology to harness renewable energy made it more feasible and cost-effective to transition away from fossil fuels. Not only energy resources, but agricultural activities and waste materials are having less environmental impact due to technological innovations.

Political factors: International Agreements such as the Paris Agreement on climate change, growing governmental regulations to control carbon emissions and to protect the environment while providing incentives and subsidies to adopt sustainable practices pushes the business and individuals to stay sustainable.

Social factors: The rise in environmental activism and awareness campaigns, community initiatives play a significant role in shifting public attitude towards ethical consumerism. This has heavily impacted the lifestyle of consumers who now demand transparency and accountability from businesses, hence companies and businesses are now adopting corporate social responsibility (CSR) policies and shifting towards sustainable supply chains and green marketing.

UNDERSTANDING SUSTAINABLE FRAGRANCE

The move towards sustainability is making waves in the world. The latest one yet is the move towards sustainable fragrances. It is no secret that the beauty industry was not always green and sustainable, especially the fragrance industry. Between sustainability and scent, the latter always won. Overharvesting natural resources without regards to its environmental impact has rendered the fragrance industry as one of the primary transgressors. But, the complexity of formulas and the need to meet consumer demand have made companies unable to take a step towards sustainable practices. The shift towards clean fragrance means the businesses should adopt sustainable practices in ingredient sourcing, environmentally friendly production methods, and green packaging. However, not everything is white and black; sometimes, synthetic ingredients are more green than natural ones, which cannot be sourced due to protective regulations. Thus, it is up to the companies to find a balance between natural and synthetic ingredients to maximise sustainability and environmental protection. Advancements in technology are making this step possible. Brands such as Le Labo, Loewe and Carner Barcelona are taking steps towards sustainability standing as role models for the future companies. 

CASE STUDY: BREAKING DOWN THE INGREDIENTS OF THE MOST POPULAR PERFUMES.

The base of most eaux de parfum (fragrance concentration of 15-20%) is water, alcohol and fragrance. The derivation of alcohol might have many environmentally unfriendly procedures, while fragrances are a heavy mix of synthetic chemicals, such as Iso E Super which is a synthetic odorant used especially to create a woody scent, which are environmentally harmful and contribute to the pollution. To understand how the fragrance industry is environmentally unfriendly, it would be the most optimal to break down the ingredients of various perfumes to identify the reliance of the fragrance industry on unsustainable materials. Analysing the most popular perfumes will provide us with the most optimal understanding.

The ingredients list of Chanel no.5 contains a number of synthetic colourants, fragrances and chemical preservatives. A lot of these synthetic colourants are made from petroleum byproducts such as ‘CI 19140’ which is derived from coal tar. Another notable chemical is ‘Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane’ also known as Avobenzone which is a UV filter that has a heavy impact on marine life and it also has potential side effects on human health. Not limited to these there are many items in the perfume composition whose sourcing may or may not be environmentally sustainable such as fragrances like citral.

Dior Sauvage is one of the leading fragrances for men but its ingredient list is almost similar to Chanel no.5 with synthetic dye with harmful environmental impacts and avobenzone. It has ‘Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate’ a chemical antioxidant, Although it is not flagged as an environmental hazard it is a skin irritant.

Yves Saint Laurant (YSL) Black Opium is another best selling women’s fragrance. This perfume has Benzyl Salicylate which is found in household cleaning products. It is antimicrobial but it is an environmental hazard for its long lasting effect on marine life.

Tom Ford’s Black Orchid is also a front runner in luxury perfumes. It has ingredients like Methyl 2-octynoate and Hydroxycitronellal which are harmful to an individual but also chemicals such as Benzyl Cinnamate and Benzyl Benzoate which are environmentally hazardous. 

The most recent news in the fragrance industry is Dolce&Gabbana’s FeFe perfume for dogs. Out of the 22 ingredients listed on the website only 7 are sustainable while 6 others can be sustainable if sourced healthily. Ingredients such as Butylene Glycol (petroleum derived compound), PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil (PEG or polyethylene glycol involves petroleum derivatives), 1,2-Hexanediol (a compound that involves petroleum based processes), Hydroxyacetophenone (synthetic antioxidant) and many other synthetic ingredients. 

CONCLUSION

Many brands such as Chanel and Dior began prioritising sustainability and have their sustainability mission, however, their statement of commitment extends primarily towards their textile business and nowhere talk about moving towards a sustainable perfume production, this is the case with many other brands. This explains how the manufacturers are reluctant to shift to a sustainable production as they believe that it is not viable and is extremely difficult to separate fragrances and harmful chemicals. However, innovation and technology have now made a move towards sustainability possible. Thus, it becomes pertinent for fragrance companies to harness these advancements and develop fragrances that maximise sustainability. Many companies have already taken a step towards it. Consumers too on the other hand must put pressure on the companies to take a sustainable approach and be mindful of the practices to protect themselves, their future generations and the environment.

Author’s bio

Mani Meghana Godavarthi is a second year BBA LLB student at Jindal Global Law School. She is  interested in Constitutional law, Criminal Law and Company Law. She is also fascinated with the working and implementation of environmental laws in the context of businesses.

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