The new generation of detergent products: super concentrates

The new generation of detergent products: super concentrates

Tuesday, 14 June, 2022

As society evolves, so does our awareness of the need to conserve the planet.

Fortunately, we are increasingly aware that we need to look after the planet, and many actions are being taken on a global level to counteract the negative consequences of human activity on the environment.

Some of the most critical issues include the use of non-recyclable plastics and pollution caused by freight transport.

At Comindex, we are firmly committed to caring for the environment, and now we have a proposal that will make it very easy for you to create more eco-friendly detergent products: super concentrates.

How do super concentrates help to care for the planet?

The high concentration of active substances that they have. And, in addition, they enable us to reduce the incorporation of water, as the end user adds the water when utilising the product

Between 50% and 80% of the volume of detergent products is composed of water. By not incorporating water in the factory, we reduce the volume of the product and its packaging.

What does this allow us to achieve?

We reduce the quantity of plastic required to manufacture the packaging
We increase the amount of units that can fit on a single truck, so that the number of necessary journeys to transport them is reduced and, consequently, CO₂ emissions.

Challenges of manufacturing super concentrates

As you can see, super concentrated products have significant advantages for the environment.

However, they also pose a manufacturing challenge due to incompatibility between raw materials, among other factors.

Water is the most common solvent in detergency, and eliminating or drastically reducing it can cause the rest of the raw materials not to solubilise properly.

Therefore, the tendency to utilise products in solid rather than liquid form is gradually increasing.

And in order to formulate these concentrated products in solid form we need a component that facilitates compaction of the tablet or block.

Natural cellulose fibres: the solution for solid super concentrates

The natural cellulose fibres from our represented company CFF improve stability of the product in block form, preventing the formation of cracks or breakage.

And, in addition, they are 100% biodegradable, sustainable and non-toxic.

Figure 1: Diagram of cellulose microfibres

They are also very useful in products requiring long-lasting dosing, such as toilet sanitising blocks, as they help to control the disintegration of the block.

Furthermore, by taking advantage of the capillarity of the interior of these fibres, which allows the transfer of liquids – fragrances or enzymes –, the fibres can be used as a carrier.

Figure 2: Active ingredients entering the cellulose fibres by capillary action

At Comindex we have a wide range of biodegradable and non-toxic cellulose fibres that will meet your requirements while respecting the environment.

Our first recommendations for the applications we have discussed above are:

For compaction and to help controlled disintegration: : TECHNOCEL 50G
For use as a carrier: TECHNOCEL 40

However, this is not our full range of cellulose fibres. If you would like to know what other fibres we can recommend to you, or if you have any query, contact our technical team, which is always available to help you with your requirements.

Take a leap into the world of super concentrates with the help of Comindex and… help to protect our planet!

Subscription to eNews

Use your email address to subscribe to our newsletter and we will keep you up-to-date on the latest product developments, events and seminars.

Secondary menu