Whether cream or lotion: natural cosmetics are in vogue. More and more manufacturers are therefore turning to natural ingredients to respond to the growing demand. BASF Care Creations is now launching a natural ingredient for skin care products. At the end of June, the Ludwigshafen-based company announced the launch of a new biopolymer called Hydagen Clean. It is designed to replace synthetic polymers in facial care, body care and styling products. According to the company, Hydagen Clean is made from 100% natural and renewable raw materials and is biodegradable.

Elastin is one of the most important trace proteins that provide elasticity and resilience in tissues and organs of the human body. These fibers are a main component of connective tissue and can lose their elasticity with age, due to environmental influences or accidents, and thus impair wound healing. This decreasing elasticity makes healing more difficult, especially in the case of large-area and chronic wounds. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Microstructure of Materials and Systems IMWS have a solution for this.

One focus of the German sustainability strategy is the optimal use of raw materials in the sense of the circular economy. This includes the recovery of plastics made from fossil raw materials such as polypropylene (PP). Polypropylene contains the finite resource petroleum and is the second most important plastic of all. It is used primarily for packaging, but also in electronics and automotive engineering. However, PP is also a component of products such as carpets, which are made of composite materials and are difficult to recycle.

On June 23, 2021, Sebastian Seibert and Louisa Wenkemann won the fourth edition of the start-up competition "PlanB - Biobased.Business.Bavaria" with their young company "nakt" from Darmstadt. They convinced the jury with a functionalized fiber made from green waste. "nakt" has produced a reusable makeup wipe from it as its first application.

At the third edition of the Science Year discussion series "Karliczek. Impulse.", the spotlight was on industrial biotechnology and its little helpers. A free online talk entitled "Biotechnology makes it possible - innovations for greater sustainability" was held on June 16.

When a crop shows symptoms of pest infestation or nutrient deficiencies, it is often too late to prevent yield losses. However, the earlier a problem is detected, the more effectively farmers can intervene. Digital sensors can be an important tool for this. The "FarmerSpace" research project is investigating which methods are suitable, what they can do, and also how they can interact. The German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) is funding the project from February 2020 to February 2023.

Since the beginning of June, it's been time to cast off again for the hands-on exhibition on the bioeconomy aboard the MS Wissenschaft (MS Science). Commissioned by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, the converted cargo ship will stop at a total of 30 locations in Germany and Austria between now and October 26. After an eight-month break, the ship dropped anchor in Hamburg on June 5 as the first stop on the second tour. After Glückstadt and Rendsburg, the exhibition ship will also call at Kiel and Hildesheim in June.

How can we shape our future in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way? Which innovations, trends and ideas can help to keep our earth livable for future generations? The Week of the Environment on June 10 and 11 in Bellevue Palace will provide answers.