Future-forward palette

Shaping the new era of conscious perfumery

Not all heroes wear capes – some prefer perfumes. And our fragrance heroes are working to bring progress to life for people and planet.

We’re not alone on the road to a conscious perfumery future. That’s because, like all our activities, our journey is guided by the global socio-economic context, consumer insights, market trends as well as regulatory and sustainability dynamics. We combine it all through the lens of our perfumers’ vision – creating new ingredients and distinct signatures, shaping fragrance design that honors and safeguard the rich legacy of perfumery while boldly driving it to the future.

Learn more about sustainable design and our EcoScent Compass®

By the book – and then some

Consumers deserve fragrances crafted with care, using ingredients that meet the highest standards today and anticipate those of tomorrow. For us, this means scrutinizing ingredients and finding alternatives where necessary. So, when it comes to regulations and legislation, we not only follow every change to the rulebook but also anticipate what’s coming down the line – balancing our creativity and world-leading performance with our commitment to enhanced sustainability, all to innovate for generations to come.

We drive progress through science-backed advocacy, collaborative action, and a commitment to evolving regulatory excellence.

We support

the objectives of the European Green Deal

We advocate

For ingredients with sound scientific conclusions and pragmatic implementation of reglementation

We partner

with key industry players, including as a member of the Value of Beauty Alliance

Circular innovation

Sometimes, going in circles can be a good thing.

The idea of cycles is rooted in nature. At an early age, we were already taught about the life cycle of plants and animals – how everything comes from nature and then returns to the earth. We’re constantly working to make our perfumery palette more circular than ever, innovating with solutions that take less from the environment and preserve and celebrate precious natural resources.

Our circular approach helps customers respond to the growing pressure – from regulators and consumers alike – to move away from traditional linear value chains to a more future-positive way of creating, consuming, and disposing of the products we rely on. Here are some of the ways we’re helping to square the sustainable fragrance circle.

Bringing out the best of nature and science

Eco-extraction technologies

Some scents used to elude us as perfumes – until we found a way. At dsm-firmenich, we constantly push the boundaries of innovation of extraction, to capture the purest quality of naturals in the most sustainable way.

We’ve been a pioneer in supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) for 30 years, transforming carbon dioxide into a supercritical fluid and diffusing it through everything from pink pepper and flower petals to tea leaves. So how does SFE boost circularity? We’re glad you asked. The process uses low temperatures to preserve the natural profile of raw materials, while its low energy consumption and zero water waste make it highly sustainable.

We've also developed a first-of-its kind proprietary technology that uses electromagnetic waves to capture the inherent water of precious biomass at molecular level, and carry the odorant components, to yield the final pure extract. This revolutionary extraction process reveals the inner nature of fruits, vegetables, spices, and silent and delicate flowers unexplored until now, offering new natural profiles. Solvent-free, it also opens opportunities to upcycle or reuse residues to create new products with complementary profiles.

Learn more about extraction technologies

Upcycling: From waste to Wonder

Waste doesn’t always stink. In fact, sometimes it smells delightful. And we should know – because we valorize discarded raw materials and process by-products that would otherwise go to waste and transform them into a rich palette of upcycled ingredients spanning all olfactive families. From salvaged orange peels from the juice industry to left over woodchips from furniture-making, we explore every avenue. We also bring our legacy of musks into the future with a new generation of upcycled, renewable musks, derived from the by-products of the kraft paper industry.

So, what does this mean for fragrance? Simple. The richness and variety of our upcycled palette give our perfumers a wide playing field. We have put them to the test and they crafted our Circular Collection of fragrances made 100% from upcycled ingredients. Beyond creating unique scents, this collection makes a positive impact on the three pillars of sustainability: reducing our carbon footprint, cutting down on waste, and maximizing the value of our planet’s natural resources. It’s a win-win situation. Consumers enjoy a diverse and sustainable selection of high-quality fragrances that offer new emotional and olfactive journeys, while the planet gets a better chance to grow and thrive.

Explore our upcycled ingredients

Putting nature to work through biotechnology

A New Frontier in Perfumery, at the intersection of nature and innovation, biotechnology is transforming perfumery. By harnessing nature’s extraordinary and fascinating biological processes and our own world-leading scientific expertise, we use microorganisms to produce ingredients from renewable feedstocks through precision fermentation. This approach generates sustainable alternatives to traditional ingredients, offering perfumers new paths for creation.

Biotech ingredients ensure traceability, consistent quality, and availability, delivering exceptional performance while meeting the highest standards of sustainability.

By reducing the pressure on natural ecosystems and ensuring a steady, renewable supply of ingredients, biotechnology is reshaping the future of perfumery. It’s innovation with a purpose—bringing the best of nature to life, responsibly.

Bottling the beauty of nature

There’s nothing quite like the emotional connection sparked by the pure, untamed scents of nature. With our NaturePrint® portfolio, we bring these moments to life - capturing nature’s fleeting wonders and transforming them into nature-identical ingredients that preserve the beauty of the wild.

Using advanced headspace technology, we capture the fragrant essence of plants, flowers, and natural phenomena in their most authentic form. Whether it’s unveiling the nocturnal bloom of a flower, recreating the scent of earth when first touched by the monsoon rains, or giving voice to silent flowers that traditional extraction methods cannot access, our perfumers interpret and reconstitute these olfactive treasures with precision and artistry, all while leaving nature untouched. This process reduces pressure on biodiversity while delivering the purity and intensity of nature in every ingredient.

Our Smell The Taste™ collection deepens our emotional connection to nature by merging the worlds of taste and scent. Inspired by the aromas of fresh fruits, crunchy greens, and unexpected savoury tones, we craft exclusive perfumery ingredients that create multi-sensorial experiences. But it doesn’t stop at freshness. From the cozy warmth of roasted nuts and cocoa to the creamy allure of soft vegetal milky notes, these ingredients unlock new layers of indulgence, comfort and olfactive richness. Together, they open new creative horizons, inspiring perfumers to reimagine fragrances that captivate the senses and stir powerful emotions.

Beyond nature identicals: find out more about our natural ingredients

Opening the gate to a new generation of ingredients

Our long-established GreenGate™ research program is dedicated to ingredient discovery. We added biodegradable criteria to the GreenGate™ process in 2010, enabling us to design new Perfumery ingredients with an significant lower environmental footprint. Since then, we’ve developed new chemical processes to minimize and

Find out more on Synthetic ingredients

Say hi to high-performance ingredients

When it comes to fragrance creation, sometimes less truly is more. At dsm-firmenich, we are driving the Low Carbon Fragrance Revolution with innovative, high-performance ingredients that redefine what it means to deliver exceptional quality with a lighter environmental footprint. Designed using our scientific know-how, deep ingredient and creation expertise, these groundbreaking materials excel at delivering dual benefits: outstanding performance and sustainability. They elevate fragrance intensity, character, and longevity, all while achieving superior quality at significantly lower dosages. This innovative approach not only allows us to drastically reduce carbon emissions but also minimize environmental impact at every stage of creation.

Explore our circular ingredient innovations

A bio-based approach to low-carbon pathways

It’s not just new ingredients we’re focusing on, however. With our SylverGreen™ Science & Research program – founded on the principles of Green Chemistry – we also improve the circularity of our existing portfolio. By focusing on the replacement of fossil-fuel derived molecules with low-carbon biobased molecules, we’re transforming our palette without compromising the olfactive experience, whilst accelerating the decarbonization of the perfumery industry.