Future Origins Wins ICIS Innovation Award for Drop-in Replacement Nalo™

Recognized for Best Process Innovation from a SME

SAN DIEGO, Aug. 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Future Origins today celebrated the announcement of the ICIS Innovation Award for Best Process Innovation for Nalo, its non-palm, zero-deforestation, drop-in replacement for C12/C14 fatty alcohols. The U.S.-based joint venture, that is commercializing sustainable alternatives to critical ingredients in the formulations of cosmetics, personal care and cleaning products, was recognized as part of the ICIS search for the best innovation in the chemical industry. The award will be presented to Future Origins on November 13, 2025, in London.

"We are honored to receive this international recognition for Future Origins and our development of Nalo. This award underscores what is truly possible when innovation and science are unleashed to create a sustainable solution," said John Gugel, CEO of Future Origins. "Nalo proves that performance and sustainability can go hand in hand, and further, that supply chain resiliency is achievable. We are grateful for the vision and dedication of our team and partners in developing this solution to help solve a global challenge. We are very excited for what lies ahead."

The ICIS Innovation Awards "recognize and reward companies paving the way in product, process, and digital innovations that demonstrate a commitment to sustainability in the industry," according to ICIS. The Best Process Innovation category, one of five categories in the annual awards, highlights innovations in process development and improvement. As ICIS notes, these are "vital areas of innovation underlying better use of energy and raw materials, improved economics, safer performance, and lower environmental impact."

Future Origins was founded by industrial biotechnology leader Geno, in partnership with Unilever, Kao, and L'Oréal, to commercialize and manufacture high-volume sustainable ingredients for widely used surfactants found in home and personal care applications. This award builds on a legacy of innovation by Geno, which has been recognized by ICIS in the past for its success in scaling sustainable, biobased processes.

Nalo will be manufactured by Future Origins at industrial scale at a production facility set to come online in the United States in the coming years. Kao recently secured an offtake agreement covering a majority of the planned capacity of Future Origins' first manufacturing plant. For more information and to follow the latest advancements around Nalo, visit the Future Origins website at www.futureorigins.com.

SOURCE Future Origins