Following its strategic partnership with AmphiStar Biosurfactants, Kensing, LLC unveils Regenyl™ and Revolis™, its first fully upcycled, low-carbon, and palm-free biosurfactants in North America. Kensing will showcase Regenyl™ at NYSCC Suppliers’ Day, May 19–20, Booth #1913.
The personal and home care industries face growing pressure to reduce their environmental footprint without compromising affordability or consumer experience. Surfactants are central to this transition, yet conventional petrochemical-based and bio-based surfactants often fall short of ambitious environmental targets when assessed across their full life cycle. Consumer brands are at a turning point in the world of tightening regulations and vulnerable value chains as they reach ambitious Net Zero commitments. Success depends on drastically cutting emissions, while halting deforestation, restoring biodiversity, and increasing supply chain resiliency.
Breakthrough innovations such as converting waste into high-purity biosurfactants provide a clear path to achieving these targets while decoupling growth from land-use change. Food waste and organic side streams are indeed highly effective feedstocks to meet demand at scale while preserving nature. Proprietary yeast strain engineering is combined with advanced waste treatment and purification know-how to create this new standard of fully upcycled, palm-free biosurfactants.”
— Denis Bendejacq, PhD, Senior Vice President of Global Research & Innovation, Kensing
Challenging the Status Quo in North American Biosurfactant Production
Current biosurfactant offerings are limited in molecular diversity, constraining formulation flexibility and the performance attributes that drive consumer experience and satisfaction. To address this gap, Kensing introduces AmphiStar’s AmphiNova® molecular design platform that takes a new approach to biosurfactant development. Combining tailored microbial fermentation with pilot customer feedback, this collaborative platform enables the targeted design of upcycled, high-performance biosurfactant molecules with superior foaming and cleaning properties, capable of competing with today’s less sustainable surfactant incumbents.
Upcycled to Outperform: Sustainability Claims Aligned with Clean Beauty Expectations
The upcycled glycolipids were designed to support mild cleansing and stable emulsions suitable for both personal and home care applications at a significantly lower environmental footprint. Both Regenyl™ and its home care counterpart, Revolis™, were evaluated through a comprehensive cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment. The results show substantial reductions across all major environmental impact categories. Compared with biosurfactants of similar chemistry produced from virgin (non-upcycled) feedstocks, upcycled biosurfactants deliver:
- More than a 4× reduction in CO₂ emissions
- An 18× reduction in water footprint
- A 15× reduction in biodiversity impact
- A 7× reduction in land use
When compared with industry workhorse surfactants produced fully or partly from petro-based feedstocks, the environmental benefits are even greater.
“Our new portfolio of upcycled, low-carbon biosurfactants empowers formulators and brand owners to create differentiated products supported by credible, life-cycle-backed sustainability claims aligned with clean beauty expectations.”
— Eshani Burdwick, Senior Vice President of Surfactants and Esters, Kensing
Introducing Regenyl™: Sustainably Designed for Personal Care
Regenyl™ is Kensing’s first upcycled glycolipid platform in North America — a class of surface-active biosurfactants produced via microbial fermentation from side streams of the edible oils industry, as well as agri-food waste. These mild, 100% upcycled, palm-free, and biodegradable surfactants can be used as emulsifying, solubilizing, and foaming agents in cosmetic formulations — both leave-on and rinse-off — delivering pleasant sensory textures and excellent skin feel.
Revolis™ for Home Care and Industrial Cleaning
Designed for Home Care and Industrial Cleaning (HI&I), Revolis™ grades enable the development of environmentally responsible formulations with effective degreasing, soil removal, and surface cleaning across multiple formats.
Established in 2021 and headquartered in Kankakee, IL, Kensing is a leading manufacturer of specialty ingredients derived from vegetable oils, including plant sterols, natural vitamin E, anionic and amphoteric surfactants, and specialty esters. The company has earned both EcoVadis Platinum and CDP A- recognition for its sustainability performance. For more information, visit Kensing.
