Ampliamo lo sguardo.
The global production of fragrances, essential oils and all of the other perfumed products has often been possible through the use of chemically synthesised ingredients, which have allowed production to have sustainable costs and for the quantities to meet market demands.
Furthermore, products of synthetic origin have the advantage of making the formulation of complex fragrances reproducible and standardisable.
If these fragrances were based instead only on natural products, they would be subject to variations in olfactory characteristics depending, for example, on climatic conditions, just as happens in the field of oenology.
The climatic conditions also inevitably affect the harvest yields of flowers, roots and resins, with repercussions in terms of fluctuating raw material prices.
This example is still not enough to give a clear idea of how interconnected the world of fragrances is with the world of nature and the future of the planet.
Satisfying the demand for an expansion of the supply of substances of natural origin would, in fact, go against great ethical and environmental sustainability matters.
In this respect, the example of sandalwood oil is particularly representative.
Although this plant grows in various parts of the world, that of Indian origin is the most popular in the preparation of first-class essential oils. However, the enormous market demand of this essence, which comes from trees that are at least 30-40 years old, has led to a decimation of the species itself, which is currently at serious risk of extinction.
A similar argument could be made for other natural essences, such as vanilla or patchouli.
Which come from territories that are particularly exposed to climate changes and whose intensive cultivation is responsible for deforestation and for the substitution of edible plant cultivation with them, with the consequent increase in the cost of agricultural food products.
A complicare ulteriormente il quadro ci sono i fattori geopolitici.
Further complicating the picture is the fact that these crops often find their habitat in countries subject to particularly unstable political conditions, with ongoing armed conflicts and unsustainable working conditions by western standards.
In short, it is clear that meeting the growing consumer demand for natural products is a very complex challenge and paradoxically at odds with the commitments required of brands in the sector to implement sustainable and responsible trade policies.
Once again, therefore, Scent Of Lombardy reaffirms its choice of creating a unique, affordable and sustainable supply chain.
That works towards the production of essences of biosynthetic origin, thanks to a combined use of biotechnology and fine chemistry. exploiting, in particular, the properties of enzymes, their selectivity, their ability to work under mild conditions and to produce compounds of interest from often competitive raw materials (simple chemical compounds, biomasses).
And nature is not only our target, but our source of inspiration.
Often, biotechnological innovation is applied simply by imitating what is already happening in the animal and plant world.
Indeed, the knowledge of the numerous natural fragrance biosynthesis processes makes it possible to identify and utilise the enzymes that catalyse the critical reactions for the biosynthesis of the required fragrance molecules (such as Cyclase, Enoate Reductase, Lipoxygenase, Epoxide Hydrolase, Lipase, etc.).
Knowledge of the DNA and biosynthetic cycles thus makes it possible to use enzymatic activities as biocatalysts in reactions of particular interest.
This way, nature is imitated but not damaged by recklessly taking available resources, which has brought entire habitats to the brink of extinction.
