Henkel partners with Moeve to revolutionize toilet blocks with 68% renewable surfactant

GERMANY – Henkel, in collaboration with surfactant specialist Moeve, has successfully introduced a surfactant produced from 68% renewable raw materials for the majority of its Bref toilet rim blocks across Europe. 

This innovation utilizes a certified mass balance approach, enabling Henkel to partially replace fossil-based feedstocks with biobased alternatives at the initial stage of production, thereby significantly reducing the carbon footprint of its household cleaning products.

The partnership with Moeve, which earned the supplier a Henkel Sustainability Award in early 2025, reflects a dedicated investment in research and development to promote sustainable raw materials in cleaning formulations. 

The newly developed surfactant maintains the same quality and performance standards while enhancing the environmental profile of Henkel’s toilet blocks.

Marjon Stamsnijder, Head of Sustainability at Henkel Consumer Brands, stated, “The use of renewable raw materials in the production of ingredients and plastic according to the mass balance approach is an important step to reduce the CO2 footprint of our products in the upstream value chain.”

“Therefore, it is also a key lever for our goal to achieve net-zero by 2045.”

Beyond the formula, Henkel is also advancing sustainability through the plastic packaging of its rim blocks. 

The plastic cages already contain 30% recycled content, and the company is now increasing the use of renewable feedstocks to replace the remaining virgin plastic, which cannot yet be substituted by recycled material due to safety and aesthetic considerations. 

According to Henkel, this transition is projected to save more than 10,000 tons of CO2 emissions annually, aligning with Henkel’s broader climate goals.

This initiative underlines Henkel’s commitment to fostering a regenerative planet by transforming its supply chain and product portfolio toward greater resource efficiency and reduced environmental impact.

This builds on the company’s long-standing partnership with BASF, which replaces fossil inputs in approximately 110,000 tons of ingredients annually for brands like Persil and Schauma, reducing emissions across its portfolio.

Meanwhile, Henkel recently introduced concentrated formulas and packaging across All, Persil and Snuggle liquid laundry products.

According to the company, the updated formulas offer concentrated detergent cleaning power, fabric softness, and scent, making each wash more eco-friendly.

The new formulas conserve 9 million gallons of water annually, reduce plastic usage by 5%, and increase the use of recycled materials in packaging. 

In addition, improved packaging efficiency will reduce transportation needs, saving over 4,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions yearly, equivalent to the carbon absorption of 169,100 trees.

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