THE UPDATE
from
DOWN UNDER
Keep up-to-date with our latest news, tips, product updates, special offers, and more.
JANUARY 2021
G’day mate,
This month we look at the COVID-19 induced consumer trend of 'stay home to stay safe'. Brands are seeking to help their consumer base to make staying home more ‘safe’. This applies to both Indoor Air and Indoor Care products. Recent studies identify aromatherapy could play a role to meet these needs. By supporting remediation of air quality or assisting with moods, aroma has a powerful ability to define the transition from working at home to relaxing at home - safely. Our Australian Wood Oils collection in particular offers aromatherapy properties to soothe the mind.
With the inauguration of President Joe Biden there is a sense of renewed hope for the planet with his pledge to ensure the U.S. achieves an 100% clean energy economy and reaches net-zero emissions by 2050. In fact, as we write this newsletter, General Motors has announced their entire fleet will move away from fossil fuels and be carbon neutral by 2035. That’s only 14 years away for GM to transform itself – truly incredible!
Speaking of the environment, have you considered Ethical Eucalyptus? As more and more consumers adopt a Climate Positive mindset, they expect brands to go beyond just doing the right thing, but also giving back to the community. Our ethical Australian Eucalyptus does just that. We also have some news on the progression of our Eucalyptus Oil to full USDA NOP (Organic) status.
Hope you enjoy this month's newsletter. Thanks for reading.
Sincerely,
IN THE NEWS
Indoor Air and Indoor Care
In a pandemic world where we’ve been ‘staying home to stay safe’, trend forecasters are predicting adverse health consequence associated with the working from home lifestyle. Indoor Air and Indoor Care are relevant trends in 2021 according to Cosmetic Design’s US Editor, Dana Utroske. Ingredients that address concerns arising from exposure to indoor toxins, as well as limited indoor air circulation will be of significant relevance to today’s consumer.
Studies demonstrate that essential Oils, such as Tea Tree and Eucalyptus improve air quality. They incorporate well into products which can be diffused throughout the home, such as vaporizers or air-conditioning HVAC units. Such studies support their use to address mold and fungal growth in poorly ventilated spaces, says Down Under’s CEO Dee-Ann Prather.
According to Cosmetics Design Europe, sensory tools that assist with sleep and mindfulness are also on the rise. Products that assist with the challenging task of disconnecting oneself from work without leaving the space will be in demand. Aroma can help facilitate this daily transition - working from home to relaxing at home. Essential Oils are excellent go-to products to generate an aromatic demarcation between work and rest. Sandalwood Oil not only has a beautiful aroma, but it also has anxiolytic properties that assist with anxiety and insomnia. Our Product Applications can help you identify Essential Oils according to aesthetic performance and fragrance note and family.
Mintel data suggests that in 2021 homecare brands will extend their reach into consumers’ lives by aligning with health and wellness goals and becoming leaders in driving social change. While the pandemic has had a direct impact on consumers’ stress levels, household brands have a role to play in preserving mental and physical wellbeing with products, routines, and philanthropy.
FARM UPDATES
New Weather Station
Using technology to make our operations more efficient and sustainable is always of interest to us. Could you imagine that we sometimes have sunshine and rain over different sections of the farm at the same time? This can make farming tricky business. Our new Weather Station helps us monitor and measure conditions to improve our farm management activities.
Our new Weather Station tracks parameters such as temperatures (and trends), rainfall and humidity, as well as sunlight characteristics such as UV intensity. It also monitors soil moisture levels across the farm. Significant variations in soil moisture can occur across our farm. By measuring water saturation deep into the soil, we gain valuable insights. By monitoring these conditions, we can understand the surface, sub, and deep soil moisture profiles, irrigate more efficiently, and only as much, and only when truly needed, thereby saving water.
Combined, these data and activities give us a better chance of a successful and sustainable harvest yield.
TRACEABILITY
Eucalyptus - Organic in conversion
One of our Eucalyptus farms has achieved "organic in conversion status."
We are happy to report that all is progressing well with the organic certification process with our organic certifying auditor to achieve full USDA NOP status soon. A full audit is scheduled and the final paperwork is being prepared. If this sounds appealing to you, register your Organic Eucalyptus interest to be amongst the first to know when full organic status is achieved for our Australian Eucalyptus Oil. You can also request organic Eucalyptus product samples for testing and validation by a simple of tick the box on the same form.
EMPLOYEE PROFILE
Meet Dhwani, our Inside Sales Representative with a strong career in perfumery.
What is your role at Down Under Enterprises?
I am an Inside Sales Representative at Down Under Enterprises. I help our Australia and New Zealand customers in the personal care, cosmetics, and home care industries by identifying DUE products suited to their needs.
What did you do before joining the team at Down Under?
I joined the DUE Team in August 2020. Prior to that, I was working for global fragrance houses like Givaudan and IFF in the sales and fragrance development departments. I gained my formal training at ISIPCA in Versailles, France and Padova, Italy.
What led you to want to work in the natural products industry?
For generations, my ancestors have used natural ingredients for their therapeutic properties. It fascinated me to see how simple natural ingredients could address health and beauty problems; this led me to work in the natural products industry.
What do you love most about what you do?
The fact that I can help customers by understanding their requirements and providing appropriate solutions gives me immense happiness and satisfaction. I would say that is the best part of my job.
What’s your favorite way to spend the weekend?
On weekends, I like spending time with my husband. We like going for long walks around the city and trying new cafes and restaurants. At times, I also like staying in and binge-watching some interesting TV series.
SUSTAINABILITY
Ethical Eucalyptus is the way forward
How is your Eucalyptus Oil is produced?
Do you know where it is grown?
Under what worker conditions?
When sourcing your Eucalyptus Oil from us, you know the answers to all these questions. Our Eucalyptus Oil is grown and produced in Australia. As part of our commitment to the UN Global Compact and SDG’s we fully comply with the ethical guidelines which protects all our employees and those of our growers as well.
Furthering our sustainability commitment, we let nature do its thing. Our Eucalyptus trees have evolved naturally in their native Australian ecosystem. The cultivation, harvest, and management of our Eucalyptus doesn’t compromise the soil, local wildlife, or water supply of local communities.
People are often pleasantly surprised to find that when our Eucalyptus trees are harvested, their lignotuber root system stays in the ground. The lignotuber can shoot regrowth and the soil remains undisturbed. This is highly beneficial to the local ecosystem. To learn more about this unique harvesting method read our blog on Eucalyptus coppiced growth. To learn more about the history and labor-intensive farming of Eucalyptus globulus as a byproduct of the pulp wood industry - watch our video.
SCIENTIFIC PAPER
Indoor air quality and exposure to cleaning products
The health effects of long-term and short-term exposure to household consumer products were investigated in the extensive EPHECT home care exposure study, now published as EPHECT I, EPHECT II, and EPHECT III.
Irritative and respiratory effects were assessed in relation to acute (30-min) and long-term (24-h) inhalation exposure to key indoor air pollutants emitted during household use of selected consumer cleaning products. A detailed Health Risk Assessment (HRA) was performed for five selected pollutants of respiratory health relevance, namely acrolein, formaldehyde, naphthalene, D-limonene and α-pinene.
Formaldehyde emissions from single product use in floor cleaners were documented at 82% of Critical Exposure Limit (CEL) in one instance. Other household products that were high in formaldehyde emissions were scented candles (10% CEL) and electric air fresheners (17% CEL).
The researchers noted that 30-min formaldehyde exposure reached 34% of Critical Exposure Limits when eight product classes were evaluated across home microenvironments, i.e. all-purpose/kitchen/floor cleaning agents, furniture/floor polish, combustible/electric air fresheners, and perfume.
The cumulative risk of exposure to multiple products in the home that contain formaldehyde could be mediated by replacing with less toxic ingredients such essential oils. The research indicated that, D-limonene and α-pinene (compounds commonly found in some essential oils) are safe over long-term use.
Trantallidi M, Dimitroulopoulou C, Wolkoff P, Kephalopoulos S, Carrer P. EPHECT III: Health risk assessment of exposure to household consumer products. Sci Total Environ. 2015 Dec 1;536:903-913. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.05.123. Epub 2015 Aug 13. PMID: 26277440.
FEATURED PRODUCT
Eucalyptus an excellent cleaning synergist
Consumer demand for eco-friendly options has been steadily growing with sustainable cleaning routines more readily adopted in households.
Eucalyptus in a natural favorite for cleaning formulations as it ticks several application boxes simultaneously. The demonstrated antimicrobial properties of Eucalyptus make it useful in laundry and surface cleaning products. Its solvent action may assist with stabilizing a formula and increasing its shelf life, to enhancing the cleaning process by dispersing soils.
Formulators can add a fresh, natural fragrance with our Eucalyptus Essential Oil while also enhancing the antimicrobial action of synthetic formulas via its synergistic action. Interestingly, the Eucalyptus Essential Oil (as a complete oil) offers increased antimicrobial efficacy with a synthetic disinfectant over its active constituent Eucalyptol (1,8 cineole) alone.
Read more on these topics and other unique Eucalyptus Oil applications by downloading our White Paper Eucalyptus Essential Oil for Homecare.
WHY YOU SHOULD BE WORKING WITH AUSTRALIAN EUCALYPTUS
BENEFIT 1 – Full Australian traceability
BENEFIT 2 – Sustainably grown and harvested
BENEFIT 3 – Highest source of Eucalyptol
BENEFIT 4 – Beautiful natural aroma
