Elkem’s ecodesigned innovation named Environmental Initiative of the Year by SEAL Awards
Last update on Feb 4, 2026
The silicones division of Elkem ASA (ELK) announced that its ecodesigned MIRASIL™ NDML 15 has been named Environmental Initiative of the Year in the 2026 SEAL Business Sustainability Awards. The recognition underlines Elkem’s strategy to deliver high-performance beauty care ingredients that combine a lower carbon footprint, enhanced safety, and strong sensory benefits for consumers.
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Turning climate roadmap & circular economy commitments into real solutions for the beauty industry
MIRASIL™ N‑DML 15 is a blend of high molecular weight dimethiconol gum in a renewable C15‑19 alkane derived from sunflower seed. It achieves a Natural Origin Index of 0.8 according to ISO 16128, meaning around eighty percent bio‑based content, enabling customers to formulate more sustainable products without compromising on performance and efficacy achieved with silicones. The sunflower‑based carrier is of one hundred percent natural origin, readily biodegradable (OECD 306), GMO‑free, traceable, and deforestation‑free, and is supported by certifications such as Ecocert COSMOS and NATRUE approval.
“This award is a powerful acknowledgement of the way we approach circularity at Elkem Silicones,” said Joséphine Munsch, R&T sustainability leader. “Beyond advancing silicone recycling projects, we are also transforming the way we source our raw materials. With MIRASIL™ N‑DML 15, we blend our high‑performance silicone gum with a renewable carrier derived from sunflower seeds, reducing reliance on fossil resources while maintaining the performance our customers expect. It is a concrete example of how we are turning our climate roadmap and circular economy commitments into real solutions for the beauty industry.”
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Designed for broad use in skin care, hair care, and color cosmetics, MIRASIL™ N‑DML 15 delivers the well‑known benefits of silicone gum blends - providing a smooth and silky sensory feel, improved shine, frizz control, detangling, thermal protection, even coverage, and water resistance - while meeting higher expectations for sustainability and safety. Its plant‑based, non‑volatile carrier replaces traditional volatile silicones, offering a more sustainable and consumer‑friendly alternative without compromising performance.
The development of MIRASIL™ N‑DML 15 is part of a wider transformation of Elkem’s personal care portfolio towards eco‑designed performance ingredients. This includes elastomer gels in bio‑based C13‑15 alkane from bio‑fermented sugarcane under the PURESIL™ ORG series, which help address spreadability and white‑cast challenges in high‑SPF sunscreens, and ongoing work to integrate recycled silicones into gum blends to further cut carbon footprint.
Elkem’s silicones produced in Europe and the Americas already rank among the lowest carbon footprint in the market, due to an integrated value chain, biomass introduction of around twenty per cent in silicon smelting, and access to hydroelectric power, yielding polydimethylsiloxane with an estimated 4.2 kg CO₂e/kg versus an industry average of around 6.2 kg CO₂e/kg.
Elkem’s experts will be on site at in‑cosmetics 2026 in Paris, from April 14 to 16, ready to showcase MIRASIL™ N‑DML 15 alongside a full range of eco‑designed beauty care solutions. They invite customers and partners to visit them and discover these innovations first‑hand.
Image Credits: Elkem