Hansol Paper unveils eco-friendly thickener 'Duracl' at In-Cosmetics Korea

Hansol Paper is pushing into the cosmetics ingredients market, drawing on its paper and materials research capabilities to develop a pine-derived natural thickener as it expands into high-value beauty materials.

The company said Wednesday it is showcasing its new eco-friendly material "Duracl" at the 2026 In-Cosmetics Korea exhibition, a specialized cosmetics ingredients trade show running July 1–3 at COEX in Seoul.

Duracl is an eco-friendly, biodegradable ingredient derived from pine trees, designed to serve as a natural alternative to the synthetic thickeners commonly used in cosmetics. Thickeners are key ingredients that determine a product's viscosity, formulation stability and texture, and help active ingredients disperse evenly and be delivered consistently.

Hansol Paper said it commercialized the wood-based natural ingredient for cosmetics use by drawing on six decades of paper and materials research and development. The move reflects an effort to push beyond the profitability constraints of traditional papermaking and expand into high-value materials.

Duracl is also positioned to capitalize on the clean beauty trend in the global cosmetics market. Hansol Paper described it as a "cleanical" premium material — a blend of "clean" and "clinical" — that combines natural origins with clinically demonstrated performance, including moisturizing and UV-protection properties.

The company is also highlighting Duracl's vegan credentials, noting it is the first product in the domestic paper industry to receive the French vegan certification "Eve Vegan." As vegan, biodegradable and natural ingredients become increasingly important purchasing criteria in the cosmetics ingredients market, eco-friendly materials companies are finding more room to enter the space.

"Duracl is a new material that enhances the functional quality of cosmetics using natural components from pine trees, while also caring for the environment," a Hansol Paper official said. "Through this exhibition, we will promote Duracl's technology and its competitiveness as a natural thickener, and expand collaboration with beauty brands at home and abroad."