We are Opau, a venture that has set out to help industry remove water from products and achieve sustainability goals.

We've developed a new “water-less” technology that turns water or emulsion based products like moisturisers into dry pieces of confetti-like petals.

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We have developed a no-heat process that gently removes up to 98% of water, whilst preserving the stability of delicate active ingredients without the need for preservatives.

We transform products into lightweight dry sheets that reduce the carbon footprint and costs of transportation, which can be customised in shape and size.

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Opau was born from the University of East Anglia working in partnership with Plant Bioscience Limited. Professor Sheng Qi and Dr Yan Fen Lee utilised cutting edge science to create a unique technology that works to benefit products and the planet.

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The problem

Water is the major ingredient in the formulation of many products. Most cosmetics and toiletries contain up to 95% water, leading to heavy units per volume and bulky packaging.

Every year 120 billion units of cosmetics and toiletries are packaged and shipped globally, prompting demands for more conscious and equitable water use by all industries.

Opau exists to help solve this challenge.

Opau's novel patent-pending technology uses a no-heat process to convert a range of water-based products and oil containing emulsions into paper-like dry nanofibre sheet petals that can preserve bioactive ingredients by gently removing water, whilst preserving the stability of delicate active ingredients.

Our technology

At the point of use, a single drop of water rapidly reconstitutes the dry sheets to a cream or lotion form ready for application. Our solution reduces product weight, improves shelf life, and reduces the need for preservatives. Approximately 6 times fewer shipments mean a 60% reduction in the carbon footprint, which is better for the environment, consumers, and enabling businesses to achieve Net Zero targets and sustainability goals.

Applications

Opau's technology is applicable to a wide variety of applications.

Opau's petals are dry, lightweight, sustainably packaged and can be shipped much more economically than conventional bulky and heavy-weight water-containing products, thus saving transportation emissions and costs.

Direct positive impacts to our partners and end users are reduction in the carbon emissions associated with packaging, ingredients and transportation which are the key to achieving sustainability targets. Our no-heat water-removal technology will preserve the activity of expensive ingredients which effectively will provide economic saving to our partners.

Collaborate with us

Opau aims to be a global leader in providing sustainable petal technology that removes water from products that are shipped globally.

The drivers for our waterless innovation are improved user experience, safety and sustainability. Our patent-pending emulsion-based technology provides a timely solution to an unmet waterless market need, which is well-recognised by both skin-care experts and consumers through winning the Cosmetics Cluster UK & 32nd IFSCC Congress-Innovation in Action-Technology Showcase Challenge award.

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