KINGSPORT, Tenn., and SEJONG, South Korea, Jan. 22, 2026 – Eastman, a global specialty materials company, and Kolmar Korea, a global cosmetics original development manufacturing leader, signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at advancing innovative, biodegradable and high-performing personal care solutions that can help customers meet sustainability goals.
The collaboration will focus on expanding access to Eastman’s groundbreaking Esmeri™ technology, which includes Esmeri CC1N10, an advanced cellulose ester micropowder for color cosmetics. Eastman has over a century of expertise in cellulose esters technology. Eastman’s latest cellulose ester innovation is readily biodegradable according to OECD 301B guidelines, meeting EU biodegradation regulations (EU2023/2055) for synthetic polymer microparticles.
“Esmeri is a key solution to challenges that brands face today in meeting regulatory requirements and rising consumer demands for innovative products that continue to deliver exceptional performance,” said Travis Smith, executive vice president at Eastman. “Kolmar’s end-to-end manufacturing capabilities and global reach will be integral in scaling access to Esmeri and other personal care innovations. Together, we are bringing sustainable, high-quality solutions to the industry.”
The collaboration with Kolmar may also span across Eastman personal care’s broad portfolio of ingredients that serve applications across cosmetics and fragrance and skin, sun and hair care, designed to boost product performance and meet evolving consumer and regulatory expectations.
Kolmar’s focus on sustainable manufacturing and expertise in human-centered user experiences and real-world problem-solving makes Kolmar an ideal partner to help scale Eastman’s applications across the beauty and personal care markets.
“Through our products and brands, we continue to offer differentiated beauty solutions that integrate cutting-edge technology with sustainable practices, which is what makes Esmeri a great fit for our portfolio,” said Han Sang-keun, vice president and chief technology officer, Kolmar Holdings. “We are excited to collaborate with Eastman to combine their unique technology with our global consumer insights and deep expertise in K-beauty to accelerate sustainable growth for both companies.”
Eastman delivers innovative solutions that help cosmetics brands create products with real consumer benefits — enhancing performance, feel and stability across skin care, color cosmetics, hair care, fragrances and more. Learn more at www.eastman.com/personalcare.
About Eastman
Founded in 1920, Eastman is a global specialty materials company that produces a broad range of products found in items people use every day. With the purpose of enhancing the quality of life in a material way, Eastman works with customers to deliver innovative products and solutions while maintaining a commitment to safety and sustainability. The company’s innovation-driven growth model takes advantage of world-class technology platforms, deep customer engagement, and differentiated application development to grow its leading positions in attractive end markets such as transportation, building and construction, and consumables. As a globally inclusive company, Eastman employs approximately 14,000 people around the world and serves customers in more than 100 countries. The company had 2024 revenue of approximately $9.4 billion and is headquartered in Kingsport, Tennessee, USA. For more information, visit www.eastman.com.
About Kolmar Korea
Founded in 1990, Kolmar Korea is a global leader in the cosmetics industry, specializing in ODM (Original Development Manufacturing) solutions. With state-of-the-art R&D capabilities and advanced manufacturing facilities, Kolmar Korea partners with global beauty and healthcare brands to deliver innovative, high-quality products. Headquartered in Sejong, Kolmar Korea continues to drive the growth and globalization of K-Beauty by providing end-to-end solutions from formulation to finished product.
Media Contact:
Eastman
Sunjay Lee
Ruder Finn
Sunjay.lee@ruderfinn.com
