Character
The Story of Clearwood™
Clearwood™ is a biotech-derived woody ingredient from Firmenich that captures the soul of patchouli without its earthiness. Created through precision fermentation in 2014, this sustainable material introduced a new paradigm: high-impact woody notes with radical transparency and a clean environmental profile.
Heritage
The 2014 launch of Clearwood® marked a milestone in fragrance chemistry, representing the first time a major fragrance house brought an industrially fermented ingredient to market. Firmenich collaborated with Amyris, applying insights from biofuel research to perfume production. The breakthrough came after scientists isolated the key gene responsible for patchoulol synthesis in 2006, enabling the engineering of microbial production platforms. Clearwood® arrived amid growing demand for sustainable ingredients, offering perfumers the warm, woody character they craved without the heavy, earthy qualities that limited patchouli's versatility. Its success paved the way for biosynthetic alternatives to sandalwood, ambergris, and other precious naturals, reshaping how the industry thinks about naturality, performance, and environmental responsibility.
At a Glance
1
Feature this note
Switzerland
Primary source region
Ingredient Details
Fermentation (white biotechnology)
Microbial fermentation (no plant material used)
Did You Know
"Clearwood® was the first fragrance ingredient ever produced through industrial fermentation, launching in 2014 and winning the SEPAWA innovation award the following year."