Nylon-66 has a Natural Origin Index (NOI) of 0.00 (scale 0–1) per ISO 16128. Both backbone monomers, adipic acid and hexamethylenediamine, are manufactured from petrochemical feedstocks at commercial scale. An NOI of 0.00 means 0% of its molecular mass is traceable to a natural, renewable source.

Is Nylon-66 natural? NOI 0.00

How we scored it

Repeat unit from adipic acid + hexamethylenediamine, both petrochemical (cyclohexane/butadiene-derived); no natural fragment.

What counts. ISO 16128-2 scores the atoms that remain in the final ingredient. Reagents, solvents, catalysts and protecting groups used during manufacture leave no mass behind and are not counted.

Where it comes from

Nylon-66 is made by polymerising adipic acid and hexamethylenediamine, both derived from petrochemical cyclohexane or butadiene. No commercially significant bio-based route supplies either monomer for this use.

In plain English

A synthetic nylon polymer used as a texturising powder in cosmetics. It is made from two petrochemical building blocks and used to soften texture and add slip.

CosIng definition: Poly[imino(1,6-dioxo-1,6-hexanediyl)imino-1,6-hexanediyl]

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References

1ISO 16128-1:2016 and ISO 16128-2:2017 — Guidelines on technical definitions and criteria for natural and organic cosmetic ingredients and products. ISO, Geneva.
2NYLON-66. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
3NYLON-66. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=NYLON-66