Australian Organic Brand Develops Vegan Skincare Line with Japanese OEM

"Botanica Pure," a Melbourne-based organic cosmetics brand founded in 2020, had been building their presence in Australia's natural beauty market with a 100% vegan and cruelty-free philosophy. They planned to develop a new skincare line to further differentiate their products and elevate quality.

Australian consumers are highly environmentally conscious, and interest in Japanese botanical ingredients (yuzu extract, rice ferment filtrate, and sakura leaf extract) was growing. Botanica Pure decided to create a 3-product set (toner, serum, and cream) with a unique concept of "Japanese fermentation technology meets organic beauty."

Through OEM JAPAN, they contacted 6 cosmetics OEM manufacturers and screened based on these criteria:

• COSMOS or ECOCERT certification-compatible manufacturing systems
• Proven experience developing vegan formulations (completely free of animal-derived ingredients)
• R&D team capacity to handle simultaneous 3-product development
• Understanding of Australian TGA (Therapeutic Goods Administration) regulations
• Minimum order of 2,000 sets

Manufacturer E in Hyogo Prefecture was selected. With ECOCERT certification and over 50 vegan formulation projects completed, Manufacturer E also had export experience to Australia and New Zealand, and could conduct technical meetings in English.

For simultaneous 3-product development, Manufacturer E assigned a dedicated 3-person formulation team to work on each product in parallel.

Phase	Duration	Details
Concept Design	1 month	Vegan ingredient selection, brand story alignment
Formulation (3 products parallel)	3 months	4 rounds of prototyping each for toner, serum, and cream
Stability & Safety Testing	2 months	Accelerated stability tests, patch testing, SPF measurement (cream)
Packaging Design	2 months	Recyclable material selection, eco-packaging design
Production & Inspection	2 months	2,000-set manufacturing, full inspection, export documentation

A particular focus was the rice ferment filtrate formulation. Manufacturer E used proprietary lactic acid bacteria to ferment rice extract, incorporating it into all 3 products to support the skin's barrier function. Their technical capability to achieve stability using only plant-derived ingredients — without any animal-derived preservatives or emulsifiers — was highly valued.

Full production of 2,000 sets (toner 150ml + serum 30ml + cream 50g) was carried out on Manufacturer E's ECOCERT-certified production line.

Quality and export highlights:

• Complete INCI (International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients) lists prepared in English
• Safety data submitted in compliance with Australian TGA standards
• Packaging using 100% recyclable glass bottles and PCR (post-consumer recycled) plastic caps
• CoA (Certificate of Analysis) and MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) issued in English for each product

Launched as the "Botanica Pure × Japan Ferment" line at organic cosmetics select shops and online in Melbourne and Sydney, the initial 2,000 sets sold out within 4 months, establishing a solid position in Australia's natural cosmetics market.

Key takeaways from this project:

• Vegan formulation expertise is critical: Achieving stability and sensory quality while completely eliminating animal-derived ingredients requires selecting an OEM manufacturer with specialized knowledge
• Efficiency of simultaneous 3-product development: Developing all 3 products with the same OEM manufacturer enabled bulk sourcing of shared ingredients and ensured brand consistency
• Eco-packaging matters: In the Australian market, not only product quality but also environmental consideration in packaging is a decisive purchase factor

Botanica Pure is preparing a second lot of 5,000 sets. A haircare line (shampoo and treatment) is also in development, with expansion to the New Zealand market under consideration.