C16 Biosciences

Palm oil — the world’s most popular vegetable oil — is a key ingredient in many soaps and shampoos, foods, and household cleaners. Unfor­tu­nately, widespread destruction of tropical forests to make way for oil palm plantations is a major contributor to carbon emissions and biodi­ver­sity loss. Through its Palmless brand, C16 has engineered an oil-producing strain of yeast to make a palm oil alternative called torula oil. The company’s first product, Save the F#$%ing Rainforest Nourishing Oil, is a skin-hydrating mix made with torula oil.