SEPAWA Berlin

When planning your visit, knowing the SEPAWA Berlin dates and opening hours is essential for scheduling meetings with R&D directors, regulatory affairs managers, and senior product developers in the European surfactants, detergents, cosmetics, and fragrances industry.

Professional buyers in this industry evaluate more than individual ingredients. Regulatory documentation, biodegradability data, environmental footprint assessments, supply chain security at scale, formulation compatibility, and the ability to demonstrate robust scientific evidence all influence procurement and partnership decisions. SEPAWA CONGRESS Berlin provides a professional environment for exploring developments across surfactants, detergents, cleaning products, cosmetics, personal care, fragrances, and sustainable formulation technologies.

Why Visit SEPAWA Berlin?

For professional visitors, SEPAWA Berlin offers a concentrated setting to compare chemical specialties, discover emerging innovations, evaluate suppliers, and follow developments across the European surfactants, detergents, cosmetics, and fragrances industry within one event. The event brings together developers and marketers of bio-based, biodegradable surfactants, specialists in performance testing and regulatory compliance, providers of advanced formulation technologies, and brands with strong scientific narratives with R&D directors, regulatory affairs managers, and senior product developers from multinational and niche companies.

Visitors can compare product ranges, evaluate suppliers, identify formulation partnerships, examine regulatory documentation, and follow developments in sustainability, green chemistry, and circular economy. SEPAWA is the pivotal European nexus for the science, regulation, and market application of surfactants, detergents, cosmetics, and fragrances, combining a high-level scientific congress with an exhibition.

The next edition will take place from 14 to 16 October 2026 at the Estrel Congress Center Berlin in Berlin, Germany, with visitor opening hours from 08:30 to 18:00 on Wednesday and Thursday and from 08:30 to 13:00 on Friday. The 2026 edition features the new Innovation Zone, showcasing groundbreaking developments in Home Care and Personal Care. The separate SEPAWA After Event takes place at Arena Berlin on 15 October and requires its own ticket.

Source: SEPAWA Official Website — SEPAWA CONGRESS – European Scientific and Industrial Platform for Surfactants, Detergents, Cosmetics and Fragrances

Exhibition Background & Industry Context

SEPAWA CONGRESS Berlin brings together professionals from the detergents, cleaning products, cosmetics, personal care and fragrance industries through a combination of specialist presentations, scientific conferences, exhibitions and networking. The SEPAWA CONGRESS combines its exhibition and industry networking programme with specialist scientific conferences, including the European Detergents Conference organised by the German Chemical Society’s Division of Detergent Chemistry and the Cosmetic Science Conference presented with the German Society for Scientific and Applied Cosmetics.

These programmes connect industrial product development with academic research, formulation science and emerging developments in detergents, cleaning products and cosmetics. Hosted in Berlin, a hub for regulatory bodies and environmental policy, SEPAWA operates at the intersection of German engineering precision and the European Union’s global regulatory influence.

The event attracts R&D directors, regulatory affairs managers, and senior product developers from multinationals and ambitious niche players who are de-risking their innovation pipelines against the world’s most demanding safety, biodegradability, and environmental standards.

The 2026 European Detergents Conference focuses on synergistic effects in amphiphilic systems, including surfactant interactions, self-organisation and structure–property relationships relevant to detergent and formulation development. Key topics for 2026 include bio-based and biodegradable surfactants, sustainability and circular economy, green chemistry and life-cycle assessment data, performance testing and regulatory compliance, advanced formulation technologies (concentrated doses, cold-water efficacy), and sustainable packaging solutions.

The 2026 edition introduces the Innovation Zone for the first time, spotlighting selected innovations in home care and personal care, showcasing new developments in detergents, cleaning products, cosmetics, fragrance-related applications and formulation technologies. SEPAWA e.V. is the largest European professional association for the cosmetics, detergents/cleansers and perfume industries, with over 1,700 members including sections, serving as a communication platform for experts from industry, universities and government agencies.

Is This Trade Fair Right for You?

Relevance depends on your role within the surfactants, detergents, cosmetics, and fragrances value chain and whether your objectives involve sourcing ingredients, identifying formulation partners, evaluating regulatory compliance, or understanding market trends in the European chemical specialties industry.

Ideal For

• R&D directors, regulatory affairs managers, and senior product developers from multinational and niche companies
• Detergent chemists, cosmetic scientists, formulation specialists, and perfumers
• Developers and marketers of bio-based, biodegradable, or circular economy surfactants and ingredients with robust life-cycle assessment data
• Specialists in performance testing, regulatory compliance, and certification services for home care and personal care industries
• Providers of advanced formulation technologies (concentrated doses, cold-water efficacy) and sustainable packaging solutions
• Brands with a strong scientific narrative capable of engaging in peer-level discussions on toxicology, environmental fate, and clinical efficacy
• Researchers, universities, and academic institutions
• Media, associations, and investors monitoring innovation across the surfactants and cosmetics sector

These professionals can assess product ranges, compare technical capabilities, examine regulatory documentation, and evaluate sustainability credentials, supply chain security, and long-term partnership potential.

May Be Less Relevant For

SEPAWA may be less relevant for suppliers of generic, non-differentiated bulk chemicals without a clear value proposition on sustainability, traceability, or regulatory support. Companies offering purely marketing-driven “green” claims without the scientific substantiation required to pass scrutiny from European regulatory experts may find the professional audience’s expectations challenging.

Professional suppliers should be prepared to discuss sustainability credentials, regulatory documentation, performance data, supply chain security at scale, formulation compatibility, and robust scientific evidence.

Industries & Business Areas Represented

• Surfactants & Formulation Chemistry — bio-based and conventional surfactants, amphiphilic systems, emulsifiers, solubilisers, foaming agents, wetting agents and surfactant interactions in home care and personal care applications
• Home Care & Cleaning Products — laundry detergents, fabric care, household cleaners, dishwashing formulations, surface cleaning products and cleaning-performance technologies
• Personal Care & Cosmetic Science — skincare, haircare, cleansing products, cosmetic active ingredients, formulation systems, product stability and personal care innovation
• Cosmetic Ingredients & Active Materials — emollients, moisturising ingredients, emulsifiers, preservatives, rheology modifiers, botanical extracts and active ingredients for skincare and haircare formulations
• Fragrance & Perfumery — fragrance ingredients, perfume compositions, essential oils, scent development, fragrance evaluation and applications across cosmetics, personal care and home care products
• Regulatory & Compliance — regulatory documentation, REACH-related requirements, biodegradability data, product safety information and environmental footprint assessments
• Testing & Certification — product performance, safety, stability and efficacy testing
• Sustainable Packaging — packaging solutions compatible with chemical products
• Scientific Research & Innovation — European Detergents Conference, Cosmetic Science Conference, Forum for Innovation, technical presentations, research posters, young researcher initiatives and industry innovation awards
• Innovation Zone — selected innovations in home care and personal care, showcasing new developments in detergents, cleaning products, cosmetics, fragrance-related applications and formulation technologies

These business areas are connected by the commercial and operational requirements of the surfactants, detergents, cosmetics, and fragrances sector, where regulatory compliance, sustainability credentials, and scientific evidence are as important as individual products.

Products & Solutions You Can Explore

Product and solution areas presented by the organiser include:

• Surfactants, emulsifiers and formulation ingredients for laundry detergents, household cleaners, cosmetics and personal care products
• Cosmetic active ingredients and skincare and haircare formulations
• Fragrance ingredients, essential oils and perfumery technologies
• Bio-based materials, biodegradable ingredients and sustainable product concepts
• Product performance, safety, stability and environmental testing
• Regulatory documentation and sustainability assessment services
• Innovations in home care and personal care
• Scientific presentations, research posters, the European Detergents Conference, the Cosmetic Science Conference and the Innovation Zone

Business Opportunities

• Source bio-based and sustainable surfactants and ingredients for home care and personal care formulations
• Present advanced formulation technologies to R&D directors and product developers evaluating performance and sustainability
• Connect with regulatory affairs managers and compliance specialists exploring regulatory documentation, biodegradability data, and environmental footprint assessments
• Identify partnership opportunities with performance testing, certification, and regulatory consulting providers
• Evaluate competing approaches to green chemistry, circular economy, and sustainable packaging
• Monitor regulatory and sustainability discussions affecting EU regulations and compliance requirements
• Explore scientific and technical collaboration opportunities through direct engagement with researchers and academic institutions
• Understand regulatory and compliance requirements through direct engagement with industry experts
• Network with ingredient suppliers, formulation specialists, and industry professionals

How to Prepare for a Productive Visit

Before attending SEPAWA Berlin, careful planning can significantly improve the value of your visit:

• Define your strategic priorities: Identify whether your focus is on surfactants, detergents, cosmetics, fragrances, sustainability, or regulatory compliance.
• Prepare questions about sustainability and regulatory compliance: For potential partners, ask about bio-based content, biodegradability data, REACH-related requirements, product safety information, environmental footprint assessments, supply chain security at scale, and formulation compatibility.
• For ingredient suppliers: Lead with a performance-backed sustainability story. Present data showing your bio-based ingredient matches or exceeds the efficacy of its petrochemical counterpart, and provide a complete environmental footprint.
• For R&D and regulatory audiences: Dive deep into mechanistic studies, compatibility data, and regulatory pathways. Provide comprehensive regulatory documentation.
• For marketing and brand managers: Translate science into compelling, compliant consumer benefits such as documented environmental performance, clinically proven mildness, or plastic-free formulation.
• For new ingredients: Demonstrate supply chain security and consistent quality at scale. Show partnerships with reliable, large-scale producers or a clear, funded scale-up plan.
• For international companies: Participation can support technical credibility by creating opportunities to discuss formulation performance, regulatory documentation and sustainability claims with experienced European industry professionals.
• Divide the exhibitor landscape by your priorities: Before the event, group exhibitors by key areas — surfactants, detergents, cosmetics, fragrances, regulatory services — to structure your visit efficiently. The fair takes place from 14 to 16 October 2026 at the Estrel Congress Center Berlin.
• Review the scientific programme: Check the European Detergents Conference and Cosmetic Science Conference schedules for technical and regulatory insights.
• Visit the Innovation Zone: The new Innovation Zone spotlights groundbreaking developments in Home Care and Personal Care.
• Plan meetings with potential partners: The event provides an opportunity to coordinate with suppliers, researchers, and industry professionals in one location.

Review the organiser’s current exhibitor directory and group relevant companies by business objective, product area, or hall location before planning meetings.

Exhibitor Perspective

Exhibitors at SEPAWA range from international manufacturers of surfactants, detergents, cosmetics, and fragrance ingredients to performance testing and regulatory compliance specialists, advanced formulation technology providers, and certification services. Visitors evaluating potential partners should look beyond individual products to understand sustainability credentials, regulatory documentation, scientific evidence, supply chain security, and long-term partnership viability.

The event’s focus on scientific credibility, regulatory compliance, and B2B networking provides additional engagement opportunities for visitors and exhibitors. The 2026 edition features the new Innovation Zone, the SEPAWA Innovation Awards, the European Detergents Conference, the Cosmetic Science Conference, and the German Award for Young Perfumers.

Planning to exhibit rather than visit? Explore the SEPAWA Berlin Strategic Exhibitor Guide.

Continue Your Research

Research companies participating in the exhibition — explore the SEPAWA Berlin Exhibitor List to identify surfactant manufacturers, detergent and cleaning-product specialists, cosmetic ingredient suppliers, fragrance companies, formulation technology providers and testing or regulatory service partners before your visit.

When comparing surfactants and cosmetics events, use our guide to choose the right trade fair in Germany for your strategic sourcing or partnership priorities.

Understanding how German and European chemical specialties buyers evaluate suppliers can help you prepare more focused conversations during product exhibitions.

For companies using German trade fairs as part of a wider international strategy, explore how international branding in Germany can strengthen credibility, regulatory recognition, and long‑term market presence beyond the exhibition.

Companies considering participation can use this checklist to prepare for a German surfactants and cosmetics exhibition, including regulatory documentation, sustainability evidence, and structured follow‑up.

At SEPAWA Berlin, a productive visit depends on evaluating sustainability credentials, regulatory compliance, scientific evidence, and strategic fit across the surfactants, detergents, cosmetics, and fragrances ecosystem.