A UK biotech startup is converting waste bread into a high-performance cosmetic oil, offering the beauty industry a credible alternative to palm oil. CleanOil 25 has already received regulatory approval in the UK, EU, and US, and was co-developed with major industry partners THG Labs and Croda. The technology, rooted in a decade of university research, cuts greenhouse gas emissions by over 95% compared to conventional agricultural oils.

Palm oil's ubiquity masks an environmental catastrophe. Present in half of all supermarket items, palm oil represents two-fifths of all...