Fungal chitosan grades for hair care, styling, conditioning and protection.
HEALTH & CARE Domain
Support your next hair care development with natural-origin fungal chitosan ingredients, complementary molecular profiles designed to interact with the hair surface and deliver flexible styling, substantive conditioning and protective film formation.
Hair care formulators are seeking renewable alternatives to conventional styling and conditioning polymers without compromising hold, manageability or sensorial quality.
The challenge is not simply to replace a synthetic ingredient. It is to select a natural-origin polymer with the right molecular profile for the intended performance and to integrate it into modern formulation systems that must simultaneously meet regulatory, certification, and sensorial requirements.
Our ingredients
Flexible styling powered by fungal chitosan.
KitOhair™ Velvet™ is a water-soluble chitosan derived from fungal chitosan. Its amphoteric molecular structure supports interaction with the hair surface and the formation of a smooth, functional film. This film contribute to curl definition and shape retention, providing flexible hold without compromising the natural feel of the hair.
Its water-based format and broad formulation compatibility make KitOhair™ Velvet™ suitable for modern hair styling and selected conditioning formulations.
Recommended applications
Styling gels and creams, curl-defining products, mousses and sprays, flexible-hold formulations, anti-frizz product, leave-in treatments.
Key benefits
Substantive conditioning and protective film formation
Agarea™ is KitOzyme's high molecular weight fungal chitosan for intensive conditioning and protective hair care formulations. At an appropriate formulation pH, its cationic character promotes electrostatic adsorption onto the negatively charged sites on the hair surface. This affinity is particularly relevant for damaged or chemically treated hair, where more negatively charged sites are exposed. Once deposited, Agarea™ forms an substantive, protective around the hair fiber , helping to smooth the hair surface, reduce static and improve manageability. Agarea™ supports conditioning and protection of the hair fibre.
Recommended applications
Conditioners and hair masks, intensive conditioning treatments, colour-care formulations, leave-in conditioners, repair-positioned products, protective hair treatments.
Key benefits
Verified by ECOCERT Greenlife for use in formulations developed according to the COSMOS standard. Exempt from REACH registration requirements.
Fungal chitosan is a functional biopolymer whose behaviour depends on its molecular weight, degree of deacetylation, chemical functionalisation and charge profile.
By controlling these characteristics, KitOzyme develops grades with differentiated film-forming, deposition and sensorial properties.
The controlled succinylation of fungal chitosan introduces carboxylic groups while retaining the polymeric chitosan backbone.
The resulting amphoteric structure supports water solubility, formulation versatility , while promoting interaction with the hair surface.
Upon application, the polymer forms a functional film that helps enhancing styling performance and curl retention while providing flexible hold and maintaining a natural hair feel.
Its cationic character promotes electrostatic attraction and adsorption onto the negatively charged sites present on the hair surface.
Once deposited, polymer forms a temporary cosmetic film that helps condition, smooth and protect the hair fibre. This film-forming effect is a physicochemical in nature and does not imply structural or biological repair of the hair.
For more than 25 years, KitOzyme has pioneered the development and industrial production of fungal chitosan and chitin-glucan ingredients.
Our expertise extends beyond manufacturing. We help partners select and integrate the most relevant molecular profile according to their formulation, application and targeted performance.
About KitOzymePatent-backed technology. Supported by KitOzyme IP portfolio.
Pioneer and leader in fungal biopolymers
Belgian manufacturing expertise
EFSA health claim for fungal chitosan
FDA GRAS status
Novel Food authorization in Europe
ISO 13485 and HACCP certified manufacturing
Application and formulation guidance
Scientific and regulatory support from initial screening to industrial scale-up
Vegan, allergen-free, halal & kosher compatible
Find clear, science-backed answers to common questions about our fungal biopolymers, applications, regulatory compliance, and formulation integration.
All questionsKitOhair™ is KitOzyme’s platform of fungal chitosan ingredients for hair styling, conditioning, and protection. Its two complementary molecular profiles allow formulators to select the most appropriate molecular profile according to the required film formation, styling performance, deposition and sensorial properties.
Yes. KitOhair™ ingredients are derived from fungal sources, non-animal in origin and free from animal by-products at every stage of production. They are compatible with vegan, halal, and kosher formulation requirements. Applicable ECOCERT GREENLIFE and COSMOS documentation is available per grade upon request.
Yes. KitOhair™ ingredients are derived from fungal biomass and contain no animal-derived chitosan. They are therefore compatible with vegan formulation strategies.
Supporting origin, quality and certification documentation is available according to the selected grade.
Yes. KitOzyme’s formulation and scientific teams work alongside hair care formulators to support grade selection, formulation guidance, application protocols, technical documentation, and development from first evaluation to industrial scale-up.
KitOhair™ is KitOzyme’s platform of fungal chitosan ingredients for hair styling, conditioning, and protection. Its complementary molecular profiles allow formulators to select the most appropriate solution depending on the desired film-forming behavior,, styling performance, deposition and sensorial properties.
Through its affinity with the hair surface, fungal chitosan can form a temporary cosmetic film that contributes to conditioning, manageability, styling performance and hair fibre protection, depending on the selected grade and formulation conditions.
Velvet™ is supplied as supplied as a ready-to-use soluble solution that can be incorporated into the aqueous phase oradded during cool-down addition below 40°C. An optimal formulation pH of approximately 5.0-6.0 is recommended. Recommended use levels depend on the application, desired performance and overall formulation system and should therefore be confirmed through formulation testing.
Velvet™ can be considered as as a natural-origin alternative to selected synthetic styling polymers, including PVP and VP/VA copolymers.
Its suitability as a full or partial replacement depends on the targeted hold, curl retention, humidity resistance, sensorial profile and formulation system. Comparative testing in the final formulation is therefore recommended.
KitOzyme can support benchmark selection, use-level optimization and performance evaluation.
Velvet™ is a chitosan derivative, the primary grade for flexible styling, curl definition, and shape retention. It has a natural-origin content of 99% according to ISO 16128 and is designed as a biodegradable alternative to synthetic film formers. Agarea™ is a high molecular weight cationic fungal chitosan, the primary grade for substantive conditioning, protective film formation, and damaged-hair affinity. Together, they provide complementary solutions for styling and intensive hair care applications.
