Lac products and their use

1. Lac Dye

• Composition: Mixture of anthraquinone derivatives.
• Color Range: Varies from purple-red to brown and orange, depending on the mordant used.
• Applications:
  • Traditional use for coloring wool and silk.
  • Food and beverage industry as a natural coloring agent.
  • Increasing demand due to the shift towards eco-friendly and safe materials.

2. Lac Wax

• Composition: Mixture of higher alcohols, acids, and esters.
• Applications:
  • Polishes: Used for shoes, floors, and automobiles.
  • Food and Confectionery: Tablet finishing in the pharmaceutical industry.
  • Cosmetics: Lipsticks and crayons.

3. Shellac

• Properties:
  • Natural, non-toxic, and edible resin.
  • Hard, tough, brittle, and amorphous with a pleasant odor.
  • Insoluble in water but soluble in alcohols and organic acids.
  • Thermoplastic with excellent film-forming properties, UV resistance, and good dielectric properties.
  • Approved for use in the food industry.

Applications:

• • Food Industry: Coating for citrus fruits, apples, chocolates, marzipan, and as a binder for food stamp inks.
  • Cosmetics: Binder for mascara, nail varnish additive, hair spray film former.
  • Pharmaceuticals: Enteric coatings for tablets.
  • Other Uses:
    • Photographic and Lithographic Inks: Binder for non-toxic printing.
    • Textiles: Stiffener.
    • Wood Treatment: Primers, polishes, and matt finishes.
    • Electricals: Insulation and lamination.
    • Abrasives: Binder for grinding wheels.
    • Miscellaneous: Used in toys, buttons, artificial leather, and as sealing wax.

4. Bleached Shellac

• Properties: Non-toxic, physiologically harmless, binding, adhesive, hardening, glossy, odorless, fast-drying, and extends shelf life without refrigeration.
• Applications:
  • Paints and Printing Inks: Primer for plastics, aluminum, and flexographic inks.
  • Pharmaceuticals: Coating of pills, tablets, and gel caps.
  • Confectionery: Coating for chocolates, chewing gums, and marzipan.
  • Cosmetics: Hair sprays, shampoos, nail polishes, mascara.
  • Wood Finishing: Filler/sealer for porous surfaces and cracks.
  • Miscellaneous: Used in firework binders, electric lamp cements, insulation materials, grinding wheels, plastics, and rubber additives.

5. Dewaxed Bleached Shellac

• Properties: Harder, brighter shine, completely wax-free.
• Applications:
  • Food and Confectionery: Coating for fruits, vegetables, confectionery, and eggs.
  • Pharmaceuticals: Coating for tablets and capsules.
  • Cosmetics: Used in hair sprays, nail polishes, lipsticks, and fragrance encapsulation.
  • Miscellaneous: Coating in aluminum foil, paper, and cosmetic products.