1. Material innovation: hydrophilic molecular structure and intelligent expansion principle
Yancheng Oukai Sponge Products Co., Ltd., as a core supplier of highly absorbent Strong Absorbency Expands with Water Makeup Sponge Face Washing Sponge in China, has always focused on the research and development and application of polymer material technology since its establishment in 2009. The company is located in Dafeng City, Jiangsu Province, covers an area of 10,000 square meters, and relies on a convenient transportation network (40 kilometers from Yancheng Airport and 30 kilometers from Dafeng Port), and its products have covered more than 40 countries around the world.
In the field of material science, the company has successfully developed a sponge structure with "intelligent expansion" characteristics through the composite technology of natural latex and polyurethane. Its core principle lies in the precise design of three-dimensional mesh molecular chains:
Dynamic pore size adjustment: In the dry state, the sponge pore size density reaches 150-200 PPI (pores per inch), and the molecular chain expands after contact with water, the pore size expands to 50-80 PPI, and the volume expansion rate can reach 300%-500%. This feature enables the sponge to achieve "high concealer" and "deep cleansing" functions in dry and wet states respectively.
Nano-level surface treatment: Through laser polishing technology, the surface roughness (Ra value) of the sponge is controlled in the range of 0.8-1.2μm, and the pH value is stabilized at 5.5-6.0, avoiding the damage of the stratum corneum caused by friction of traditional cleansing tools.
Breakthrough in environmentally friendly materials: In 2022, the company's R&D team launched a degradable sponge based on PLA (polylactic acid), which reduces production energy consumption by 65% compared with traditional PU materials and obtains EU REACH certification.
Market verification and results:
Yancheng Oukai's "Foamstar" international trademark product line has launched 23 smart sponges for different skin types. According to data from a third-party testing agency, its flagship product "AquaCell Pro" has a single water absorption rate of 18 times its own weight (the industry average is 12 times), helping the brand achieve a 47% increase in overseas market revenue in 2023, especially in Japan and Germany, where the high-end personal care channel market share has exceeded 15%.
2. Functional revolution: beauty care revolution brought by dual-mode switching
Yancheng Oukai relies on the development experience of more than 3,000 sponge products to transform water-expanding technology into multi-scenario solutions, redefining the consumer care process:
Dry application: precise beauty tools
Improved concealing effect: The dense structure of the compressed sponge can absorb excess foundation liquid, and the concealing power is increased by 42% through "point pressure" makeup application (compared with traditional beauty eggs);
Oil absorption innovation: The "OilGuard" series developed for oily skin has a bamboo charcoal fiber layer embedded on the surface, which can absorb excess facial oil up to 0.3mL/cm² in a dry state.
Wet application: intelligent cleaning system
Revolution in makeup removal efficiency: After expansion, the surface area of the sponge increases to 2.8 times, and with the company's patented "VortexFlow" groove design, the makeup residue removal rate can reach 98.7% (laboratory data);
Nutrient penetration: When saturated with water, the sponge becomes a carrier of active ingredients. For example, the "Hyaluron Pro" series is equipped with sustained-release microcapsule technology, which can release hyaluronic acid for 6 hours continuously, increasing the skin's moisture content by 31%.
User value quantification:
According to the company's follow-up survey of 12,000 consumers, after using the dual-modal sponge:
The average daily care time is shortened from 28 minutes to 16 minutes;
The amount of skin care products is saved by 23% (because the sponge improves the utilization rate of ingredients);
The incidence of red blood streaks for sensitive skin users is reduced by 19%.
Global layout:
Yancheng Oukai's products have passed international certifications such as FDA and ISO 22716, and provide ODM services for brands such as Germany's BeautyStar and South Korea's LunaCosme. In 2023, the "SmartSorb" series jointly developed by the company and a French luxury beauty brand uses embedded pH sensors to achieve real-time skin quality monitoring, becoming a CES 2024 Innovation Award finalist.
3. Industry ecology: sustainable development and consumption upgrade in parallel
Driven by the "dual carbon" goal, Yancheng Oukai Sponge Products Co., Ltd. has integrated the concept of environmental protection throughout the entire industry chain:
Green manufacturing system
Raw material substitution: In 2021, the PLA material production line will be built, and corn starch-based bioplastics will be used to replace 30% of petrochemical raw materials, reducing carbon footprint by 58%;
Process innovation: The supercritical CO₂ foaming technology is used to reduce production wastewater emissions by 72% and increase heat recovery rate to 85%;
Circular economy: The "EcoReturn" plan was launched, and consumers can send old sponges back to the factory, which will be used for sound insulation sponge production after sterilization, achieving 100% material reuse rate.
Intelligent upgrade
The "Smart Sponge Lab" invested and built by the company has obtained 19 patented technologies:
IoT integration: NFC chips are embedded in the "ConnectSorb" series, and users can obtain the number of sponge uses, cleanliness scores and replacement reminders through mobile phone APP;
Data-driven R&D: A database established based on global user feedback can accurately predict regional market trends. For example, the "SandShield" anti-dust sponge developed for the Middle East market has occupied 27% of the market share in the UAE within 3 months of its launch.
Industry influence and vision:
As one of the drafting units of China's "Group Standard for Beauty Tools", Yancheng Oukai is promoting the industry's transformation to "precision care". The company plans to build a zero-carbon factory by 2025 and expand the production capacity of wood pulp sponges (cellulose sponges) to 120 million pieces per year. With the business philosophy of "people-oriented, integrity, and quality", its goal is to become one of the top three smart beauty tool solution providers in the world by 2027.