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India remains the dominant global exporter of shellac, accounting for the vast majority of international shipments, while the United States, Germany, and the Netherlands are the largest importers. Shellac prices have remained relatively stable amid steady demand from coatings, food glazing, and pharmaceutical applications. Export volumes from India have held steady over the past three years, with minor growth in shipments to the EU and North America, reflecting consistent global supply chains and resilient end-use demand.
Shellac is a natural, amber-to-brown, brittle resinous solid at room temperature, typically supplied in flake or button form; it softens above 50 °C and melts between 70–75 °C, with no defined boiling point due to thermal decomposition. It is a complex mixture of esterified aliphatic and alicyclic hydroxy acids—primarily aleuritic acid—and sesquiterpenic acids, classified as a natural biopolymeric resin. Shellac is widely used as a protective coating and film-former in food glazing (e.g., confectionery and pharmaceutical tablets), wood finishing, and printing inks. It also serves in specialty applications such as electrical insulation, lithographic plates, and as a binder in cosmetics and art supplies. Its solubility in alkaline aqueous solutions and alcohols enables formulation into varnishes, sealants, and controlled-release matrices.
Chiefly in lacquers and varnishes; also in manufacture of buttons, grinding wheels, sealing wax, cements, inks, phonograph records, paper; for stiffening hats; in electrical machines; coating confections and medicinal tablets; finishing leather.
solid
This chemical is included in Fine Chemicals - Cosmetics Raw Materials. See more about what is Shellac and Shellac SDS information.
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