## 1 Introduction  
The necessity of using renewable sources for producing consumer goods is increasing and more and more carbon neutral products are becoming available on the market [1], thus avoiding unbalanced Green House Gases (GHG) emissions, generally associated at the end-of-life management of products (for instance incineration for fossil plastics), that are considered responsible for global warming [2]. Moreover, several renewable materials are biodegradable, and this can offer the additional opportunity of organic recycling by composting or anaerobic digestion for the end-of-life of such products [3]. This can be particularly advantageous in cases where products with a short life (thus generating relevant quantities of waste) are considered. Packaging, personal care, cosmetic and sanitary products are examples of widely diffused items that could be gradually replaced with renewable and biodegradable materials. In addition, many renewable materials also show a high biocompatibility, that could facilitate their use in a wide range of applications associated with contact with body and skin [4]. Biopolymers, in particular polysaccharides such as starch [5], cellulose [6],chitin/chitosan [7] and pullululan [8; 9], are widely investigated because of their high bio-compatibility with human cells. Anti-microbial properties are also highly interesting for such consumer goods [10]. Many molecules and biomaterials from terrestrial or marine environments can be considered to formulate or modify these short-life products, as extensively explained by [PERSON] et al. in their review, specifically dedicated to polysaccharides [11]. [PERSON] et al. [12] recently reviewed the numerous natural molecules from the marine environment showing anti-microbial properties that could be potentially used in cosmeceutical and nutraceutical applications because of their skin depigmentation, UV filters, anti-inflammatory, anti-wrinkle, antiaging, skin hydrating, antiacne, as well as antioxidant and cytoprotective properties. The authors evidenced that plant-derived molecules have some limitations because plants generally grow slowly, and their chemical composition varies from region to region, and from season to season. On the other hand, marine flora and fauna can be grown rapidly in large quantities and are made cost-effective by modern aquaculture techniques. In any case, molecules extracted from several terrestrial plants can be attractive, as evidenced by [PERSON] [13], because they are already widely available and can be found in different plants. An important advantage is that these molecules can often be obtained by agricultural discards or by-products [14]. As reviewed by [PERSON] and [PERSON] [15], the proper encapsulation of such small molecules can be useful to better modulate their properties and for an easier integration of the functional molecules in the final product. Supramolecular chemistry, focused on interaction forces between macromolecules, can be considered the interconnecting element between biobased renewable resources and new materials. In fact, if it is applied to biopolymers [16] or biomolecules, it allows specific interactions with other biopolymers, biomolecules or materials to be harnessed for producing new engineered biobased materials. On the other hand, nanotechnology approaches are also pivotal. In fact, nanotechnology deals with the production and use of materials and systems by controlling matter structural features on the nanometre scale, and it is considered the key technology of the twenty-first century. The ability to exploit the structures, function, processes, complexes and nanosystems of biological molecules to produce novel functional nanostructured biobased materials, highlights the rapidly growing field of bio-nanotechnology, which is a combination between nanotechnology and biotechnology [17]. In attempt to harness the functional potential of bioactive molecules extracted from a biomass, interaction at nanometric levels with specific nanoscaled materials should be promoted.