Sparxell introduces first plant-based structural colour ink for commercial use
Cambridge-based start-up Sparxell will next month begin selling what it claims is the world's first commercially available, plant-derived structural colour ink for textiles. The launch, produced in partnership with manufacturing specialist Positive Materials, offers fashion brands a dye-free alternative that promises sharp reductions in water, energy and chemical inputs.
The initial release, Sparxell's signature blue, will be offered in matte and shimmer finishes and can be ordered in kilogram quantities from the end of June 2025. Printing will be handled by Positive Materials, which is preparing an all-over printed cotton jersey for European distribution in September. Additional colours are scheduled to follow later in the year.
Unlike conventional pigments, Sparxell's colour is generated by engineering plant-based cellulose at the microscale, mimicking the light-scattering structures found in Morpho butterfly wings. The process eliminates synthetic dyes, mined minerals and petroleum-based plastics while meeting industry durability standards, according to the company.
'For too long, the textile industry had no choice other than to accept that vibrant colours meant environmental damage,' said Sparxell chief executive Dr Benjamin Droguet. 'Our bio-inspired technology shatters that assumption, delivering exceptional results from plant-based cellulose.'
Positive Materials co-chief executive Elsa Parente added that the partnership lets designers 'order the most sustainable colourant options as easily as conventional alternatives, but with the added benefit of 100 per cent biodegradable pigments free from toxic chemicals.'
Industry demand for lower-impact colouration is rising as regulators and investors focus on pollution. The sector employs more than 10,000 chemicals and releases an estimated 1.5 million tonnes of dyes each year, accounting for roughly 2 per cent of global greenhouse-gas emissions. Sparxell, which recently secured a 1.9 million euro grant from the European Innovation Council and joined LVMH's La Maison des Startups accelerator, is positioning its technology as a scalable response to those pressures.
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