A regenerative textile ink for fashion applications that reduces reliance on synthetic pigment compounds while remediating damaged UK ecosystems.

ColourEarth is a UK fashion SME, with core project-team of Aurélie Fontan (fashion designer/CEO), Meredith Wood (Textile print lecturer and designer/CTO) and Dr Christopher Ferguson (Soil Ecotoxicologist and Phytoremediation Lecturer/CSO).

ColourEarth is helping the fashion industry reduce its use of chemical dye compounds that contribute to 20% of global water pollution. Due to harmful substances, both consumers and overseas textile workers experience widespread cancer, dermatitis, and DNA mutation (Khan et al, 2018).

To solve the unmet need, ColourEarth is developing RegenInk to revolutionise textile printing with a regenerative plant-based solution, yielding both natural dye and fixative while remediating polluted soil. This innovative 2-in-1 ink empowers fashion brands to adopt eco-friendly dyeing practices at scale, fostering environmental sustainability in the industry.

ColourEarth will create 10 new creative jobs within 5-years, including designers, textile artists, sustainable print experts and fashion designers. Its regenerative pigment and ink technology will empower brands across the creative fashion and textile sectors to implement environmentally positive products within their supply chain while attracting more conscious customer bases.

It will attract an estimated £5m in further investment by 2027 and put the UK at the forefront of sustainable dyeing innovation.