The ELUCENT project has delivered the world’s first plastic-free, toxin-free, and fully biodegradable reflective pigment, marking a breakthrough in sustainable colour innovation. Funded by Innovate UK, the 18-month collaboration brought together three partners: Sparxell, the University of Cambridge spin-out advancing cellulose-based bioinspired colour technology; PANGAIA, the global materials science company pioneering fashion applications; and the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC), a leading UK research organisation.
By combining Sparxell’s patented cellulose-based colour platform, PANGAIA’s expertise in textile application, and the MTC’s industrial scaling capabilities, the project has successfully transitioned bio-based pigments from laboratory research to industrial readiness. Unlike conventional pigments, Sparxell’s innovation uses cellulose — the world’s most abundant biopolymer — to create vibrant, biodegradable, plastic-free and toxin-free pigments inspired by natural colour systems.
As design partner, PANGAIA collaborated with Orto Print Studio in London to test the pigments on textiles, producing fabric prototypes that demonstrated durability and real-world application. The MTC ensured scalability, developing custom production systems to validate industrial-level performance.
This achievement reflects PANGAIA’s commitment to enabling next-generation material innovations that reduce the environmental footprint of fashion and design. For Sparxell, founded in 2023 by Dr. Benjamin Droguet and Professor Silvia Vignolini, this milestone validates the transition from university research to a commercially viable platform. The company has already demonstrated improvements in pigment formulation, dispersion, and film casting, with a commercial launch expected in 2026.
The successful completion of ELUCENT marks a pivotal moment for sustainable colour technology, proving how science, engineering, and design can collaborate to create scalable, circular, and biodegradable alternatives to synthetic pigments.
