Biopigments for a Cleaner Textile Industry

The Challenge

The textile industry is one of the most polluting industries in the world, responsible for about 20% of global drinking water contamination. Much of this impact comes from the intensive use of synthetic dyes, especially azo dyes, which are highly toxic and difficult to degrade.

BioDyes emerges as a response to this urgent need for ecological transition, developing natural pigments obtained through metabolic processes in bacteria and fungi.

What We Propose

Biotechnological production of biopigments from microorganisms

Application in sustainable, continuous and discontinuous dyeing and printing processes

Encapsulation and stabilization of pigments to increase color strength, solidity, and reproducibility

Industrial scaling (TRL 7) to ensure large scale applicability

Main Objectives

Develop sustainable biopigments based on the CMYK system (cyan, magenta, yellow and black)

Ensure high light fastness and resistance to washing

Significantly reduce contaminated effluents and CO₂ emissions

Create validated industrial prototypes on different textile substrates

Promote the green and circular transition of the European textile industry

Project duration:

January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2027

Funded by:

COMPETE2030/FEDER

Operation code:

COMPETE2030-FEDER-01480900