Colour is everywhere — in textiles, cosmetics, packaging, and consumer products — yet most modern pigments rely on petrochemicals, mined minerals, and energy-intensive processes that generate pollution and carbon emissions. As brands and regulators push for more sustainable supply chains, the colour industry faces a fundamental challenge: how to produce vibrant, high-performance colour without harming the environment. Sparxell, the world’s first 100% plant-based, high-performance, biodegradable colour platform, aims to address this issue by developing plant-based pigments inspired by structural colour found in nature. We spoke with Dr. Benjamin Droguet, Founder and CEO of Sparxell, about their structural colour technology, early industry adoption, and future growth.
Sparxell is often described as “reinventing colour.” What does that mean in practical terms?
For over a century, colour has been produced mainly through chemistry — synthetic dyes, mined minerals, and petrochemical processes. These methods are effective, but they come with significant environmental and health costs.
At Sparxell, we took a completely different approach. Instead of using chemicals to absorb light, we use structure to reflect it. Nature already does this beautifully — think of butterfly wings or peacock feathers. By engineering plant-based cellulose crystals, we recreate those natural optical structures to generate colour without toxic substances.
So when we say we’re reinventing colour, we mean rebuilding it from first principles — working with physics and biology rather than harmful chemistry.
Which industries are adopting your sustainable colour technology fastest?
Fashion and cosmetics are currently leading adoption because they face intense pressure to eliminate microplastics and hazardous chemicals. Textile dyeing alone releases enormous quantities of pollutants into waterways every year, so brands are actively searching for alternatives.
But what’s exciting is how universal colour is. Our technology applies equally to packaging, paints, food applications, automotive coatings, and even decorative materials. Because our pigments are biodegradable and compatible with existing manufacturing processes, companies can transition without redesigning entire supply chains.
We’re seeing strong interest from global brands that want sustainability solutions without sacrificing performance or aesthetics.
What enabled Sparxell’s rapid move from research to commercialisation?
Two things: scientific maturity and industry collaboration.
Our research originated at the University of Cambridge, where years of fundamental work on cellulose nanocrystals gave us a solid technological foundation. From day one, we also worked closely with industrial partners through pilot projects. That allowed us to validate performance early and understand real manufacturing constraints.
We’ve now completed dozens of funded pilot programmes with major brands, and the focus has shifted toward scaling production. The goal is no longer proving the concept — it’s delivering at industrial scale.
How is SWEN CP supporting Sparxell’s growth and future plans?
The support from SWEN Capital Partners, through SWEN Blue Ocean 2, is a major milestone for us. Their investment goes beyond financing — they bring a long-term vision aligned with environmental transformation and industrial scalability.
This partnership helps us transition from pilot production to full commercial manufacturing, with tonne-scale capacity planned as early as 2026. That’s a critical step because real impact only happens when sustainable technologies reach mass adoption.
Looking ahead, our ambition is to become a global platform for sustainable colour. We want industries to stop choosing between performance and sustainability. With bio-inspired structural colour, we believe the future is one where materials work in harmony with nature — and where colour itself becomes part of the circular economy.
SWEN Blue Ocean 2 is reserved for professional investors and involves, in particular, a risk of capital loss and illiquidity.