ChangeNOW awards showcase Sparxell’s adaptation to natural colour
Sparxell, the University of Cambridge spin-out which has developed the world’s first 100 per cent plant-based colourant, has been recognised at the prestigious ChangeNOW Summit.
Sparxell was named a ChangeNOW Change100 winner for 2025, and was also awarded the jury’s ‘Coups de Cœur’ for fashion innovation, highlighting its game-changing potential to transform the industry with natural, biodegradable colour technology.
The recognition highlights growing demand for sustainable colour alternatives that eliminate harmful chemicals while maintaining premium quality. Sparxell says it achieves this because “our pigments utilise the physical structure that gives birds and butterflies their magnificent colours”.
The University spinout was founded in 2022 by Dr Benjamin Droguet, who was part of Professor Silvia Vignolini’s group at the Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry. The company’s mission is to develop sustainable, low-carbon alternatives which replicate existing coloured materials but use plant-based cellulose.
The company has stripped out materials which can’t be sourced sustainably. These include mica, a natural stone mineral that contains small, shiny flakes that glitter, most frequently mined –often illegally – in India. Also titania, the scientific name for titanium dioxide, which is a white pigment primarily used to create bright, opaque white colours and to enhance the vibrancy of other colours.
Meanwhile, Titania is a likely human carcinogen and is banned by the EU but permitted by the US Food and Drug Administration and the UK’s Food Standards Agency (FSA). It is mined in China, Australia, South Africa, Mozambique, and Canada.
Sparxell uses no mica in its pigments, “meaning no child labour”. The company adds: “No titania means that human health is not put at risk. No dye equals less pollution and better for the planet. In fact, our pigments are entirely biodegradable from sourcing till end-of-life.”
Sparxell, which is based on Sturton Street, has secured funding, including a $3.2million seed round, and received the Ray of Hope Prize from the Biomimicry Institute in 2022.
The ChangeNOW Change100 lists the top sustainability startups to watch. The recognition comes as Sparxell continues to build commercial traction in the fashion and cosmetics industries. The firm has also established strategic partnerships with luxury brands under LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE (LVMH), and La Maison des Startups LVMH.
The announcement was made at the ChangeNOW Summit in Paris on Friday (25 April).
Sparxell recently secured a €1.9m grant from the European Innovation Council, adding to investments from the L’Oréal-backed Circular Innovation Fund and Innovate UK.
Dr Droguet said: “Being selected as a Change100 winner and receiving the jury’s ‘Coups de Cœur’ fashion recognition validates our mission to revolutionise how industries approach colour.
“This comes at a pivotal moment as we scale our technology to transform how the entire fashion industry approaches colour. Through this innovation, we’re not just creating sustainable products – we’re helping shape a world where beautiful, high-performance materials work in harmony with nature, rather than against it.”
