Founded by marine scientist Jessica Giannotti, SeaDyes aims to revolutionize the textile industry with eco-friendly dyes derived from seaweed, addressing serious pollution issues.
SeaDyes, a company founded in 2023 by marine scientist Jessica Giannotti, is making strides in developing natural, seaweed-derived dyes as an eco-friendly solution to the prevalent issue of pollution caused by petroleum-based synthetic dyes in the textile industry. The initiative seeks to address the environmental impact of textile dyeing, which currently contributes approximately 3 percent of global CO? emissions and is a significant source of wastewater pollution. Projections indicate that by 2025, the textile industry’s contribution to global CO? emissions could rise to 10 percent.
Synthetic dyes, which are estimated to leak around 140,000 tonnes into the environment each year, present numerous environmental and health risks, including toxicity and carcinogenicity. SeaDyes aims to provide a viable, environmentally conscious alternative, thereby reducing both chemical waste and carbon emissions while simultaneously bolstering Scotland’s burgeoning bioeconomy.
In a recent press release, Giannotti stated, “The urgent need for alternatives and our unique position at the intersection of marine science, sustainable aquaculture and the fashion industry inspired us to explore sustainable material solutions from the ocean.” She further emphasized that nature-based solutions like those offered by SeaDyes could facilitate the detoxification of the fashion and textile industries, decreasing their reliance on fossil fuels. Giannotti expressed optimism that these industries could, in return, foster science-led innovation, promote blue growth, and create job opportunities.
As part of its strategic development, SeaDyes has joined the James Hutton Institute, where it will be able to leverage advanced research and innovation resources. This partnership is poised to accelerate the trajectory of SeaDyes’ technology development and commercialization. A recent funding boost of £75,000 is earmarked to aid the scaling efforts, bringing market-ready products closer to fruition and positioning SeaDyes as a leader in sustainable textile solutions.
Reflecting on this transformative step, Giannotti remarked, “Becoming a spin-in at the James Hutton Institute is a transformative step for SeaDyes. We can now treat seaweed as a crop and our dyes as a natural product, and have the capacity, skills and space to refine our technology, develop a market-fit product and scale.” She noted that the alignment of the institute’s research excellence and commitment to sustainability with SeaDyes’ vision presents a promising pathway toward delivering planet-friendly solutions.
Source: Noah Wire Services
