Pangaia Lab brings bio-based dying technology to clothing for first time

Pangaia Lab has announced the launch of its latest collection, introducing biology-based dying technology to its apparel for the first time.

Powered by Colorifix, the capsule collection includes two limited-edition Pangaia tracksuits dyed with blue and pink naturally occurring pigments.

To achieve this, Colorifix uses DNA sequence data to find the genetic code of each naturally occurring pigment. Through synthetic biology, the technology builds and inserts the DNA code into a microbe that can be used to produce the pigment and transfer the colour onto fabric.

The technology turns natural pigments into colourful industrial dyes, without petrochemicals and hazardous substances often found in conventional dyeing.

Compared to the conventional dyeing of cotton, the Colorifix technology reduces water consumption by at least 49%, electricity by 35% and CO2 emissions by 31%.

The Pangaia Lab x Colorifix range will be the second capsule to emerge from Pagaia Lab. This new platform aims to focus on identifying and supporting groundbreaking innovations in materials science, with the goal of discovering and trialing lab-tested firsts.

Dr. Amanda Parkes, Pangaia Chief Innovation Officer, said: “Pangaia is committed to using the most advanced technologies which work to augment natural processes. Colorifix’s cutting edge approach manifests the true potential of biotechnology to bring positive change to the fashion industry. Harnessing the power of microorganisms to create natural dye is only the beginning of how biofabrication can fundamentally transform manufacturing.”