Patrick McDowell unveils biodegradable couture at Future Fabrics Expo

British designer Patrick McDowell has today unveiled two pieces – a couture printed gown and a "commercially available" shirt dress - created in partnership with Sparxell at the Future Fabrics Expo 2025 in London.

Sparxell is the first company to create 100% plant-based, biodegradable pigments using natural cellulose. It was founded by University of Cambridge scientists, Dr Benjamin Droguet and Professor Silvia Vignolini, and this is the first time its patented tech has been applied to fashion.

McDowell said: "This is about making sustainability tangible. One piece shows what’s possible at the highest level of craft, the other makes that possibility part of everyday life.

"What excites me about Sparxell is how they're advancing what's possible in responsible luxury. Their plant-based pigments and plastic-free sequins are exceptionally vibrant yet completely non-toxic and biodegradable. It opens up entirely new creative possibilities."

By emulating natural colour processes known as photonic colours widely seen in nature, Sparxell’s products deliver rich hues and durable textures with the lowest environmental harm, "allowing brands to create consciously without compromise".

The two pieces designed by Patrick McDowell showcase Sparxell's innovative colour technology across multiple applications.

McDowell’s couture gown features two distinct shades of Sparxell's signature blue - a sophisticated matte finish and a shimmery effect that captures light through structural colour rather than traditional sparkle materials, otherwise derived from synthetic dyed plastics or mined metals and minerals.

The Patrick McDowell collaboration launch at the Future Fabrics Expo 2025, taking place on 24 and 25 June at Magazine London, 11 Ordnance Crescent in South East London, signals a broader industry shift toward forward-thinking practices "that will shape the future of luxury as well as mainstream fashion".