Engineering yeast to revive, scale and innovate nature’s chemistry
Textile brands and manufacturers are under growing pressure as international regulations such as REACH, the EU Green Deal, and CSRD increasingly restrict the use of synthetic dyes, forcing reformulation, supply chain changes, and compliance risks.
At the same time, consumer expectations are shifting. Up to 50% of consumers are willing to pay more for clothing dyed with bio-based colors, creating both a challenge and a clear market opportunity for brands that can offer sustainable alternatives without compromising on performance or design.
More than over 7.5% of global cropland would be needed to replace synthetic dye production. In addition pigment content varies with climate and season, leading to batch-to-batch inconsistency, while large-scale cultivation or wild harvesting risks deforestation and biodiversity loss.
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Approximately 100 liter of water is needed to color 1 kg of textile
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20% of toxic synthetic dyes are released in nature during dyeing process
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Synthetic dye production and dye fixation require the use of many heavy metals (copper, iron, led, cadmium, nickel and chromium)
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Supported by the best.
Yeast, a small yet powerful organism, has fuelled industries for centuries. But today, with the urgent need for sustainable production, yeast is stepping into a new role, not just as a tool for brewing and baking, but as a living micro-factory for producing color.
Novya Biotech uses a cutting-edge platform that allows us to rapidly engineer yeast accelerating the development of customised yeast strains. By reprogramming yeast, we can produce vibrant, high-quality color compounds through fermentation, replacing polluting petrochemical dyes and resource intensive plant extraction. This approach allows color to be made responsibly, at scale, and with the consistency modern industries require. Unlocking a new generation of sustainable pigments inspired by nature.
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Decouples dye production from land use constraints, pesticide/herbicide use, seasonal fluctuations, and the inherently low yields of plants.
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Beyond replicating natural dyes, biosynthetic pathways can be optimized and recombined for improved performance.
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The approach enables the creation of novel, non-natural colorants with customized properties.
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