Dye From Plants

Plant Instead of Petroleum-Based Pigments For Aluminum

Designers and founders Odin Visser and Charles Gateau of Dutch design studio Loop Loop has developed a method to color aluminum using plant-based pigments instead of traditional petroleum-based dyes. They have created four bio-based pigments that can be applied to aluminum through anodizing.

Four dyes have been developed so far: a warm purple derived from dyer’s alkanet flowers, a mustard yellow created with dyer’s rocket flowers, a deep pink made using madder root and a bright gold produced with red onion. Through the anodizing process, the designers claim the outcome is identical to industrial pigmenting. Dyeing is also customizable with pressed plant patterns.

The two designers aim to make the process more accessible in small scale as it is largely used only in mass production. With their mobile Magic Colour Machine station anyone will be able to apply colours to aluminum anywhere. Having the intention in making their dye and mobile station open source, Visser and Gateau’s vision is for other designers and creatives to share in developing outcomes for circular products and service systems. Currently the dye is used for more structural aluminums but it has a potential for customizable aluminum packaging.

Product Name: Plant-Based Aluminum Dye
Manufacturer: Loop Loop
Project Status: Concept // Prototype // Market Ready // Series Production Ready

Source: dezeen
Image Source: Loop Loop