Crocs is widely known for turning footwear into a canvas of self-expression through its array of colorways and iconic Jibbitz™ charms. And now, the packaging that carries those charms is making a statement of its own through its use of Algae Ink.

Since August 2023, every Crocs Jibbitz charm box has featured Living Ink’s Algae Ink™ as part of its packaging process, with roughly 3.2 million boxes printed to date.

This builds on Crocs’ earlier algae-powered packaging shift. Since 2023, select Crocs retail bags have featured Algae Ink printing, marking the brand’s first commercial use of bio-based pigment in packaging. The packaging partnership was made possible through the printing expertise of EcoEnclose, a fellow Colorado company.

Algae Ink as Black Component in CMYK Process

In a first-of-its-kind commercial application, this box partnership uses Algae Ink as the black component in full CMYK process artwork. This demonstrates that brands can integrate Algae Ink’s innovative, black material without compromising design fidelity or visual impact.

“Packaging plays a critical role in the customer experience—and is one of the most overlooked opportunities to drive climate impact and tell a brand’s sustainability story,” says Scott Fulbright, CEO and co-founder of Living Ink Technologies.

“This partnership with Crocs demonstrates that scalable, sustainable solutions can be seamlessly integrated without sacrificing quality. We’re inspired by Crocs’ ‘progress over perfection’ mindset as they adopt our black Algae Ink within standard CMYK printing. At Living Ink, we’re on a mission to replace carbon black across many industries—and these consumer-facing packaging projects are just the beginning,” Fulbright adds.

The initiative aligns with Crocs’ broader sustainability goals to tread more lightly and create a more comfortable world. In 2024, Crocs reduced the carbon footprint of its classic clog by 10% by incorporating bio-circular content into its Croslite™ compounds.

The company’s updated materials now include 25% bio-circular content—sourced from repurposed plant-based waste and certified by ISCC PLUS.

“When EcoEnclose brought the opportunity to partner with Living Ink on this project, I was ecstatic. The idea of being the first brand to incorporate black Algae Ink using a 4–color process was very exciting. As you can see by the palette of colors that our Classic Clog comes in, color and personalization shines brightly within our brand,” says Amber Bochmann, senior retail operations manager for Crocs.