There is a tremendous emphasis on sustainability in virtually every industry, and the ink industry is no exception. Along those lines, one of the most fascinating developments I’ve come across over the years was the work being done by Living Ink with its algae-based inks and pigments.

Living Ink continues to grow, as its sustainability story is clear. Scott Fulbright, Living Ink Technologies CEO and co-founder, says that the last few years have been exciting and transformative for Living Ink Technologies.

“Since 2023, we’ve closed successful funding rounds, welcomed new strategic partners, and significantly expanded both our team and product lines,” says Fulbright. “We were honored to be selected as part of AB InBev’s prestigious Accelerator100 program, which recognizes startups advancing sustainable innovation at scale.”

Living Ink’s team has grown to include new leadership across research and partnerships.

For example, Living Ink added Tom Van Kuren, a decades-long veteran of the paints, inks, and coatings industry, as its director of R&D. They also added Devon Murrie as director of partnerships.

“Devon bridges the gap between brand needs and raw material innovation—having worked on both sides of the supply chain—and has helped strengthen our collaborations with brands, printers, and distributors alike,” Fulbright says.

On the product front, Living Ink has introduced new ink formulations for both packaging and apparel, and expanded its global converter network to support growing commercial demand.

“Living Ink is now reaching customers through new distribution partnerships in China, Hong Kong, and Vietnam, significantly expanding our international footprint,” observes Fulbright. “We’ve expanded our carbon-negative pigment platform beyond printing into cosmetics, leather coatings, denim, and paint. Trek Bikes released a limited-edition bike painted with Algae Black™, and UK-based beauty brand UNSEEN launched mascara and eyeliner featuring our pigment. On Earth Day 2024, Golden Goose unveiled an all-black algae-pigmented shoe, and this summer at Kingpins New York, we’ll debut our denim collaboration with AGI Denim.

“These cross-industry applications showcase the potential of replacing petroleum-based colorants in new categories—and often circle back to print,” he adds. “For example, denim projects will feature Algae Ink hang tags, and footwear brands can use our ink on tissue paper and water-activated tape. This creates a cohesive material story for brands and a deeper impact across their marketing and ESG efforts.”

Newest Advances from Living Ink

To meet the increasing demand for its environmentally friendly products, Living Ink is continuing to develop new inks, including its Premium Screen Algae Ink and Offset Algae Ink.

“One of our proudest achievements has been the development of our high-performance

Premium Screen Algae Ink—an all-in-one, water-based formulation containing our algae-derived carbon-negative pigment, along with a built-in hardener and retarder for superior

textile performance,” Fulbright notes.

“We’re also introducing a new high tack Offset Algae Ink designed specifically for CMYK process printing. This formulation allows for seamless substitution of black in 4-color print jobs, unlocking a broader range of applications for brands seeking sustainability without compromising their existing artwork or equipment.”

Living Ink in the Market

Consumers can see some of the products printed with Algae Ink. Fulbright reports thatLiving Ink’s products appear in packaging on the market, with some of the world’s most recognizable brands.

“Nike recently released a shoebox for their ISPA footwear collection printed entirely with our Flexographic Algae Ink,” Fulbright notes. “The corrugated box featured hand-drawn illustrations of algae species and a QR code linking to a video about Living Ink, creating a bold and immersive example of sustainable storytelling.

“Similarly, Bedrock Sandals has used Algae Ink across its footwear packaging system for

years—from the boxes their sandals ship into the paper mailers used in their take-back

program,” he adds, “These collaborations highlight how brands can bring their environmental values to life through packaging that informs, engages, and reduces reliance on petroleum-based inks.”

Other leading commercial brands are also following suit, using Algae Ink for their packaging.

“We’re grateful to regularly be approached by brands that are proactively seeking

low-impact material solutions,” says Fulbright. “In the past two years, we’ve launched commercial partnerships with brands such as Kathmandu, Patagonia, and Stella McCartney, who have incorporated our Algae Ink in screen-printed textile collections across multiple seasons—including pieces that debuted on the runway at Paris Fashion Week. We have also launched footwear inks with Nike x Billie Eilish.”

Living Ink isn’t just in boxes; hang tag production has also grown significantly.

“Our Offset Algae Ink has been used in hang tags for Patagonia, GANNI, Quicksilver and New Balance,” Fulbright observes. “In fact, all New Balance hang tags are now printed with Algae Ink—including a custom Pantone grey we developed in collaboration with their design team.

“Beyond hang tags, our inks have been used for packaging by Smartwool, Coach, and Outerknown,” he notes. “Several brands that adopted the seaweed polybag from our friends at Sway in 2024 have also incorporated Algae Ink, including Florence Marine X, Alex Crane, Faherty, and prAna. As interest in both blue economy solutions and waste-to-value innovation continues to grow, we’ve seen algae-based materials resonate deeply with brands that care about climate impact, ocean health, and responsible design.”

Possible Partnerships

Not surprisingly, Living Ink has had plenty of offers from ink companies looking to partner with them. Fulbright notes that interest has grown steadily.

“We are evaluating where it strategically makes sense to partner with these groups versus continuing our own development and production of the Algae Ink product line,” he adds.

“While many of our collaborations are still under NDA, we’re currently in conversations with several global leaders in pigments and ink production,” Fulbright continues. “We’ve signed a joint development agreement with one such group and will be excited to publicly announce our offering with them in the coming months.”

What’s Next for Living Ink

With the latest financing rounds in place, Fulbright reports that this funding will accelerate Living Ink’s ability to vertically integrate and scale production.

“We’re investing in capabilities to use a wide variety of raw biomass feedstock and have production onsite at Living Ink,” says Fulbright. “These additions will support the development of Algae Black™ as well as introducing new biomass waste stream inputs—most notably brewery waste like spent yeast and grain—allowing us to further reduce cost and environmental impact.

“Our work with AB InBev has been instrumental in this area,” adds Fulbright. “Based in Colorado, it feels natural to be repurposing brewery waste from our own backyard into high-performance pigments.”

So far, Living Ink has primarily focused on black inks, but research continues on colors.

“While black remains our core focus—and demand continues to be strong—we’re actively researching and testing color solutions using nature-based pigments,” says Fulbright. “In partnership with New Balance, we have launched a grey panton ink for packaging.”

Interestingly, Living Ink is looking to work with CMYK printers, where Algae Ink can be used as the black ink.

“In the meantime, we are introducing a high-tack soy ink Offset Algae Ink™ for CMYK printing, enabling customers to replace the black channel with Algae Ink while maintaining compatibility with soy-based cyan, magenta, and yellow inks,” adds Fulbright.

“This approach supports brands looking to reduce their carbon footprint without overhauling their multicolor artwork or production setup. A small group of early adopter publication printers is currently piloting this product, with a full commercial launch anticipated later this summer. Interested parties are encouraged to reach out for samples.”

Above all, Fulbright says  that Living Ink has proven that sustainability doesn’t have to come at a premium.

“Although we have plans to continue to drive cost down significantly, many of our projects are now hitting price parity, thanks to ongoing technical improvements and our deepening vertical integration,” he says.

“For brands focused on low-impact design, we provide a drop-in alternative to petroleum-based colorants that meets both environmental and performance standards,” Fulbright adds. “Also, much of our success has come from working well with converters. EcoEnclose was our first partner, and they remain our most strategic partner in terms of storytelling and using our products. They are leaders in sustainable innovation and proven early adopters of sustainable materials like ours.

“We have partnered with other converters such as Nexgen Packaging, Trimco and several others,” Fulbright notes. “Our goal for the next 12 months is to grow partnerships with converters to execute more projects so that our technology can have an impact on the consumer and environment.

“Wherever carbon black pigment is used today, we see an opportunity for Algae Black to take its place,” Fulbright concludes. “Our goal is simple: to bring planet-friendly pigments to every corner of the colorant industry—from packaging and apparel to paint, cosmetics, print, and beyond. We’re proud of the progress we’ve made—and even more excited about what’s next.”