BioColour – Bio-based Dyes and Pigments for Colour Palette

Sustainable bio- and circular economy calls for alternatives for the one-sided production and consumption culture based on mass markets. The aim of the Bio-based Dyes and Pigments for Colour Palette (BioColour) project is to initiate a significant renewal of current coloration principles and consumer preferences to include a wider adaptation of sustainability in businesses and consumer lifestyles. To achieve this, a multidisciplinary team of experts will combine fundamental studies of new biocolorant production methods, structure – property relationship, toxicology and dye-substrate interactions with scale-up, co-creation and investigation of cultural, social and ethical aspects associated with producing and using biocolourants. The gained fundamental understanding and novel results will enable the buildup of novel processes, leading to a variety of sustainable products and gaining the societal acceptance needed for successful implementation. Due to the inherent properties of many biocolorants, like UV-resistance, antimicrobial and antioxidant, water resistance and electrical conductivity, multifunctional products are possible. The BioColour project helps generating a new high-class sustainable biocolour business and advancing existing business opportunities in Finland. The BioColour consortium is multidisciplinary, representing expertise of agriculture, applied plant science, chemistry, biosciences, toxicology, material science and technology, design research, information and communications technology, data science and consumer studies, combining outstanding scientists from the University of Helsinki, University of Eastern Finland, Aalto University, Häme University of Applied Sciences, Luke Natural Resources Institute Finland, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd, North Carolina State University, USA and University of Campinas, Brazil.

Sustainable bio- and circular economy calls for alternatives for the one-sided production and consumption culture based on mass markets. The aim of the Bio-based Dyes and Pigments for Colour Palette (BioColour) project is to develop new methods of biocolourant production, characterization and application, which enable the buildup of novel processes leading to a variety of sustainable items. Also, the BioColour project aspires to establish the cultural, social and ethical aspects associated with producing and consuming biocolourants and enhance wider adaption of sustainability in businesses and consumer lifestyles. BioColour project helps generating new high-class sustainable biocolour business and advancing existing business opportunities in Finland. The BioColour consortium is multidisciplinary representing scientists from the University of Helsinki, University of Eastern Finland, Aalto University, Häme University of Applied Sciences, Luke Natural Resources Institute Finland, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd, North Carolina State University, USA and University of Campinas, Brazil.