Abstract
Emerging microbial colourants offer potential for more sustainable textile coloration, yet their integration into design and industrial production remains limited by the absence of systems that support their use. While existing biotechnology research has focused on colourant production and environmental performance, less attention has been given to how these materials can be applied within textile workflows. This paper demonstrates how microbial colour can be integrated into textile design through the development of reproducible protocols and a structured colour system. Drawing on practice-led doctoral research conducted in collaboration with the biotechnology company Colorifix, textile printing is used as a method to generate and organise knowledge of colour behaviour. Through systematic print testing, controlled colour mixing, and iterative design application, relationships between colourant, formulation, and process are defined and made reproducible. The resulting Colorifix Microbial Colour System (CMCS) translates microbial colour behaviour into a functional system linking perceptual colour selection to technical production data. Organised through compatibility, mixing relationships, and reproducible conditions, the system supports colour selection, combination, and application within textile design and manufacturing. The research demonstrates that the integration of bio-based colour technologies depends not only on material innovation, but on the development of systems that structure and stabilise material behaviour. It positions textile practice as a means of translating emerging materials into usable forms for industrial application.
Keywords
Microbial Colourants; Textile Printing; Colour Systems; Bio-based Textile processes
DOI
10.21606/TI-2026.121
Citation
Lloyd, R., Taylor, A., Ajioka, J.,and Collet, C.(2026) Developing an Industrial Microbial Colour System through Textile Printing, in Jane Scott, Sophie Skach, and Rebecca Stewart (eds.), Textile Intersections 2026, 17-18 September 2026, London, United Kingdom. https://doi.org/10.21606/TI-2026.121
Conference Track
researchpapers
Included in
Developing an Industrial Microbial Colour System through Textile Printing
Emerging microbial colourants offer potential for more sustainable textile coloration, yet their integration into design and industrial production remains limited by the absence of systems that support their use. While existing biotechnology research has focused on colourant production and environmental performance, less attention has been given to how these materials can be applied within textile workflows. This paper demonstrates how microbial colour can be integrated into textile design through the development of reproducible protocols and a structured colour system. Drawing on practice-led doctoral research conducted in collaboration with the biotechnology company Colorifix, textile printing is used as a method to generate and organise knowledge of colour behaviour. Through systematic print testing, controlled colour mixing, and iterative design application, relationships between colourant, formulation, and process are defined and made reproducible. The resulting Colorifix Microbial Colour System (CMCS) translates microbial colour behaviour into a functional system linking perceptual colour selection to technical production data. Organised through compatibility, mixing relationships, and reproducible conditions, the system supports colour selection, combination, and application within textile design and manufacturing. The research demonstrates that the integration of bio-based colour technologies depends not only on material innovation, but on the development of systems that structure and stabilise material behaviour. It positions textile practice as a means of translating emerging materials into usable forms for industrial application.