10056134Performance Certifications: Microbial Colouration & Finishing for TextilesClosedGrant for R&DInnovate UKDespite the fact that colours make up 80% of the buying decision for consumers, more than 99% of the colourants employed in the textile industry are still derived from fossil fuels, not to mention the hazardous chemicals, carcinogens & heavy metals that may be involved in the industrial synthetic dyeing process. **Our Innovation** We know colours are important, so we would like to turn to microbes in nature for help. By employing microorganisms that naturally produce colouring compounds like b-carotene, violacein, astaxanthin, etc., we can alleviate the environmental burden of the colouration industry by reducing water consumption, fossil fuel reliance and effluent pollution. Microbial colours also have enormous advantages over natural plant-based pigments, e.g. rapid growth in low-cost medium, relatively easy to process, independent of weather conditions, relatively low-maintenance and high efficiency.