Vollebak Black Algae T-Shirt

Black Algae T-Shirt / Source: Vollebak

AfricaAlgaeAlgae InkAsiaCelluloseCottonEuropeHempLinenLyocellNorth AmericaOceaniaSouth AmericaTextiles

6 MINUTE READ

Sophie Benson

WHAT WE SAY:

The black t-shirt. It’s a staple and you probably have one hanging in your wardrobe right now. But black t-shirts – and black ink, tyres, phones, cars, and much more – have a dark side behind their colour: they’re dyed with the help of fossil fuels.

Carbon black is a pigment made from the likes of coal, tar, and oil, and 8.1 million tons of the stuff is produced every year, emitting millions of tons of CO2. Apparel start-up Vollebak went in search of a new way to dye things black, and found it in algae. Its Black Algae T-Shirt was both a commercial experiment and an educational campaign, and there was no guarantee it would pay off. But with more algae products in the works, it looks like the brand is onto something.

KEY FACTS:

UK-based startup Vollebak, founded in 2016, uses “science and technology to make the future of clothing happen faster.”
In 2021 it worked with US biomaterials company Living Ink to create a black t-shirt using Algae Ink.
The ink is made using a new carbon black alternative called Algae Black, which is made by heating and purifying the waste leftover from producing spirulina supplements. The algae waste product is sourced from Earthrise Nutritionals in California, US, where it is grown in large ponds, feeding on sunlight, CO2, water, and nutrients.
Algae are found in all types of water and are known to grow incredibly quickly, sequestering carbon efficiently as they do, and producing 30-50% of all oxygen as they photosynthesise.
At the time of creation, an algae dye didn't exist, so Vollebak printed the outside of its t-shirt with Algae Ink. This results in a finish that is more of a dark grey marl than a pure black due to the untreated, beige fabric it is printed on.
The t-shirt is made from a blend of 70% Lyocell and 30% Linen. The fabric is made in Germany and Italy, and the t-shirt is constructed in Portugal using recycled Cotton thread.
The natural fibres used to make the garment mean that, according to the brand, the t-shirt will biodegrade in soil in approximately 12 weeks. And because the algae pigment is created without oxygen, the carbon will remain absorbed in the ink and be stored within the soil.
Living Ink uses an acrylic binder, however, and this will not biodegrade, which calls into question whether the t-shirt should in fact be buried in soil.
While the ink is UV-resistant, Vollebak states it may brighten around the edges and the seams. This is due to the ink sitting on the surface of the t-shirt rather than chemically binding to it as a dye would.
In 2022, the brand launched further algae products, made from Hemp fabric. The range consists of a t-shirt, sweatpants, and a hoodie.

Hemp and Black Algae T-Shirt and Algae Ink / Source: Vollebak

Hemp fibres combined with Algae Ink / Source: Vollebak

DIVE DEEPER:

UK-based apparel company Vollebak specialises in using and developing innovative, science-based garments. It created the world’s first Solar Charged Jacket, which stores and emits light; the 100 Year Sweatpants, which are designed to repel water, wind, and fire; and a Carbon Fibre T-Shirt.
The brand’s use of Algae Ink was part of its attempt to find a new black which could offset the use of carbon black, which is harmful to both people and the planet.
At GBP 85 (USD 95), it is a high price for a fashion staple, but at the lower end of Vollebak’s price range, which reaches GBP 995 (USD 1,115) due to the emerging fabrics and tech innovation encompassed within its clothes.
Despite the high price point, the t-shirt sold out and customers must join a waiting list to get advance access to the next edition.
The second version of the t-shirt, plus the other matching pieces, replaces the blend of lyocell and linen with hemp and organic cotton. And while the original version had to be hand washed, the updated collection can be machine washed at 40 degrees.
The new t-shirt retails at GBP 85 (USD 95), and the hoodie and sweatpants are GBP 275 (USD 308). The brand states that it is making progress "by heading backwards a few thousand years to when our ancestors were making clothes from grass, tree bark, animal skins and plants."
Vollebak uses FSC and PEFC-certified sources for its Cellulose fibres, and the brand has an ongoing Garbage collection, including a sweater made from old bulletproof vests and firefighter suits, and a watch made from upcycled e-waste.
Other materials the brand uses include pomegranate peels, raw selvedge denim, Merino Wool, cashmere, and recycled textile waste.
It has won numerous awards including WIRED Gear of the Year 2019 for its Deep Sleep Cocoon and TIME's Best Inventions for its Solar Charged Jacket.
By 2021, Vollebak had raised USD 10 million in outside funding. A Series A funding round garnered participation from Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia and Headspace CFO Sean Brecker. The company doesn't disclose revenue or sales figures other than saying "the graph is going up and to the right."

"Today we’re trying to get back to using nature to make clothes that require as little energy as possible and leave almost no trace of their existence at the end of their lives."

Vollebak

Key Design Considerations:

Making the technology affordable

Vollebak is positioned as a premium brand, therefore its algae t-shirt has a relatively high price. However, as Algae Ink is a drop-in replacement, consider whether you could use it for products at a more accessible price point to scale demand.

Be cautious about promoting biodegradability

Vollebak marketed its t-shirt as being biodegradable, however the acrylic binder within the ink won’t biodegrade. Living Ink is working on plant-based alternatives, but until then it’s best to err on the side of caution so as not to cause environmental pollution and consumer confusion. Better messaging would focus on long-term use and the offering of repair services for t-shirts subjected to wear and tear.

Setting expectations

As an ink, Algae Ink is comparable to carbon black-based inks, however it cannot bind like a dye, leading to the possibility of brightening. Vollebak communicated this as a unique feature of a new innovation – can you change expectations in a similar way?

Maximise use

Algae Ink can also be used to print packaging and other non-textile products, allowing you to reduce your reliance on carbon black across a whole range of applications.

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Vollebak Black Algae T-Shirt

WHAT WE SAY:

The black t-shirt. It’s a staple and you probably have one hanging in your wardrobe right now. But black t-shirts – and black ink, tyres, phones, cars, and much more – have a dark side behind their colour: they’re dyed with the help of fossil fuels.

KEY FACTS:

DIVE DEEPER:

UK-based apparel company Vollebak specialises in using and developing innovative, science-based garments. It created the world’s first Solar Charged Jacket, which stores and emits light; the 100 Year Sweatpants, which are designed to repel water, wind, and fire; and a Carbon Fibre T-Shirt.

The brand’s use of Algae Ink was part of its attempt to find a new black which could offset the use of carbon black, which is harmful to both people and the planet.

At GBP 85 (USD 95), it is a high price for a fashion staple, but at the lower end of Vollebak’s price range, which reaches GBP 995 (USD 1,115) due to the emerging fabrics and tech innovation encompassed within its clothes.

Despite the high price point, the t-shirt sold out and customers must join a waiting list to get advance access to the next edition.

The second version of the t-shirt, plus the other matching pieces, replaces the blend of lyocell and linen with hemp and organic cotton. And while the original version had to be hand washed, the updated collection can be machine washed at 40 degrees.

The new t-shirt retails at GBP 85 (USD 95), and the hoodie and sweatpants are GBP 275 (USD 308). The brand states that it is making progress "by heading backwards a few thousand years to when our ancestors were making clothes from grass, tree bark, animal skins and plants."

Vollebak uses FSC and PEFC-certified sources for its Cellulose fibres, and the brand has an ongoing Garbage collection, including a sweater made from old bulletproof vests and firefighter suits, and a watch made from upcycled e-waste.

Other materials the brand uses include pomegranate peels, raw selvedge denim, Merino Wool, cashmere, and recycled textile waste.

It has won numerous awards including WIRED Gear of the Year 2019 for its Deep Sleep Cocoon and TIME's Best Inventions for its Solar Charged Jacket.