The problem

The fashion industry represents 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions annually. Over half of these emissions come during the processing stage, where dyeing and performance treatments are added. This is due to the copious amounts of water—anywhere between 90 and 150 litres per kg of fabric—needed to dye and treat fabric, not to mention the numerous toxic chemicals that are directly related to chronic respiratory disease.

On an annual basis, new EU regulations being formed are forcing fashion brands to overhaul their production processes and supply chains to meet their 2030 sustainability goals.

Although innovative, sustainable dyes and treatments help reduce water and toxic chemicals during the processing stage, they cause a detrimental drop in the textile's ‘‘colour fastness’ (resistance to colour fading from sunlight). 

Moreover, the struggle to maintain colour fastness poses a significant barrier to innovation and revenue within the industry. Fashion brands are constrained by the need to adhere to strict regulations, while endeavouring to meet consumer demands for vibrant, long-lasting clothing. The inability to reconcile these competing priorities stifles progress and perpetuates a cycle of environmental and economic inefficiency.

The solution

Soarce has a bold vision to create materials designed at the intersection between nature and performance, addressing challenges like durability and colour fastness. They are principally doing this through development of a proprietary chemistry known as Searamic. 

Searamic stands out for its exceptional attributes, including industrial-grade oxidation protection, TiO2-free optical brightener, and modifiable surface finishes. It also offers unparalleled UV and IR shielding/reflecting capabilities, effectively blocking up to 97-98.5% of UVA/UVB radiation, resulting in superior colour fastness protection.

By incorporating a seaweed-extract colour-retention additive, Soarce revolutionises colour durability by significantly mitigating fading, even under prolonged exposure to sunlight. This breakthrough empowers fashion brands to expand their colour palettes, embracing a wider spectrum of hues that were previously constrained by susceptibility to fading, all achieved without resorting to harmful processes or chemicals.

All this is rooted in sustainability, which is reflected in the composition of their chemistry being derived from nanoceramics and seaweed cellulose. This ensures that their solution is not only environmentally friendly but also chemically clean, delivering exceptional performance without compromising on ecological integrity.

Why we’re excited to invest

Olivia Brooks, investor at Blue Action Accelerator, says: “As a keen advocate of leather alternatives, I’m very excited to announce our investment into Soarce. Soarce’s approach to combining seaweed and nanomaterials presents an exciting opportunity in the material science industry to create a high-performing, sustainable alternative to leather. The results showing Soarce's material as flame resistant, UV shielding, and antimicrobial position them well for widespread adoption across many industries.  The founding team are incredibly dynamic and their skills in the material science and nanomaterial processing space definitely make them the right people to tackle this!”