Los Angeles: Biochemicals company Nature Coatings today revealed a new partnership with iconic denim brand Levi's® WellThread® as the first time the brand has adopted BioBlack TX, a 100% bio-based, certified, high-performing and carbon negative black pigment made from wood waste. The pigments make up the prints across Levi's® WellThread® Spring Summer 2023 capsule and highlight Levi's® brand mission for greater circularity across the industry.
Featuring plant-based indigo across all denim, made using 100% organic or 100% transitional cotton, the printed pieces include; ‘Fleur’ jacket, Baggy ‘Dad’- a loose and relaxed fitting pair of jeans, ’Petal’ - a slim denim shirt with denim-covered snaps, 80’s ‘Mom’ shorts and men’s ‘Stay Loose’ chinos.
Whilst the plant-based indigo dyes as well as organic and transitional cotton remain a centrepiece of this season’s WellThread® capsule, the addition of BioBlack TX by Nature Coatings pigment to the WellThread® capsule is another step forward for the Levi’s® WellThread® research and development portfolio.
“Levi’s is a classic and iconic brand known all over the world, and we’re honoured to be working with them. I met the team early on during the pandemic. Over the course of the past few years, we have worked closely together to achieve their aesthetic and technical needs with BioBlack TX for this collection. We could not be more thrilled with the results!”
Jane Palmer, CEO and Founder, Nature Coatings
BioBlack TX by Nature Coatings offers an industry solution after years of development, and is adopted by many global fashion brands as a cost-competitive, seamless alternative to petroleum-derived carbon black.
Headquartered in Los Angeles, California, Nature Coatings is revolutionising the chemical industry by using waste materials to create bio-based and renewable products that benefit both the planet and humanity and driven by a simple yet powerful belief: we can create anything we want without harming the environment, sacrificing performance, or raising costs.
A solution that not only is good for the planet - being naturally free of fossil fuels and locking up more CO2 than it emits - but is also good for people - containing no detected PAHs and carcinogens, BioBlack TX can be used for screen and rotary printing, denim, leather/non leather coatings, packaging and pigment dyeing and more.
In addition, it’s cost-competitive, providing an effortless shift from petroleum-based carbon black for brands and other partners in the supply chain that want to accelerate their transition to more sustainable practices.
Nature Coatings Founder Jane Palmer, a veteran in the pigment and dyes industry explains:
“Working in the pigment and dyes industry for over 15 years, I’ve seen the negative impact it has had on our environment and health. This inspired me to find a way to develop something better, something that is safe enough to be buried in my vegetable garden.Our vision is to create a future where the chemical industry operates in harmony with nature, where renewable resources are the norm, and where every company takes responsibility for its impact.”
Jane Palmer, CEO and Founder, Nature Coatings
From global luxury corporations to independent sustainable brands, the fashion industry is making positive changes by replacing petroleum-based black pigments with BioBlack TX by Nature Coatings across their products offerings and collections.
All Images Credited: Levi's® WellThread® using BioBlack TX by Nature Coatings
Fleur Jacket - £158 - Baggy Dad Jeans - £102 - Petal Shirt - £70 - 80’s Mom Shorts - £70
Stay Loose Chino - £102
ABOUT: BioBlack TX
Black is everywhere, the most classic, timeless achromatic colour, featured as a staple in nearly every modern wardrobe, recent analysis* of more than 183,000 dresses retailing online in the US, found that 38.5% was a shade of black, making it by far the most common colour available and a perennially popular choice.
Carbon black is everywhere. It’s the pigment used to give things a colour black - from the ink in a black pen, to a black phone case, your food packaging, clothing furniture and more**.
Nature Coatings offers the industry a solution as a direct cost-competitive replacement for conventional, toxic petroleum-based carbon black; BioBlack TX, a 100% bio-based, high-performing carbon negative black pigment, derived from wood waste from FSC® certified sources.
Produced through a closed-loop, circular system of manufacturing emitting negligible amounts of CO2, there is no burning of wood waste or chemicals added in the manufacturing process, the only by-product is steam, which is captured and used to power parts of the production facility.
Using pre-consumer industrial wood waste from industries such as the lumber, paper, furniture and flooring, utilising only the leftover parts that can’t be used for other things, including branches and bark to make the BioBlack TX pigment.
BioBlack TX is FSC® (Forest Stewardship Council), USDA (US Department of Agriculture) Biobased and Oeko-Tex ECO PASSPORT certified and is listed on the ZDHC MRSL 3.0 Gateway, with numerous verified third-party lab tests proving BioBlack TX is 100% bio based with no detected PAHS, passing EN 71-3 and much more.
BioBlack TX has the highest light fastness ratings of 8/8 and does not fade or change colour as most other blacks do, creating a long lasting product that can be used alone or alongside other natural and conventional dyes to bring new colours to life.
Solely a colour/pigment, BioBlack TX works with existing equipment and is mixed into standard printing or water-based coating formulas. The recommendation quantities of BioBlack TX are between 5-7% into a clear screen printing paste or coatings formulation. ***For some applications, such as leather/ non leather and denim, more or less BioBlack TX may be required.
BioBlack TX is made in facilities in Georgia, USA using a proprietary process and over the past year with the support of investments and new equipment, production capacity has increased to up to 70 tonnes of BioBlack TX per month.
*Analysis of retail technology firm Edited.
**The way conventional carbon black is made has not changed for over 100 years: it is generated from fossil fuels, making it non-renewable, toxic for people (it contains carcinogens called PAHs) and harmful for the planet (manufacturing produces millions of tons of CO2. 1 ton of pigment = 2.38 tons of CO2).
***It is recommended to undertake a ladder study to determine what exact percentage of BioBlack TX is needed alongside each formula to create the desired colour.
BioBlack TX Verified Impact Claims:
It's bio-based and free of fossil fuels. It’s made with 100% pre-consumer industrial wood waste. No chemicals are added in the manufacturing process.
It's certified
It's traceable. The wood waste comes from FSC® certified forests and reaches the consumer via a fully certified supply chain (chain of custody).
It's carbon negative. The BioBlack TX pigment locks up more CO2 than it emits, removing additional carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and countering greenhouse emissions.* According to preliminary LCA data
It’s safe to touch and wear. There are no detected PAHs or carcinogens in BioBlack TX.
It's renewable. It’s made from renewable sources as opposed to petroleum-based alternatives.
It’s high-performing. BioBlack TX has the highest lightfastness ratings of 8/8, which means it does not fade or change colour as most other blacks do.
It’s made in the USA and produced through a closed-loop, circular system of manufacturing. The only by-product is steam, which is captured and used to power parts of the production facility.
It’s a scaled solution. Our current production capacity is up to 70 tons per month and is loved by brands all over the world - from the Kering Group to Levi’s, Vollebak, Target and WEEKDAY.
Nature Coatings Accolades:
Copenhagen Fashion Summit Pitch Contest Winner 2019
Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator Portfolio Company 2018-2021
Fashion for Good’s Accelerator (2017) & Fashion for Good’s Scaling Program
National Science Foundation STTR Award 2016
About the Levi’s® brand
The Levi’s® brand epitomises classic American style and effortless cool. Since their invention by Levi Strauss & Co. in 1873, Levi’s® jeans have become one of the most recognizable garments of clothing in the world—capturing the imagination and loyalty of people for generations. Today, the Levi’s® brand portfolio continues to evolve through a relentless pioneering and innovative spirit that is unparalleled in the apparel industry. Our range of leading jeanswear and accessories are available in more than 110 countries, allowing individuals around the world to express their personal style. For more information about the Levi’s® brand, its products and stores, please visit levi.com.
About Levi Strauss & Co.
Levi Strauss & Co. is one of the world's largest brand-name apparel companies and a global leader in jeanswear. The company designs and markets jeans, casual wear and related accessories for men, women and children under the Levi's®, Dockers®, Signature by Levi Strauss & Co.™, Denizen® and Beyond Yoga® brands. Its products are sold in more than 110 countries worldwide through a combination of chain retailers, department stores, online sites, and a global footprint of approximately 3,200 brand-dedicated stores and shop-in-shops. Levi Strauss & Co.'s reported 2022 net revenues were $6.2 billion.
For more information, go to http://levistrauss.com, and for company news and announcements go to http://investors.levistrauss.com.
For further information please contact:
Liz Roscoe + 44 (0) 7702 807 048 liz@roscoe360.com