Published on 26 November 2024
Founded in 2020 by Anne Boermans and Nienke Hoogvliet, Zeefier is a pioneering Dutch startup that transforms seaweed into sustainable and circular textile dyes. By leveraging macroalgae collected from beaches and industry residual flows, Zeefier aims to address one of the textile industry's most pressing challenges: pollution caused by synthetic dyes.
As awareness and acceptance of algae-based solutions grow, we spoke with Bianca Zomer to know more about Zeefier's journey, its impact on the textile industry, and how they’re helping shape the future of algae-based solutions in the industry.
1. Tell us about Zeefier’s origins. What inspired its founding, and how did a fascination with seaweed and colours evolve into sustainable dyes?
During one of her walks on the beach, our Creative Co-founder, Nienke Hoogvliet, picked up seaweed and had an idea: Could seaweed help combat the pollution caused by synthetic textile dyes? Inspired by the natural dyeing techniques used since 600 B.C., Nienke began experimenting.
After 10 years of continuous research and writing Seaweed Research, a book on her findings, global interest in seaweed dyes surged. This led her to co-found Zeefier in 2020 alongside Anne Boermans, our Business Co-founder, who brought a strong business, marketing, and media background. With our Chief Technology Co-owner, Dorien Derksen, a professor specialising in plant-based dyeing, and myself, with a textile and business background, joining in 2022, we have built a female-owned company united by the mission to transform how we dye textiles sustainably.
2. What challenges does Zeefier face in introducing seaweed dyes to the textile industry, and how are you overcoming them?
Our main challenge is the need for full supply chain transparency and securing a commitment to natural dyeing from our customers. This shift is crucial for industry-wide sustainable change. Fortunately, some industry frontrunners have taken significant steps, partnering with us to make this transformation a reality.
Upcoming legislation supporting sustainable practices is also driving a much-needed change in mindset across the industry.
3. How does Zeefier contribute to the circular economy, and what are the environmental advantages of using seaweed-based dyes compared to conventional synthetic dyes, particularly in the textile sector?
We source seaweed from three streams, ensuring maximum circularity and sustainability:
1. Local seaweed farms;
2. Waste streams from the food and cosmetic industry;
3. Waste from the recreational beaches.
Seaweed-based dyes are 100% natural, biodegradable, and non-toxic, offering a stark contrast to synthetic dyes responsible for 20% of global freshwater pollution caused by the textile industry. Unlike other natural dyes, seaweed doesn’t require agricultural land or freshwater to grow, and it grows rapidly – making it ideal for large-scale applications!
4. What innovations are you currently exploring in the field of seaweed dyes, and how do you envision their application in the textile industry?
We consider our industrial natural dye a groundbreaking innovation, designed to seamlessly integrate into existing dyehouse infrastructure with a user-friendly plug-and-play solution. This approach drastically reduces environmental impact, as the dye is biodegradable, non-toxic, and free of synthetic chemicals. Our innovative method aligns with upcoming legislation, offering high-performance properties that meet rigorous industry standards – all thanks to our proprietary formula.
5. Who are Zeefier’s primary customers, and how receptive have they been to adopting natural seaweed dyes?
Our B2B customers include leading fashion and interior brands that share our vision for sustainable transformation, with dyehouses and mills, open and motivated to work with and invest in natural dyes to help shape the future of the textile industry. We carefully select collaborations that align with our mission to drive meaningful change.
6. What key insights have you gathered from customers about your products, highlighting both positive feedback and opportunities for improvement?
Customers are highly enthusiastic about the unique properties of our products, particularly the plug-and-play approach that delivers vibrant, long-lasting colours. However, some have noted our limited colour palette, but we are actively working on expanding it. With access to a diverse range of seaweed species, we can create shades spanning from green to orange, pink, and brown – the possibilities are endless. Excitingly, we have found that the most in-demand colours – browns, beiges, and greys – are already available.
7. In your view, how can Zeefier educate consumers and industry stakeholders about the benefits of seaweed dyes and sustainable practices?
Education is one of our pillars and is very important in creating awareness in both industries: seaweed and textiles. We work together with brands, producers, and academic institutions, and try to write as many articles as possible, have an active social media presence, and engage in interviews like this one. It’s all about raising awareness and driving change.
8. What additional innovations are you exploring in seaweed dyes, and how do you envision their application in the textile industry? Furthermore, what strategies are you implementing to scale operations, expand product offerings, and enhance global sustainability while improving public perception of algae?
Our scaling strategy focuses on forging strong partnerships with forward-thinking players in the textile industry. By replacing synthetic dyes with sustainable seaweed-based solutions, we can make a significant environmental impact while fostering innovation and growth.
Additional information
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