Ecologyst x Living Ink Technologies
Living Ink Technologies is known for their leadership in creating carbon negative pigments for bio-based printing inks. By partnering with the incredible team [at Living Ink], we’ve created a series of printed Ecologyst products using their Algae Ink™ offerings. To learn more about their process, we had the opportunity to speak with Devon Murrie on their team who shares about the innovative approach of creating scalable, climate positive solutions that challenge the current
industry.
ECOLOGYST: What is Living Ink, and what applications are best suited to the various offerings?
DEVON MURRIE: Living Ink is a waste valorization innovator on a mission to make black materials ‘greener’. Instead of petroleum-based carbon black, we create Algae Black™, a carbon-negative pigment made from renewable algae biomass waste. This pigment forms the color foundation for Algae Ink™, our line of bio-based printing inks.
Algae Ink is designed for a range of applications:
● Screen printing inks for apparel like t-shirts, sweatshirts, and accessories.
● Offset and UV offset inks for coated/uncoated paper stock, booklets, cartons, and hangtags.
● Flexographic inks for corrugated and carton packaging.
Our pigment has also been used in dyeing applications, denim coating, coatings, and plastics, making it a versatile drop-in alternative to fossil-based carbon black.
E: Why did you choose to focus on algae?
DM: Our co-founders, Scott and Steve, met while studying algae for biofuels during their PhDs. They saw two opportunities:
● Replace carbon black: a pigment with a massive fossil fuel footprint and regulatory
concerns.
● Solve waste challenges: algae farms often struggle with excess biomass after extracting food supplements and natural colorants. By turning leftover algae into a pigment, we not only displace petroleum but also lock away carbon in a safe, stable form for hundreds of years.
E: What is bio-mass waste, and how did you identify that this was a perfect source
material?
DM: The biomass waste we use is a green powder left after algae farms extract proteins and natural colorants. Instead of sending it to landfills (where it would emit methane and other greenhouse gases) we intercept it and transform it into Algae Black™ pigment.
We’re also exploring other renewable waste streams like spent yeast and grain from breweries, building toward a portfolio of pigments from multiple biomass sources.
E: How long did it take you to develop the perfect formulation for screen printing
applications?
DM: We’ve been working with partners for nearly 7 years but the ink formulation that Ecologyst uses is one of our newer products. We launched our Premium Screen Algae Ink in late 2023. It delivers jet black prints with excellent washfastness, soft hand-feel, and no need for additional hardeners or additives.
E: Compared to more harmful and potentially toxic chemical inputs with traditional screen printing options, how do you compare the carbon impact or reduction in chemical inputs to your algae-based solution?
DM: We commissioned a third-party Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) on our pigment production process compared to conventional carbon black. The findings showed a:
● 200% CO2-eq reduction
● 98% water savings
● 100% petroleum feedstock reduction
That carbon-negative pigment is then blended into our water-based screen printing ink
formulations, creating Algae Ink™ which is certified to meet global sustainability standards like OEKO-TEX® ECO PASSPORT and ZDHC compliance.
E: When a t-shirt made from organic cotton has seen its natural end of life, what can be done with the item that has been printed with Algae Ink?
DM: Algae Ink™ does not interfere with end-of-life textile pathways. A cotton shirt printed with our ink can still be mechanically recycled into fibers, down-cycled into rags or insulation, composted in industrial settings or your backyard (the ink’s pigment particles remain inert and carbon-negative, not toxic).
The ink and pigment itself is designed to lock carbon away for hundreds of years but it doesn’t introduce harmful chemicals that would block safe disposal or recycling.
E: Where does your source material come from predominantly, and where does processing occur?
DM: Our algae feedstock comes from southern California algae farms that grow algae for nutrition and natural food colors. Once those industries extract their valuable compounds, we use the leftover biomass (green powder).
Pigment production and finished ink processing occurs in Berthoud, Colorado, where we are headquartered and have scaled our proprietary process.
DM: The biggest takeaway is that even the smallest material choices, like the pigment in ink, can drive meaningful impact. By choosing Algae Black™ and Algae Ink™, brands reduce reliance on fossil fuels, prevent waste from landfills, and lock away carbon all while meeting performance and design needs. There’s significant untapped potential in algae and other waste stream sources, and every project that adopts next-generation materials helps prove their power for system-level change.
