SAGES to scale food‑waste biodegradable dyes with £190K from the British Design Fund
This article covers SAGES, a London-based materials startup, securing £190,000 from British Design Fund to commercialise a palette of biodegradable dyes made from food waste. The funding is intended to move the company from lab-scale proof-of-concept to pilot production and to build partnerships across fashion, interiors and industrial textiles, supporting manufacturers seeking alternatives to petroleum-derived dyes.
London-based materials startup SAGES has secured £190,000 from British Design Fund to commercialise a palette of biodegradable dyes made from food waste. The funding aims to move the company from lab-scale proof-of-concept to pilot production and partnerships across fashion, interiors and industrial textiles — a test case for whether circular, upcycled colour can replace petroleum-derived dyes in mainstream supply chains.
Who’s behind SAGES
SAGES was founded by Emily Taylor and Alice Simpson, who met while studying at London College of Fashion. The pair set out to replace synthetic, petroleum-based dyes with alternatives that can be integrated into existing dyeing processes.
In the announcement, Emily Taylor, CEO of SAGES, said:
“Synthetic dye is used in everything from clothing to bedding and cosmetics. But this type of dye is highly toxic, carcinogenic and incredibly polluting. “Alice and I worked in the industry for a combined 15 years before founding SAGES and witnessed both the damage synthetic dyes cause and the lack of easily adoptable solutions. The more we researched, the more passionate we became about finding a solution that was sustainable and could also meet the performance requirements of industry. With regulatory changes on the way and consumers pushing for greater traceability, we saw a real opportunity.”
In the announcement, Emily Taylor, CEO of SAGES, said:
“This funding will enable us to scale our impact and bring sustainable colour to industries that urgently need alternatives. We’re proud to be building a solution that’s not only high-performance but also rooted in circularity and environmental responsibility.”
Why it matters
Synthetic textile dyes are widely used but environmentally costly: they are implicated in roughly 20% of global wastewater pollution. SAGES proposes a like‑for‑like replacement that is water‑soluble and biodegradable, formulated from food waste streams and designed to work within existing industrial dyeing setups rather than forcing manufacturers to adopt new processes.
The company’s formulations are derived from food residues such as red and yellow onion skins, coffee grounds, blueberry, red cabbage and avocado. Those extracts have been tested across both cellulose and protein fibres and, according to the company, meet industry standards for UV and wash fastness — key performance metrics for any dye aiming to displace synthetic alternatives.
Early collaborations and technical traction
SAGES has already put its colours through real-world trials. The startup supplied custom colours for designer Patrick McDowell’s London Fashion Week collection, which serves as a designer-led validation of the technology. It has also worked with James Burleigh on countertop surface applications — indicating potential beyond apparel — and run fibre dyeing trials with sustainable textile names Bananatex and Story Mfg, signalling compatibility with novel bio-based and ethical brands.
What the funding will do
The £190,000 from British Design Fund will be used to advance product development, establish pilot-scale production and build strategic partnerships across fashion, interiors and industrial textiles. SAGES says the funding will help it expand its dye palette, refine production systems and deepen relationships with manufacturers and designers as it transitions from lab‑scale innovation to commercial deployment.
In the announcement, Damon Bonser, CEO, British Design Fund, said:
“SAGES is tackling a critical environmental challenge with a solution that’s both scientifically rigorous and commercially viable. The founding team brings deep expertise and a clear vision for scale, and we’re pleased to support their journey as they develop sustainable alternatives for industries in need of change.”
The bigger picture
SAGES sits at the intersection of two growing trends: upcycling of food waste and the search for decarbonising, less toxic inputs across textile and interiors supply chains. As regulators and consumers press for greater traceability and lower environmental impact, material innovations that plug into existing production lines — rather than requiring wholesale process change — may see faster uptake.
For the UK and European startup ecosystem, SAGES’ round is a reminder that investor interest extends beyond end-product consumer brands into the materials layer where environmental impact is often highest. If its pilot‑scale work succeeds, SAGES could offer manufacturers a practical route to reduce wastewater and cut reliance on petroleum-derived colourants.
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