Patrick McDowell Is Embracing Sparxell’s Bio Colour Tech

Sustainable fashion is having a serious glow-up – and Patrick McDowell is leading the charge. The British designer just teamed up with colour-tech innovators Sparxell to debut the fashion world’s first garments using plant-based pigments that are as eye-popping as they are eco-friendly.

Forget synthetic dyes and microplastic-filled sequins – McDowell’s latest couture gown and shirt dress are all about cutting-edge colour with a conscience. Unveiled at the Future Fabrics Expo 2025 in London, the pieces mark the first time a fashion brand has used Sparxell’s planet-friendly tech in real-life designs.

MORE: How fashion is embracing digital in the face of disaster

DISCOVER: Can Fashion apps help you become more sustainable?

So, what exactly is Sparxell? Founded by Dr Benjamin Droguet and Professor Silvia Vignolini at the University of Cambridge, the colour platform uses plant-based cellulose to create biodegradable pigments, sequins, foils and inks. The result? Eye-catching, high-performance colour that’s 100% non-toxic, plastic-free and still gives serious shine.

“This is about making sustainability tangible,” said McDowell, who’s known for blending luxury with a strong sense of environmental responsibility. “One piece shows what’s possible at the highest level of craft, the other makes that possibility part of everyday life.”

Think vibrant couture without the chemical waste. Think sequins that shimmer without sticking around in landfill for 500 years. This is luxury fashion that’s not only dazzling but deeply thoughtful.

MORE: New Startup To Revolutionise Fashion Recycling

DISCOVER: The reason that strawberry dress went viral

“What excites me about Sparxell is how they’re advancing what’s possible in responsible luxury,” McDowell added. “Their plant-based pigments and plastic-free sequins are exceptionally vibrant yet completely non-toxic and biodegradable. It opens up entirely new creative possibilities.”

And those possibilities are getting noticed. The collection’s debut at the Future Fabrics Expo 2025 turned heads not just for its design, but for the innovation powering it. Sparxell’s approach draws inspiration from nature itself, tapping into the kind of shimmer you’d find on butterfly wings and beetle shells – only this time, it’s made with plants, not plastic.

MORE: Best Fashion Tech Instagram Accounts To Follow In 2025

DISCOVER: Zalando Is Using AI To Predict Future Fashion Trends

McDowell’s two new pieces serve up a stylish split: a statement couture gown for maximum drama, and a shirt dress you could actually wear to the office (or brunch, or a gallery opening). Both are proof that bio-colour tech isn’t just science fiction – it’s happening now, and it looks good.

In an industry where sustainability can still feel like an afterthought, this collab shows what’s possible when fashion meets future-forward tech. Colour us impressed.