Sparxell’s plant-based colour technology featured in Netflix documentary The Plastic Detox

The Plastic Detox, a documentary premiering on Netflix on 16 March, examines the potential health effects associated with exposure to microplastics and related chemicals. The film includes the work of Sparxell, a company developing plant-based colour technology designed to replace conventional pigment and dye systems.

The Plastic Detox, scheduled to premiere on Netflix on 16 March, explores links between everyday exposure to microplastics and associated chemicals and potential effects on human health, including fertility decline, hormonal disruption, and long-term health risks.

The documentary features Sparxell, which develops plant-based colour technology intended to replace traditional pigment and dye systems. The company focuses on chemical components used in colour production, which the film identifies as a source of chemical exposure associated with plastics.

Colour materials are widely used across sectors including fashion, beauty, packaging, coatings, and automotive applications. Many of these colour systems rely on petrochemical dyes, mineral-based pigments, and plastic-based colour formats. Azo dyes account for approximately 70% of the global dye market, and several types are restricted under European Union regulations due to links with carcinogenic compounds. According to the report referenced in the documentary, residues from these dyes can bind to microplastic particles, travel through waterways, and accumulate in living tissue.

Plastic-based colour formats such as glitter and sequins are typically manufactured from PET film. One study cited in the film found that these materials represented nearly 24% of microplastics detected in certain wastewater samples, contributing to persistent microplastic pollution.

The documentary also references structural colour in nature. The Morpho butterfly produces blue coloration through microscopic structures on its wings rather than pigments. Sparxell applies a similar principle by engineering cellulose, a material found in plant cell walls, to manipulate light and create colour effects. According to the company, the resulting pigments are plant-based, biodegradable, plastic-free, and capable of reducing water use by up to 90% compared with conventional dyeing methods.

The technology is currently used in more than 25 pilot projects and partnerships with companies across sectors including fashion, beauty, packaging, and automotive.

In previous projects, Sparxell produced fashion pieces coloured using structural colour in collaboration with Patrick McDowell. The company also introduced a plant-based structural colour ink through a partnership with Positive Materials, which is now available for commercial order.

Sparxell recently raised $5 million in Pre-Series A funding and is supported by LVMH. The company plans to move to tonne-scale production in 2026 to meet demand from brands in the fashion, beauty, and automotive industries. Additional commercial partnerships are expected to be announced later in the year.

Dr Benjamin Droguet, Founder and CEO of Sparxell, said:
"Nobody asks what makes a product blue or red. Colour in everyday products, from the food we consume to the clothes we wear, is often taken for granted. But behind every shade is a chemistry that can persist in the environment and accumulate in the body. That invisibility is exactly the problem. We now know microplastics are turning up throughout the human body: in blood, placentas and brain tissue.

"The materials used to create colour are part of that story. Nature developed this colour solution over millions of years. That is why, at Sparxell, we have created the world's first 100% plant-based colour platform: colour that is vibrant, high-performing and safe."