All that glitters isn’t really glitter this holiday season, and it’s not because of the European Union ban to limit microplastic pollution. Rather, it’s because innovation has led Sparxell—a firm launched in the UK—to deliver bright colors, seasonal decor, the sequins of fashion and the glitter of cosmetics inspired entirely by nature.

Sparxell received the 2023 Ray of Hope Prize from the Biomimicry Institute as this year’s top startup to rely on plant-based material and processes learned from nature in order to develop products for the future.

“Sparxell has developed the first environmentally sustainable, non-toxic pigments, glitters, sequins and films,” said the institute. “Inspired by structural color found in nature, such as that of a butterfly wing or peacock feather, their patented manufacturing technique transforms cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) into uniformly reflective, highly dispersible particles with state-of-the-art performance.”

What that means is that Sparxell’s team draws the crystalline form from wood pulp and other sources of cellulose, preps it in water, and processes it into a film that’s rich in reflective light and hue. From there, it is transformed into paint powders, foils, and ribbons. Sparxell colors can be used in automotive coatings and beverage packaging, as well as fashion and fancy paper stationery.

All of the color pigments created by Sparxell are fully biodegradable and easier to source than other climate-friendly alternative materials. The sources are renewable and some products are even edible. “All this is possible while adhering to the recent EU regulations on microplastics like glitter,” the institute said.

Sparxell began at the University of Cambridge, where Dr. Silvia Vignolini sought to replicate the deep indigo of Polia condensata (marble berry) plants she had seen in the British Museum. The cellulose structure of the fruit allowed its color to remain vibrant even after 100 years, and her team—including Sparxell CEO and founder Dr. Benjamin Droguet—advanced their work on industrial uses for the colors and structures found in nature.

Rather than rely on metals or oil-based materials, Sparxell sought to make its cosmetics, fabrics, and paints by relying on principles found in beetles, bird feathers and butterfly wings. Its products are free of titanium dioxide, historically used in paints and pigments but now considered a carcinogen and banned for use in food products in the EU.

In awarding Sparxell its US$100,000 prize, the Biomimicry Institute noted that many pigments like mica are mined in places like Madagascar or India, where child labor and human rights abuses are common. Sparxell’s cosmetics and other products are all mica- and plastic-free. They’re also free of dyes, which are typically made with resource-intensive and polluting industry processes.

“Sparxell is showing how nature can color our world without the harmful environmental and societal effects of mined and synthetic minerals,” the institute said.

Sparxell’s team, below, picked up another $250,000 prize from Morgan Stanley in December, after the bank’s Institute for Sustainable Investing named the startup as one of its five 2023 Sustainable Solutions Collaborative Winners.

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