Caffe Ink®: The World’s First Printing Ink Made from Coffee Waste
At Caffe Inc., we believe in unlocking the full potential of coffee, right down to its last molecule. Caffe Ink® was where it all began. It is the first ingredient ever developed by the company and laid the foundation for everything we do today. Back then, we were still called Caffe Ink—a name that reflected our singular focus on transforming coffee waste into natural color. As we expanded into new ingredients, the name evolved into Caffe Inc., to reflect a broader circular vision.
Why Colorants Need to Change
The colorants industry, particularly in textiles and printing, is among the most environmentally damaging in the world. Synthetic dyes, most of which are derived from petrochemicals like azo dyes and carbon black, are not only toxic to produce, but harmful to the ecosystems they end up in. The textile industry alone is a major contributor to water pollution due to the use of non-biodegradable dyes and chemical dyeing processes. In printing, carbon black pigment, used globally, generates an estimated 35 to 40 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually.
Despite the urgent need, eco-friendly alternatives have remained limited, until now.
The Caffe Ink® Revolution
Our colorants are completely natural, non-toxic, and derived from spent coffee grounds, a globally abundant, yet vastly underutilized resource. Through a proprietary extraction process, we recover melanoidins, high-molecular weight compounds responsible for the rich brown tones found in roasted coffee. These compounds also carry valuable antioxidant, antibacterial, and UV-protective properties, making them ideal for both textile dyeing and ink formulation.
Caffe Ink® is a water-based, biodegradable ink designed for flexographic and gravure printing on textiles, paper, and plastic. It delivers deep color, strong adhesion, and high print quality without the environmental price tag of synthetic alternatives. Our ink extraction is now patent pending, and our R&D continues to improve yield, purity, and consistency at scale.
Coffee Suits, T-Shirts, and Tie-Dye: Color in Action
The proof is not just in the lab; it’s in the closet.
In collaboration with Bonne Suits, Boro Atelier, and most recently Solid State Clothing (USA), Caffe Inc. has brought its coffee colorants to life through fashion. The result? Garments dyed in shades like Mocca, Charcoal, Raw Green, Cream, Pistachio, and Dark Roast, made from organic cotton and processed using traditional natural dyeing techniques.
Bonne Suits showcased the world’s first coffee-dyed suit during the Week of the Circular Economy and launched a limited collection of 100 garments dyed with Caffe Inc. colorants, now available in Amsterdam.
Boro Atelier, a local Amsterdam-based social enterprise, played a key role in scaling dyeing techniques and producing garments in a socially inclusive and circular way.
Solid State Clothing partnered with us to launch a U.S.-based capsule collection of organic cotton t-shirts, dyed using our colorants and tested for wash and light fastness. These shirts are available in limited quantities and represent a bold leap into bio-based fashion.
Each of these collaborations validates not just our technology, but the market demand for circular, clean, and beautiful alternatives to toxic dyes.
Where We Are Now
We’ve reached Technology Readiness Level 6 (TRL6) with our colorant extraction and completed large-scale pilot trials, extracting 15 kg of colorant from 160 kg of coffee blocks. While our process is still being optimized, especially to maintain color strength at scale, the foundation is strong. With support from circular innovation programs like the Circulaire Ketenprojecten, we’re continuing to refine purification techniques and seek early market adopters.
What’s Next?
Caffe Inc. is currently looking to launch customers to join us in this color revolution. With IP filings in progress and R&D pushing boundaries, our goal is clear: bring natural, high-performing, and beautiful coffee colorants to the textile and printing markets, at a scale.
If your brand is ready to turn waste into wearable, printable value, we’d love to hear from you.
Contact us at hello@caffeinc.nl
From the grounds up!