texfash: Your website lays the context: "After a decade of existence, Pili's ramp-up and entry into the industrial landscape is setting down its identity and positioning in a singular way." Please give us an overview of what happened in this decade.
Jérémie Blache: Over the past decade, Pili has transformed from a R&D-focused startup into an industrial company in the field of sustainable dyes and pigments. This shift was driven by significant technical achievements, leading to the successful production of the first tonnes of biobased dyes in 2024. It already represents 100,000 textile articles on the market this year.
A decade ago, the environmental impact of colours was largely overlooked. Today, an increasing number of brands and consumers recognise that conventional fossil-based dyes are highly polluting. For instance, the dye used for a single textile article can account for up to 10% of its total carbon footprint.
How did co-founders Marie-Sarah Adenis and Thomas Landrain get together? What was it that you individually brought to the table?
Jérémie Blache: Marie-Sarah and Thomas came together through their shared vision of creating sustainable solutions using biotechnology. They launched an educational project called "Grow Your Ink," showcasing how sustainable ink could be produced using micro-organisms. This initiative captured the attention of the public, media, brands, and industry leaders alike. In response to this societal interest, Jérémie Blache and Guillaume Boissonnat-Wu joined the team, bringing the expertise and resources necessary to transform the concept into an industrial reality, and created Pili.
What do you think was wrong with the prevalent form of dyes and colours. What was the intervention you sought to make?
Jérémie Blache: The prevalent form of dyes and colours has a significant environmental drawback—99% are derived from fossil resources, contributing to pollution and climate change. As the market becomes more aware of these environmental pollutions, many stakeholders are seeking ways to reduce reliance on petrochemicals and adopt circular solutions.
To address this issue, Pili developed an innovative process to produce sustainable colorants. These biobased dyes match the vibrancy, colourfastness, and uniformity of conventional options while significantly reducing their carbon footprint. By decarbonising the colour industry, Pili aims to transform the textile market, delivering solutions that prioritise both high-performance and sustainability.
What was the concept/vision that you had when Pili was launched? Did this idea have to be refined or modified as you went along? If so, what and why?
Jérémie Blache: When Pili was launched, our team focused on using biotechnology exclusively to produce sustainable colours. However, as we progressed, it became clear that achieving the same level of performance as conventional dyes through biotechnology alone was a significant challenge. That is why Pili developed hybrid processes combining fermentation and organic chemistry.
This refined approach not only allowed Pili to address the needs of the colour industry but also opened doors to decarbonise other markets, including fragrances and cosmetics, through the production of biobased aromatic compounds.
The first biotech lab was created at Toulouse White Biotech in 2016. What did this lab seek to do? How were the other subsequent labs different (the R&D laboratories at CNAM and the chemistry lab at Le Kremlin-Bicêtre)?
Jérémie Blache: The first biotech lab was established at Toulouse White Biotech in 2016, where Pili focused on developing and optimiing its fermentation processes. On the other hand, the chemistry lab, originally located at CNAM and later moved to Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, took on a complementary role, concentrating on the development and optimisation of chemical processes to create range of dyes and pigments.
