Key Takeaways: Screen ALGAE INK™ Wins TIME Best Invention
Living Ink’s bio-based pigment, Algae Black, earned a spot on TIME’s Best Inventions of 2026 list in the Sustainability category. Formulated for screen printing as Modern Black and Vintage Black Screen ALGAE INK™, this ready-to-use water-based ink gives screen printers a direct drop-in, carbon-negative alternative to petroleum-derived carbon black that requires zero retooling on manual or automatic presses.
Every day, millions of custom garments pass through print shop conveyers, held together by an element that usually goes unnoticed: black ink.
Standard industrial carbon black pigment is manufactured by burning petroleum at roughly 2,700°F, a process that generates up to 79 million metric tonnes of CO₂ emissions globally each year.
When Living Ink Technologies co-founders Scott Fulbright and Stevan Albers set out to rethink traditional color chemistry, they targeted nature’s smallest organisms to solve one of manufacturing’s largest carbon footprints.
That breakthrough has now achieved one of global technology’s highest recognitions: Living Ink’s Algae Black was officially named to TIME’s Best Inventions of 2026 list in the Sustainability category.
For print shop owners and garment decorators, this award-winning pigment is available right now on press as Living Ink Screen ALGAE INK™. By refining farmed algae waste and organic byproducts into jet-black water-based ink, Living Ink proves that rich visual opacity and carbon-negative sustainability co-exist on the production floor.
RETHINKING CARBON: HOW LIVING INK TURNS BIO-WASTE INTO PIGMENT
Traditional carbon black relies heavily on petroleum extraction and energy-intensive combustion. Living Ink’s waste-to-value process takes the opposite approach by diverting organic byproduct from landfills and locking trapped carbon directly into high-value raw materials.
Micro-algae absorb atmospheric CO₂ naturally during their growth cycle. By refining this waste biomass into a stable, highly concentrated bio-pigment, Living Ink produces a jet-black input that is completely petroleum-free and actively carbon-negative.
| Feature | Traditional Carbon Black Inks | Living Ink Screen ALGAE INK™ |
|---|---|---|
| Feedstock Source | Petroleum & Heavy Crude Oils | Farmed Algae Byproducts & Bio-Waste |
| Manufacturing Footprint | High-heat combustion (~2,700°F) | Waste-to-value circular refining |
| Carbon Impact | Net-Positive CO₂ Emissions (~79M tonnes/yr) | Net Carbon-Negative (Traps Absorbed CO₂) |
| Press Integration | Standard Baseline | 100% Direct Drop-in Water-Based Replacement |
VALIDATING BIO-BASED PERFORMANCE
“Being recognized by TIME validates that sustainability and high performance can co-exist. We engineered Algae Black so manufacturers can swap out fossil fuels for bio-based waste without changing their existing equipment or sacrificing design fidelity. We are proving that scalable bio-innovations can displace petroleum inputs across global supply chains today.”
— Stevan Albers, Chief Technology Officer & Co-Founder
SEAMLESS INTEGRATION FOR COMMERCIAL PRINT SHOPS
One of the biggest hurdles bio-innovations face in commercial print shops is equipment retooling. If a sustainable product requires custom mesh, altered squeegee durometers, or complex additives, shop adoption slows down.
Living Ink engineered Screen ALGAE INK™ as a direct drop-in replacement that performs like premium water-based ink. Formulated with built-in hardeners and retarders, it stays wet in the screen, resists drying on press during long production runs, and delivers a ultra-soft hand feel on cotton blanks and apparel.
Printers swap out fossil-fuel pigments without changing press setups, adjusting squeegee angles, or compromising print detail. High-profile brands like Stella McCartney have integrated the ink into luxury apparel lines, while commercial print shops run it daily on high-speed automatic presses and manual equipment.
RESURRECTING COLOR THROUGH CIRCULAR CHEMISTRY
“The layer of color on our daily products often goes completely unnoticed, just like micro-algae is dismissed as pond scum. But these tiny organisms hold incredible power. This recognition from TIME reinforces our belief that harnessing nature’s smallest inputs allows everyday materials to tell a compelling, visual story.”
— Scott Fulbright, CEO & Co-Founder
FROM MOUNTAIN TRAILS TO AUTOMATIC PRESSES: ALGAE INK IN ACTION
In Reno, Nevada, Joe Grennan built Biota Mfg on a simple principle: print shirts that help protect the wild spaces where he climbs. Wanting to eliminate petroleum-based black ink from his shop, Joe made the swap to Screen ALGAE INK™. Loading it straight onto a Riley Hopkins 360 manual press through standard mesh aluminum screen frames, he found that making the sustainable swap required no changes to his daily printing routine. Paired with forced-air curing equipment like a Riley Flash Forced Air Dryer and RileyCure Conveyor Dryer, the ink cures clean while keeping his shop's carbon footprint negative.
Across the Northwest in Portland, Oregon, the crew at New Avenues Ink proves that planet-positive supplies stand up to demanding commercial contracts.
Operating a youth-powered workforce training program, production manager Iain and his team stepped up to print a complex 7-color job for a local Ben & Jerry's franchise event. Setting up on their automatic screen printing press, the shop relied on Modern Black Screen ALGAE INK for crisp, heavy-opacity black outlines. The ink held up through high-speed passes without drying in the mesh, giving young printmakers hands-on experience with production-grade bio-chemistry.
The versatility of bio-pigments extends well beyond apparel and into fine art printmaking.
At Phillips Exeter Academy, artist and educator Carla Collins incorporates Vintage Black Screen ALGAE INK directly into her studio work. By layering Vintage Black alongside hand-forged black walnut dyes, poke berry extractions, and silver mica dust on paper stock, Carla utilizes the natural tonal shifts of algae ink to capture subtle, organic textures on paper.
TURN TIME’S BEST INVENTION INTO YOUR SHOP’S SELLING POINT
Living Ink’s TIME Award recognition proves that carbon-negative chemistry performs at the highest level. Offering Screen ALGAE INK™ gives your clients a compelling reason to choose your shop over competitors fighting for the lowest bid.
To help you turn this award-winning bio-pigment into a major sales advantage, the downloadable "It's Alive" Marketing Kit provides point-of-sale tools to highlight your eco-friendly prints:
- Retail Display Posters: Available in 8.5x11 and 11x17 display formats, these storefront posters explain the waste-to-value algae process directly to walk-in clients and brand partners.
- "This Shirt Eats CO2" Sticker Assets: Features printable graphics like the "Swamp Monster" art and "A-Drop" icons designed for custom hangtags, garment bags, and poly mailers.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT SCREEN ALGAE INK™
What is Living Ink Screen ALGAE INK™ made from?
Screen ALGAE INK™ is formulated using purified waste algae biomass and industrial bio-waste byproducts, such as farmed algae residues and brewery yeast, turning landfill-bound waste into carbon-negative pigment.
What is the difference between Modern Black and Vintage Black Screen ALGAE INK™?
Modern Black delivers crisp, high-opacity jet-black coverage for sharp graphic prints. Vintage Black provides a softer, charcoal-toned wash effect ideal for retro garment aesthetics and fine art printing on paper.
Do commercial print shops need special machinery or modified screens to run Screen ALGAE INK™?
No. Screen ALGAE INK™ is formulated as a direct drop-in water-based ink. It works on standard manual presses and automatic equipment using standard aluminum screen frames, squeegees, and forced-air curing setups without requiring press retooling.
How do I start printing with Screen ALGAE INK™ in my shop?
Check out our step-by-step press room guide to dial in mesh selection, squeegee pressure, and curing parameters for water-based algae inks.
READY TO UPGRADE YOUR BLACK INK SUPPLIES?
Bring TIME's Best Invention of 2026 to your production. Explore Modern Black and Vintage Black formulations, water-based additives, and eco-friendly supplies today.