© The James Hutton Institute
The company, founded by marine scientist and biotech innovator Jessica Giannotti in July 2023, joined The James Hutton Institute, Scotland’s pre-eminent interdisciplinary scientific research institute for the sustainable management of land, crop and nature resources, as a spin-in at the beginning of 2025.
Since then, the startup has been based at Hutton’s Invergowrie campus, where it has continued to advance proprietary seaweed-derived textile dye technology. These natural dyes provide a sustainable, non-toxic alternative to petroleum-based dyes, which contribute 280,000 tonnes of pollution into the environment each year. Worldwide, textile dyeing and finishing is a major polluter, responsible for 20 percent of industrial wastewater pollution and around 3 percent of global CO₂ emissions, projected to rise to 10 percent by 2050.
With the support of Scottish Enterprise and the Hutton, who have provided access to workspaces, equipment and commercial support through Hutton Scientific Services, SeaDyes has been able to develop viable prototype dyes and engage with over 100 potential customers. The startup has also established multi-year research and development and commercial partnerships with leading industry players, as well as adding two valuable new members to the team.
© The James Hutton Institute
Isla Fowler, a fashion and textile design master’s graduate from Heriot-Watt University, has been appointed as the company’s textile innovation technician, while Ian Laird has been appointed as the firm’s commercial champion.
Laird has more than 30 years’ experience leading and growing businesses, across a variety of industries including the textiles sector. His work involves securing investment, licensing complex industrial processes and driving product and commercial innovation through partnerships.
"I’m excited to support the inspirational Jessica Giannotti in her vision to develop bio-based dyes for use in textiles, using seaweed as a sustainable and renewable feedstock,” said Laird in a press release. “The work being done at SeaDyes represents a powerful step forward in rethinking how colour is created, with sustainability and environmental responsibility at the core.
In addition to the funding received from Scottish Enterprise and the support of the Hutton, SeaDyes is now looking for further investment from new partners.
“SeaDyes is a very exciting prospect and an inspiring nature-based approach that aims to solve a historically difficult and intractable problem for the dye industry. We are delighted they are at The James Hutton Institute and tapping into our expertise in natural products,” added Hutton CEO, professor Colin Campbell.
