Dyelicious turns food waste into luxury wares

A Hong Kong startup uses kitchen waste to make dyes that can decompose naturally and do not yield any pollution

Hong Kong startup Dyelicious is turning food waste into high-quality clothing and other products through a process known as natural food dyeing. The company says its workshops use kitchen waste to make dyes that can decompose naturally and do not yield any pollution, unlike a typical garment factory that may emit toxins into rivers and oceans.

Natural food dying uses a series of processes that include extraction, liquid preparation and colouring. In order to up the quality of the dye, additional mordants are included so that, “different hues can be transformed, the color sharpness can be improved, and even different colours can be created,” the company says.

“My dream is to go out of business because there is no more food waste,” founder Eric Cheung told foodshapers.org.

Dyelicious has worked with notable brands seeking to lower their carbon footprints, sourcing waste from Zara, Adidas, Towngas, Starbucks and Calbee. The company also works with schools to substitute their chemical paints with non-toxic products and hosts workshops for families at retailers across Hong Kong.