A new innovation has emerged from a collaboration between Finnish partners, in which roasted coffee side streams are transformed into bio-based ink. The colorant is used in printing on fiber-based packaging materials.
The innovation was developed by Natural Indigo Finland and Tampere University of Applied Sciences (TAMK). The water-based printing ink uses a bio-pigment made from waste coffee supplied by Meira Oy. This coffee-derived color is a natural, renewable alternative to synthetic pigments.
The project has progressed from research and experimentation toward a functional production model. Cabassi Oy successfully printed with the coffee-based ink on Paptic material, a recyclable, fiber-based alternative to plastic. The end result was a high-quality, sustainably printed paper bag using ink made from waste coffee.
“This is a true circular economy solution. We’ve utilized an industrial side stream and refined it into a high-value bio-based waste coffee ink to replace synthetic printing inks,” says Pasi Ainasoja, CEO of Natural Indigo Finland.
Meira is also enthusiastic about the interdisciplinary innovation that leads to concrete sustainable solutions.
“As a coffee roastery committed to sustainability, we’re pleased to see this valuable raw material find a new, alternative purpose,” says Heidi Päiväniemi, Director of Sustainability, Development and Communications at Meira Oy.
Goal: Bringing the Bio-Based Ink to the Global Market
TAMK is currently forming an international consortium of ten companies and universities, seeking €9.5 million in RDI funding. The project partners are also looking for new stakeholders to expand the innovation globally. The goal is to introduce this new bio-based ink as a worldwide alternative to synthetic colorants.
“This is a significant green innovation in global packaging printing, a market worth hundreds of billions of euros,” says Dr. Kai Lankinen, who teaches and researches sustainable packaging production at TAMK
Co-Creation at the Core
The coffee-based printing ink is the result of a year-long co-development effort. The innovation addresses the growing demand for eco-friendly printing and packaging solutions, as industries seek to move away from fossil-based materials. The bio-based ink offers a scalable, natural, and low-emission alternative for various applications.
This new type of colorant was developed through cross-sector collaboration. Natural Indigo Finland manufactured the pigment, while the ink formulation was developed with TAMK lecturer Kai Lankinen, using roasted coffee side streams provided by Meira. The concept progressed from laboratory scale to industrial flexographic printing, implemented by Cabassi Oy.
The innovation brings clear environmental benefits: it is a renewable and biodegradable substitute for synthetic inks. It also promotes circular economy principles by turning industrial side streams into valuable raw materials. The water-based ink derived from waste coffee represents both a scientific breakthrough and a commercially viable solution.
In the photo: Päivi Viitaharju (TAMK), Kai Lankinen (TAMK), Satu Autio (Adara Pakkaus Oy), a flexographic printer (Cabassi Oy), and Joona Henttonen (Cabassi Oy) present freshly printed paper bags made using water-based ink derived from waste coffee.
Photo: Kai Lankinen / TAMK
