21 Jan 2025

Green Testbeds Part 4: Alder Olmai Challenges the Textile Industry

In this article, we continue our series on test and demo environments in the region – important resources that have supported many innovators in taking the next step. The next exciting example is Alder Olmai, which develops sustainable color pigments for the textile industry.

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Alder Olmai Challenges the Textile Industry

The green tech company Alder Olmai works with residual materials from the forestry industry to develop natural dyes for textiles. The way forward has included support from the Biomass Technology Center in Umeå, which assisted during the experimentation phase.

This fall, founder Linda Magdalena Jonsson was accepted into the BizMakers Forest Business Accelerator in Västernorrland.

"Exploring the forest on a deeper level has been a journey that has brought me closer to both my Sami heritage and our shared nature. I want to make the most of the resources available," says Linda Magdalena.

With its work, Alder Olmai aims to be one of the players providing an alternative solution to today's synthetic fossil-based dyes. Textile dyeing accounts for 20 percent of global water pollution, and Linda hopes that the company's dyes can offer an alternative that is both sustainable and beautiful. Alder Olmai was founded with the vision of taking responsibility for nature and creating a sustainable way to dye textiles.

Linda Magdalena previously worked in fashion and became aware of the damage chemical dyes caused to both the environment and human health. She began searching for healthier alternatives but quickly realized they were not available on the market.

"It was this realization that set me on this path. It wasn't an easy solution but a process that spanned several years. I wanted to create something that rediscovered and renewed our relationship with the forest while offering natural alternatives for textile dyeing," says Linda Magdalena.

Alder Olmai's goal is a sustainable future where we regain balance and can live in harmony with the planet – for future generations. Entrepreneurship has naturally grown from her passion for color and as an art director in her hometown of Falun, where she builds brand identities with color palettes as a central part.

Over the past year, Linda Magdalena and chemists have worked at the lab level to verify their direction and develop natural color pigments. It has been a process involving a lot of experimentation. In part of the process – at the bench test level – Alder Olmai received support to hire the Biomass Technology Center in Umeå.

"There, we had the opportunity to test and evaluate our ideas. Having access to the right equipment through BTC has been valuable," says Linda.

"Now we look forward to starting to work with partners and industries that share our vision."

Laboratory tests have been conducted on the dyed fabrics, exposing them to wear, washing, and light, all according to international standards.

"Our business idea is that producers provide the clothes, and we have the dye. We want to work with larger productions, and it feels very inspiring that we are on the right track," says Linda Magdalena.

Caption: Textile dyeing accounts for 20 percent of global water pollution – something Linda Magdalena Jonsson wants to change through her company Alder Olmai. She wants to offer textile dyeing that is sustainable and at the same time fashionable.