Organic Pigments Market Trends and Drivers

Trends in Organic Pigments Market

Smart Food Packaging Is Major Trend

• The increasing environmental concerns make it imperative for governments to formulate policies that align with the global sustainability targets.
• Organic pigments are witnessing a surge in usage because of the growing trend of ready-to-eat and packaged food and companies’ increasing demand for intelligent food packaging.
• The active components of smart packaging enable the real-time monitoring of food quality, temperature, and shelf life of dairy, vegetables, and baked goods through visual or even interactive feedback.
• These comprise films prepared from natural pigments, the color of which can be altered depending on the shift in acidity or basicity, hence bringing about a positive change in the food's condition.
• Organic pigments, including curcumin, anthocyanins, chlorophyll, betalains, and carotenoids, are being extensively studied for usage on recyclable, pH-sensitive films made from material such as starch, proteins, chitosan, and cellulose.
• Such films such provide excellent compatibility with biodegradable polymers and enhance the general performance. They can also be used as indicators and integrated with the primary packaging to monitor the freshness and temperature of protein supplements, dairy products, fruits, vegetables, and baked goods.
• Various government regulations and acts, such as the Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), mandate that the food wrapper and container be pure enough to be suitable for the food packaging.

Booming Construction Industry Is Biggest Market Driver

Construction corporations are taking significant steps to diminish their environmental impact, as well as aligning with the sustainable building practices mandated by governments. Therefore, there is an increase in the demand for low-environmental-impact materials for construction, which is a key organic pigments market growth driver.

The ever-surging population, economic development, and the need for robust infrastructure drive the demand for organic pigments in the construction industry. In this regard, India’s ambitious plan of spending USD 1.723 trillion on infrastructure in the next six years will accelerate the market growth in the country.

This is because the construction industry continues to witness a surge in the demand for paints and coatings. In Indonesia, the government is expanding its sustainability goals for the construction and building sector, including for the international airport, presidential palace, and hospitals in its new capital city, Nusantara. This drives the demand for eco-friendly coatings as the government has mandated using green materials containing low volumes of volatile organic compounds.

In essence, the shift of consumers toward aesthetics and their heightening mindfulness to using ecologically friendly products are driving the demand for organic pigments. Organic pigments have numerous benefits, such as diversity and vividness of colors and shades, good color strength, and non-toxicity. These qualities make paints not only visually pleasing but also a wise alternative to pigments with hazardous chemicals, which lead to various kinds of pollution.

Easy Availability of Synthetic Pigments and High Cost Are Key Restraints

• The adoption of organic pigments is low because they are more expensive than inorganic ones.
• On average, pigments make up more than half of the paint, dye, or ink’s final cost, which is why paints and printing inks containing organic pigments are expensive.
• Organic pigments are also produced in much smaller quantities, which adds to their higher production costs, which is why end users utilizing organic pigments often enjoy economies of scale.
• The raw materials for natural and bio-based pigments are relatively cost-intensive compared to the metals and metal salts used in synthetic pigments.
• Furthermore, some bio-based pigments demand fermentation processes, which takes a longer time compared to the manufacturing processes needed for synthetic colorants.
• If the production and selling costs of organic colorants are not managed effectively, the growth of this industry could be limited.