NextGen Label Announces 1st Commercial Use of Algae Ink for UV Flexographic Labels

NextGen Label Group announced a collaboration with Waiākea Hawaiian Volcanic Beverages, Living Ink Technologies, and ACTEGA to launch the first commercial use of ACTExact UV Black Algae Ink, a carbon-negative UV flexographic ink made with Algae Black pigment. 

Waiākea Hawaiian Volcanic Beverages worked in collaboration with Living Ink Technologies, the biomaterials developer of Algae Black pigment and Algae Ink systems, and ACTEGA, a global specialist in inks and coatings. 

This milestone marks a significant step forward in sustainable packaging for consumer products. It builds on years of development initiated by Waiākea Hawaiian Volcanic Beverages, the first brand to adopt algae-based inks on its labels across its supply chain. 

As the selected production partner, NextGen Label Group will help bring this innovation to market at full commercial scale officially. NextGen Label Group’s commitment to Brand Custodianship includes a proactive, solution-oriented and customer-centric approach. 

NextGen conducted extensive testing to assess performance in UV flexographic printing, while Living Ink and ACTEGA jointly formulated what became ACTExact UV Black Algae Ink – a UV flexographic ink made with carbon-negative Algae Black pigment and verified through a third-party Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to deliver a net footprint of −4.16 kg CO₂-equivalent per kilogram of pigment.

If adopted at scale in place of petroleum-derived carbon black, Algae Black has the potential to eliminate millions of metric tons of CO₂ emissions annually across packaging and consumer goods.

“The collaboration between Waiākea Hawaiian Volcanic Beverages, Living Ink Technologies, ACTEGA, and NextGen Label Group represents a breakthrough in sustainable consumer product packaging,” said Paul Roux, Chief Technical Officer of NextGen Label Group. “By combining Living Ink’s algae-derived pigments with ACTEGA’s high-performance ink formulations and leveraging NextGen’s precision flexographic printing capabilities, we delivered a durable, high-opacity ink solution for Waiākea Hawaiian Volcanic Water labels. We are proud to be part of this innovative collaboration.”

Waiākea Hawaiian Volcanic Beverages has chosen not to hold exclusivity or proprietary control over the ink, instead allowing it to be openly accessible through NextGen Label Group and partners. This decision ensures that any brand, emerging or established, can explore and adopt algae-based pigments within the existing UV flexographic supply chain.

“When we set out to bring Algae Black to scale, we knew we needed a production partner who aligned with our values,” said Ryan Emmons, CEO of Waiākea Hawaiian Volcanic Beverages. “NextGen’s team immediately understood that this wasn’t just another label project, it was about proving what’s possible for the entire industry. Their curiosity, technical rigor, and genuine commitment to sustainability made them the obvious choice.”