Stony Creek Colors
Stony Creek Colors is a US-based specialty materials company founded in 2012 that manufactures traceable, 100% plant-based natural indigo dyes for the global textile industry, serving denim mills and Tier-1 fashion brands industrially and artisans via direct e-commerce.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersSpringfield, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Stony Creek Colors does
Stony Creek Colors, Inc. is a privately held, US-based (Springfield, TN) specialty materials company founded in 2012 by CEO Sarah Bellos that manufactures traceable, 100% plant-based dyes—primarily natural indigo—for the global textile and fashion industries. The company operates a vertically integrated model spanning proprietary Indigofera plant genetics and seed preparation (breeding program led by Dr. Terence Molnar), contracted cultivation with US family farms transitioning from tobacco, and factory-scale dye extraction at US-based facilities, all governed by its Color With Life® technology platform. Its flagship innovation is IndiGold®, the world's first pre-reduced, 100% plant-based liquid indigo dye, produced via electrocatalytic hydrogenation that uses electricity and water rather than chemical reducing agents.
The company generates revenue through two channels. Industrially, it sells natural indigo dye (powder at 25% and 40% purity, paste, and IndiGold liquid) to denim mills, garment dyehouses, and Tier-1 fashion brands under quote-based pricing with 100lb wholesale minimums; named enterprise customers include Levi Strauss & Co. (also a Series B2 equity investor), Cone Denim, Wrangler, J. Crew, and Nudie Jeans. On the artisan side, it sells smaller-format natural dyes, vat kits, and IndiGold consumer products (Easy Indigo Dye Kit, EasiColor Pen and Spray) through a Shopify e-commerce storefront, supplemented by an affiliate program. The company is USDA BioPreferred 100% Biobased certified and holds Level 1 compliance with the Roadmap to Zero (ZDHC). It has raised approximately $19.6M across multiple equity and non-dilutive rounds, is currently operating at 11–50 employees, and entered a manufacturing hiatus with a smaller team as of July 2023 while continuing e-commerce and partnership activities.
Stony Creek Colors firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Stony Creek Colors
- Legal name
- Stony Creek Colors, Inc.
- Website
- https://stonycreekcolors.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Stony Creek Colors is a US-based specialty materials company founded in 2012 that manufactures traceable, 100% plant-based natural indigo dyes for the global textile industry, serving denim mills and Tier-1 fashion brands industrially and artisans via direct e-commerce.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Stony Creek Colors industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Plant-Based Natural Dyes
- NAICS
- Synthetic Dye and Pigment Manufacturing (32513), Synthetic Dye and Pigment Manufacturing (325130), Medicinal and Botanical Manufacturing (325411)
- SIC
- Miscellaneous Chemical Products (2890), Medicinal Chemicals & Botanical Products (2833), Industrial Organic Chemicals (2860)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Dye & Tannin Crop Farming (Indigo, Annatto, Wattle) (AFAGAGAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Color Blends & Formulation Systems (Standardized Blends, Shade Matching) (AFAJAEAF), Color Lakes & Pigment Preparations (Aluminum Lakes, Encapsulated Pigments) (AFAJAEAE), Clean-Label & Certified Colorants (Organic, Non-GMO, Kosher/Halal, Allergen-Free) (AFAJAEAI), Natural Dyes, Tannins & Colorants from Forest Products (AFAMAFAJ)
Keywords
Where Stony Creek Colors is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Springfield
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Stony Creek Colors business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Natural Indigo Dye Sales (Industrial): Sale of natural indigo dyes (powder, paste, or liquid forms) at varying purity levels (25%, 40%) to industrial customers including denim mills, garment dyehouses, and fashion brands. Industrial wholesale orders have a 100lb minimum. Multi-year customer relationships with leading fashion brands globally.
- Natural Dye Products (Artisan/DTC): Sale of natural dyes and dye assists through e-commerce storefront to independent makers, at-home dyers, and artisan small businesses. Products include indigo powder, paste, IndiGold kits, EasiColor pen, EasiColor spray, madder root, black walnut, myrobalan, and mordanting agents. Sold via Shopify-powered online store.
- IndiGold Product Line: Pre-reduced liquid indigo products including Easy Indigo Dye Kit (50g, 200g bottles), EasiColor Spray, and EasiColor Pen sold to both artisan and industrial customers. The kit includes fructose crystals and pickling lime as reducing agents along with pre-reduced IndiGold dye.
- Affiliate Program Revenue: Commission-based affiliate program where social media influencers and artisans earn commission on confirmed sales through trackable links or personal discount codes within a 30-day cookie window. Partners may also receive gifted product or personalized discount codes.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Industrial Wholesale (100lb minimum) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | IndiGold Easy Indigo Dye Kit |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | IndiGold Pre-Reduced Liquid (50g and 200g bottles) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | EasiColor Pen (1 oz) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | EasiColor Spray |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Natural Indigo Powder (25% and 40% purity) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Natural Indigo Paste (10%) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Madder Root Paste |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Black Walnut Paste |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Dye Vat Kits (Fructose, Iron, Hydro) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Myrobalan Powder |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Osage Orange Chips |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Stony Creek Colors product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Stony Creek Colors manufactures traceable, 100% plant-based natural indigo dyes and other plant-derived colorants using a vertically integrated model spanning proprietary Indigofera plant genetics, US family farm cultivation, and US-based factory-scale extraction. The company supplies industrial partners (fashion brands, denim mills, garment dyehouses) with bulk natural indigo powder, paste, and the proprietary IndiGold® pre-reduced liquid indigo, while also selling smaller-scale natural dye products, kits, and dye assists to independent makers and at-home dyers through e-commerce.
Product overview
Stony Creek Colors manufactures traceable, 100% plant-based dyes for the textile industry, offering both industrial-scale and artisan-scale products. Their core product lineup includes natural indigo in multiple forms (powder at 25% and 40% purity, and pre-hydrated paste), pre-reduced IndiGold® liquid indigo (the world's first 100% plant-based pre-reduced indigo using electrocatalytic hydrogenation), and non-indigo plant colorants (madder root paste, black walnut paste, myrobalan powder, osage orange chips). Supporting products include complete vat kits (fructose, iron, and hydro varieties) with all necessary ingredients, and dye assists (scouring agents, mordants, and modifiers). The company operates a vertically integrated model from seed to dye, working with US family farms to grow indigo as a regenerative rotational crop.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- IndiGold®: The world's first pre-reduced, 100% plant-based liquid indigo dye. Available in Easy Indigo Dye Kits, EasiColor Spray, EasiColor Pen, and 50g and 200g bottles. Uses electrocatalytic hydrogenation to create leuco indigo using electricity and water as reducing agents rather than chemical reducing agents.
Products and services
- Natural Indigo Dye Powder (25% purity) Natural indigo dye powder at 25% purity concentration, suitable for creating traditional indigo vats for dyeing textiles. Requires approximately 7-8% WOF for dark blues. Used by both industrial customers and independent makers.
- High Purity Indigo Dye Powder (40%) Higher concentration 40% indigo powder offering industrial-grade performance, approximately 1.6x more concentrated than the 25% powder. Requires 4-5% WOF for dark blues. A favorite ingredient of global fashion brand partners.
- Natural Indigo Paste (10%) Pre-hydrated, finely milled 10% indigo paste that reduces more quickly and evenly than powder. Requires 7-8% WOF for dark blues. 200g of 10% paste is equivalent to 50g of 40% powder. Does not expire — shaking restores settled paste.
- IndiGold® Pre-Reduced Liquid Indigo World's first pre-reduced, 100% plant-based liquid indigo dye using electrocatalytic hydrogenation to create leuco indigo without chemical reducing agents. Ready for use within 15 minutes compared to hours or days for traditional vats. Sold in 50g and 200g bottles for both artisan and industrial customers.
- IndiGold® Easy Indigo Dye Kit Complete dye kit including 50g of pre-reduced IndiGold® liquid, 150g fructose crystals, 100g pickling lime, and an instructional booklet for creating a fructose vat. Packaged in reusable plastic and amber jars. Designed for at-home dyers and small-batch artisan use.
- IndiGold® EasiColor Spray Pre-reduced IndiGold® technology in an easy-to-use spray bottle with high color concentration, designed for stenciling and direct fabric application.
- IndiGold® EasiColor Pen (1 oz) Mess-free, no-setup 100% natural indigo pen for direct drawing on fabric, made from the same high-quality saturated pigment as IndiGold®. Acts as a ready-to-use reduced indigo vat in pen format.
- Madder Root Paste Pre-extracted madder root paste for achieving red, orange, and pink hues. Use 100% WOF for deepest reddish shades and 50% WOF for orange. Stable for 1-2 years maximum.
- Black Walnut Paste Pre-extracted black walnut hull paste for dyeing browns and tans. Use 50-100% WOF for dark browns or 5-20% WOF for lighter tans and khakis. Guaranteed 1-2 years maximum.
- Myrobalan Powder Natural dye and mordant for plant-based fibers. Used as dye at 20-30% WOF for buttery yellows, and as mordant at 15-20% WOF for plant-based fibers. Creates yellowish undertone when used as a mordant.
- Osage Orange Chips Natural dye material in chip form for achieving yellow hues at 40% WOF of dry materials. Recommended mordanting with myrobalan and alum for plant-based fibers.
- Fructose Vat Natural Indigo Dye Kit Complete kit for creating a fructose vat: 100g of 25% natural indigo powder, 200g calcium hydroxide, 300g fructose crystals, and instructional booklet following the traditional 1-2-3 vat recipe.
- Iron Vat Natural Indigo Dye Kit Complete kit for creating an iron vat to achieve saturated blues on cotton and plant-based fibers. Includes 100g natural indigo, 200g iron (ferrous sulfate), 300g pickled lime (calcium hydroxide), and instructional booklet. Ideal for deep dark blues.
- Hydro Vat Natural Indigo Dye Kit Fastest vat kit using Rit Color Remover as a chemical reducing agent. Works for all fabric types including wool, silk, cotton, and linen. Includes ingredients for a 2-gallon vat.
Quantifiable outcome
- World's only 100% plant-based indigo certified by USDA BioPreferred Program
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Stony Creek Colors
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Stony Creek Colors technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Stony Creek Colors partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Fashion for GoodcoreFashion for Good is collaborating with Levi Strauss & Co. and Stony Creek Colors to test IndiGold plant-based pre-reduced indigo at scale as part of efforts to reduce potentially harmful chemicals in the denim supply chain. Represents strategic collaboration to advance sustainable textile dyeing.
- US Family Farms (Tobacco-to-Indigo Transition)coreVertically integrated model with US family farms growing Indigofera as a regenerative rotational crop. Company provides seeds or seedlings, farmers plant and tend fields. Indigo fixes nitrogen and captures carbon, enriching soil. Helps tobacco farmers make seamless transition to indigo.
- Global Mills & Dye HousescoreWork with mills and dye houses globally to ensure plant-based dyes reach highest quality performance and efficiency, integrated into existing systems. Mill partnerships are integral to reaching significant industrial scale as competitive alternative to synthetic dyes.
- Cone DenimcoreCone Denim uses Stony Creek Colors' natural indigo in their popular Natural Indigo Collection. Company developed the process and chemistry to create bio-based indigo seamlessly integrated into Cone Denim's fiber mill processes.
- WranglercoreWrangler features Stony Creek Colors' natural indigo on their sustainability/industry page, highlighting the mindful innovative approach to create bio-based indigo that integrates into existing mill processes.
- Fashion Brands (Unnamed)Multi-year customer relationships with some of the world's leading fashion brands, bringing clean 100% plant-based colors to thousands of garments. Brands include J. Crew, Nudie Jeans, and others using non-toxic natural indigo dyes.
- Albini GroupminorAlbini Group is the Luxury Fabric Partner for the CNMI Sustainable Fashion Awards where Stony Creek Colors won the Groundbreaker Award at Milan Fashion Week 2022.
- CoverCressminorJerry Steiner, Stony Creek Colors Board Chairman, previously served as Co-founder and CEO of CoverCress (a venture capital-funded startup developing a low carbon intensity oilseed crop). Also serves on Boards of Albemarle (NYSE) and RNAgri.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Stony Creek Colors competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Botanical Colors: Natural dye supplier offering plant-based colorants to the textile and apparel industry. Directly comparable as a small-batch natural dye manufacturer serving both industrial mills and artisan makers, competing with Stony Creek for the same sustainability-focused customer base.
- Hansa Textile (formerly Hansa Indigo): One of the world's largest producers of synthetic indigo dye for the denim industry. Comparable as a major indigo dye supplier to denim mills and brands globally, though focused on synthetic rather than plant-based production.
- Natural Indigo Co. Small-scale natural indigo producer offering plant-based dyes to artisan and small-batch textile markets. Comparable as a directly competing natural indigo dye supplier with similar small-scale craft and sustainable positioning.
Emerging players
- Colorifix: UK-based biotech using synthetic biology and fermentation to produce sustainable dyes for the textile industry. Comparable as a sustainability-driven dye alternative targeting fashion brands seeking to replace synthetic dyes, though using microbial rather than crop-based feedstock.
- Huue: Biotechnology company producing microbial indigo for denim and textile dyeing. Directly competes for the same plant-based/biological indigo market segment, with a different production approach (fermentation vs agriculture) targeting the same denim brand customers.
- Dyecoo: Pioneer in waterless dyeing technology for textiles using supercritical CO2, addressing sustainability in the dyeing process. Comparable as a sustainability-driven textile processing innovator, though focused on application method rather than dye chemistry.
- Beyond Surface Technologies: Swiss-based developer of bio-based textile auxiliaries and treatments for the apparel industry. Comparable as a sustainable textile chemistry innovator serving fashion brands with bio-based alternatives.
- Pili Bio: French biotech using fermentation to produce renewable, bio-based dyes and pigments for textiles and other industries. Comparable as a sustainability-focused dye producer targeting industrial textile applications with bio-based technology.
Broad incumbents
- Archroma: Global specialty chemicals company producing dyes and textile chemicals with a sustainability-focused portfolio. Broad incumbent offering overlapping natural and synthetic dye capabilities to the same textile industry customer base.
- Longsheng Group: Large Chinese chemical manufacturer and global supplier of synthetic dyes including indigo. Comparable as a major commodity-scale indigo dye producer competing on price with Stony Creek's premium plant-based alternative.
Market position
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks4 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Stony Creek Colors social profiles
Digital presenceStony Creek Colors financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Stony Creek Colors leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Stony Creek Colors funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds10 records
Investors16 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Stony Creek Colors M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Stony Creek Colors
What does Stony Creek Colors do?
Stony Creek Colors manufactures traceable, 100% plant-based natural indigo dyes and other plant-derived colorants using a vertically integrated model spanning proprietary Indigofera plant genetics, US family farm cultivation, and US-based factory-scale extraction. The company supplies industrial partners (fashion brands, denim mills, garment dyehouses) with bulk natural indigo powder, paste, and the proprietary IndiGold® pre-reduced liquid indigo, while also selling smaller-scale natural dye products, kits, and dye assists to independent makers and at-home dyers through e-commerce.
Is Stony Creek Colors a public or private company?
Stony Creek Colors is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Stony Creek Colors founded?
Stony Creek Colors was founded in 2012. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Stony Creek Colors based?
Stony Creek Colors is headquartered in Springfield, United States, in the North America region.
How does Stony Creek Colors make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Natural Indigo Dye Sales (Industrial) is the primary driver. The others are natural Dye Products (Artisan/DTC), indiGold Product Line and affiliate Program Revenue.
Who are Stony Creek Colors's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Botanical Colors, Hansa Textile (formerly Hansa Indigo) and Natural Indigo Co.. Emerging players are Colorifix, Huue, Dyecoo, Beyond Surface Technologies and Pili Bio. Broad incumbents are Archroma and Longsheng Group.
Does Stony Creek Colors have an API?
No public API is recorded for Stony Creek Colors.
What industry is Stony Creek Colors in?
Stony Creek Colors's product category is Plant-Based Natural Dyes. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAGAGAJ, Dye & Tannin Crop Farming (Indigo, Annatto, Wattle), with a secondary code of AFAJAEAF, Color Blends & Formulation Systems (Standardized Blends, Shade Matching). Its NAICS code is 32513 and its SIC code is 2890.