From the Sector

Carbitex – a leader in flexible carbon fiber composites focused on footwear – announces the appointment of Adrienne Cristofoli as Vice President of Marketing. Cristofoli joins the team as the company enters a major growth phase that will see brand partnerships more than double from 2025 to 2026.

With the foundation established and demand accelerating, Carbitex is now focused on scaling its impact and elevating the role of flex as the next major frontier in footwear innovation. Cristofoli, based in Portland, Oregon, will lead efforts to define Carbitex’s brand voice, amplify brand partners, and drive industry-wide recognition of flex as a critical performance attribute – one that has traditionally been treated as a byproduct of cushioning or stability rather than a performance driver in its own right.

“When we set out to find a marketing leader, we weren’t just looking for the right teammate with the right skillset, we were looking for someone with proven experience in executing unconventional campaigns,” said Junus Khan, President and Founder of Carbitex. “Plenty of candidates resonated with our vision, but Adrienne stood out because she has actually brought technical ideas to market in a bold way that made them resonate. That is rare – and it’s exactly what Carbitex needs as we accelerate.”

Most recently, Cristofoli served as Brand Marketing Director at SAXX Underwear, where she transformed patented innovation into simple, relatable stories that drove awareness and cultural relevance. Prior to SAXX, she spent more than a decade shaping billion-dollar brands like HUGGIES® and Häagen-Dazs®, as well as guiding challenger brands through high-growth phases.

“The opportunity to elevate the importance of flex in footwear – and to use Carbitex’s technology as the platform to tell that story – is incredibly exciting,” said Cristofoli. “Carbitex’s momentum is undeniable, and its technology has the potential to reshape entire industries. I see a tremendous opportunity to make Carbitex as bold and distinctive as its innovation, and to establish it as a household name in the footwear space.”

As a former Division 1 track athlete, Cristofoli brings to Carbitex her competitive spirit and first-hand understanding of what athletes look for in performance. Cristofoli will build out marketing strategy and operations, working closely alongside Carbitex’s product development and sales teams as the company moves into the next chapter.

The ELUCENT project has successfully moved bio-based pigments from laboratory research to industrial readiness, delivering the world’s first plastic-free, toxin-free and fully biodegradable reflective pigment. Funded by Innovate UK, the 18-month collaboration brought together three partners: Sparxell, the University of Cambridge spin-out pioneering plant-based bioinspired colour technology; PANGAIA, the global materials science company applying next-generation innovations to fashion; and the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC), one of the UK’s leading independent research and technology organisations.

Together, they have demonstrated how science, design and engineering can deliver scalable, sustainable alternatives to conventional pigment systems. By combining Sparxell’s pioneering cellulose-based colour platform, PANGAIA’s expertise in design application, and the MTC’s ability to scale processes for industry, the project shows how interdisciplinary collaboration can reduce environmental impact without compromising creativity or performance. Sparxell, founded in 2023 out of the Cambridge laboratories by Dr Benjamin Droguet and Professor Silvia Vignolini, led the technology development. Their patented process uses cellulose, the world’s most abundant biopolymer, to create vibrant colour particles inspired by nature. Unlike conventional pigments, these are free from plastics and toxins and are fully biodegradable.

As design partner, PANGAIA tested the pigments on textiles in collaboration with London-based Orto Print Studio, producing printed fabric prototypes and testing durability. This step bridges lab innovation with real-world applications of these bio-based colourants in fashion and beyond. 

This work is part of PANGAIA’s commitment to supporting next-generation material innovators by bringing to market solutions-driven breakthroughs in material science that transform the environmental impact of fashion and design through purposeful collaborations, merging cutting-edge science with scalable applications.

The Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) ensured the pigments could be scaled beyond the lab, building custom production systems and validating performance at an industrial level. 

The completion of this Innovate UK project ELUCENT marks a step change for sustainable colour. Together, Sparxell, PANGAIA, and the MTC have shown how fashion and technology can join forces to deliver circular, biodegradable alternatives to today’s synthetic pigments. 

Sparxell has successfully transitioned from university research to a technically validated platform, demonstrating significant improvements in pigment formulation, liquid dispersion, and film casting performance. A commercial launch is projected for 2026.