HarvesTints

Our product is a home-use machine that extracts pigments from discarded vegetables and fruits to refine them into usable inks for drawing. Research in the EU suggests that consumers discard a substantial amount of vegetables and fruits, amounting to 17.7 million tons, of which 23-28% derive from non-edible parts such as peels and trimmings. Most existing inks, such as those in pens, markers, and paints, contain various chemicals that may cause significant environmental impact during production and disposal. By utilizing discarded vegetables and fruits as raw materials for natural ink production, we aim to address these environmental issues simultaneously. Our intended users are particularly families with young children. We believe that since ink is primarily used for drawing—a common activity among children—this can enhance and deepen parent-child communication. Furthermore, by producing ink from household vegetable and fruit waste and using it for drawing, we hope to provide a playful yet educational way for children to become aware of and learn about environmental issues. The operation of our machine is remarkably simple: just insert the discarded vegetables and fruits into the machine and press the start button. The machine automatically processes these into ink. The main parts of the machine are removable, making it easy to clean by simply rinsing under running water. This design ensures that the machine is not only easy to use but also easy to maintain.