ABOUT US
Pigmenta Works is a company dedicated to the extraction, refinement, and transformation of natural earth pigments. Working primarily with iron-rich ochre recovered from Danish water treatment plants, the studio reclaims what is typically considered industrial waste and reintroduces it as a refined and contemporary material resource.
Rooted in processes that have been carried out for more than a thousand years, Pigmenta Works combines historical pigment-making techniques with controlled modern production.
Through drying, crushing, washing, decantation, firing, and milling, raw sediment is transformed into stable mineral pigments in tones ranging from warm earth reds and deep browns to violet hues. Each batch reflects both its geological origin and the specific firing conditions applied.
The studio operates at the intersection of craft, material research, and circular resource thinking — positioning pigment not only as color, but as a cultural and geological material.
Thomas Woltmann (b. 1993, Denmark) is a designer and material researcher working with natural resources, local production systems, and material narratives. Educated at Design Academy Eindhoven and The Royal Danish Academy, his practice explores how regional materials — both tangible and intangible — can be recontextualized through contemporary design.
Through Pigmenta Works, Woltmann investigates ochre as both a historical pigment and a byproduct of modern infrastructure. By recovering and refining iron sediments from water treatment plants, he connects industrial processes with craft-based production, creating pigments that carry geological, ecological, and cultural significance.
His work seeks to strengthen the relationship between material, place, and production — revealing value where it is often overlooked.