Coatings
Design meets Sustainability
BASF Trend Color REVERENCE DARKNESS wins the MATERIALICA Design + Technology Award 2025 in the category Material
What if the tires that once drove us forward could continue their journey in a new form. REVERENCE DARKNESS by BASF Coatings embodies exactly that idea.
By using recycled tire materials as a carbon black source, this color brings materials from the car back to the car. Each hue becomes a statement of resilience and resourcefulness - transforming end-of-life tires into a symbol of sustainability.
This color tells a story of renewal and rebirth, showing that the path to a sustainable future lies not only in reducing consumption but in reimagining waste as a valuable resource.
The MATERIALICA Design + Technology Award is the leading and only competition worldwide at the intersection of materials, design, and technology. As materials become lighter, stronger, and more sustainable, the award bridges the gap between classic design and technology competitions – celebrating innovations that combine performance, aesthetics, and environmental responsibility.
At BASF Coatings, we’re proud to see REVERENCE DARKNESS as prototype color from our latest Automotive Color Trend Collection 2025-2026 recognized for pushing boundaries – and demonstrating how innovation and sustainability can move forward together.
When design meets sustainability, a lot of potential can be released—new expertise, new resources for an exciting new value of color. It’s a challenge to adapt to changing conditions and transform the value of color to meet these new demands. We not only offer vibrant and appealing shades but also integrate sustainable aspects into our colors. However, sustainability can often feel abstract. Colors with sustainability attributes make it visible and tactile—colors that are not only beautiful, but also stand for responsibility.
Sustainability attributes that can be adressed through eco-conscious color and material design.
Our commitment to sustainability goes far beyond industry standards. We aim to design colorants that integrate sustainable raw materials and cutting-edge technologies, to deliver solutions that contribute real environmental value
Developed as prototypes with distinct sustainability attributes, these colors represent meaningful progress in applying sustainable Color, Material, and Finish (CMF) design principles to automotive coatings. While not yet in series production, they already showcase how innovation can perform, inspire, and contribute to a more sustainable future.
