StarBrite

Starbrite Colors has been a well-known brand in the tattoo industry since the early 1990s. However, few people know about the interesting history of the company and its subsequent demise in the mid-90s.

Starbrite Colors Tattoo Ink was created by Michael Nicholson (a tattoo artist also known as Papillon), Carol Landry, and Tommy Ringwalt Sr. in the early 1990s. The inks were well received by the tattoo industry due to their signature formula, which created amazing colors that remain vibrant and true to their original shade. In the mid-90s, disagreements between the three owners prompted Tommy Ringwalt Sr. to create his own company, Tommy’s Supplies. Michael Nicholson and Carol Landry continued to manufacture and distribute Starbrite through the original Papillon Tattoo Supplies.

Tommy's Supplies and Papillon Tattoo Supplies retained the rights to the Starbrite trademark. Over the years, Tommy's and Papillon would introduce subtle differences in their labels, bottle caps, brand logos, and even the way they spelled Starbrite: Papillon would spell it «Starbrite» while Tommy's would spell it «StarBrite» with a capital B. Needless to say, this was all very confusing for the consumer, and we at UkrainianTattooSupply have dealt with our fair share of customer inquiries asking why their labels looked different than those purchased from another supplier.

Michael Nicholson passed away in 1998, and Carol Landry continued to run Papillon Tattoo Supplies. Much of the original staff that manufactured and sold Starbrite for decades still works there. In 2001, Tommy Ringwalt Sr. partnered with Carol Landry again at Papillon in an attempt to work things out. However, this arrangement only lasted 3 years and the partnership was dissolved in 2004. Carol Landry continued with Papillon Tattoo Supplies and Tommy continued with Tommy’s Supplies. During this time, Tommy Ringwalt Jr., Ringwalt Sr.’s son, took over Tommy’s Supplies. Since then, each respective owner has developed several new colors and labeling systems that further differentiate themselves from each other’s products. The FDA recognizes both owners of Starbrite.

Today, Starbrite is one of the most recognizable tattoo ink brands in the industry. It has a long history of creating beautiful tattoos with a high degree of safety. It is also one of the most widely copied brands in China, which also adds to the problem of tattoo ink being made by two companies using different labels and bottles with the same formula. However, other than the annoying task of explaining to people why the labels may look different depending on which supplier you buy it from, we really enjoy spreading the brand!