Physically robust photonic bandgap (PEG) composites based on electrostatically stabilized polymeric colloidal particles are presented. The glass transition (Tg) of the composites can be varied over a large temperature range through the selection of the monomer(s) used to fabricate the composites. Composites with a subambient Tg exhibited a mechanochromic response and were integrated with a piezoelectric bimorph actuator to produce a prototype device which exhibited a fully reversible tunable rejection wavelength, capable of a ca. ± 86 nm (172 nm full range) stop band shift.