Color Me Better
(Read Part 1 here.)
These days, you can find paints on sale that are low in those nasty volatile organic compounds (VOCs) I just warned you about. But why settle for reduced VOCs when you have several natural or zero-VOC paints on the market? While healthier options can end up being a great deal more expensive, the good news is that growing public awareness and demand is pushing non-toxic materials into the mainstream, with the result that prices can only go down.
The husband of a woman with multiple chemical sensitivity syndrome was recently quoted as saying, “People can build cheap, but it’s very expensive in the long run because of increased doctor bills.” So even though some of the prices I’ve seen send my immigrant gene diving for cover, I have to admit that his statement makes a lot of sense, especially when I’m taking my family’s short- and long-term wellbeing into account. Call me insane (you won’t be the only one), but I just don’t think that’s something that should be at all compromised just so I can afford to buy the latest iPod. (I have a 7-year-old Discman that skips when you jostle it and I’m DAMN PROUD OF IT, OKAY?)
These are just some of the options I’ve discovered (prices may vary with retailer.)
 The Old Fashioned Milk Paint Co. has been making “historic paints” using buttermilk, crushed limestone, and mineral pigments since 1979. Based on methods that can be traced back thousands of years to cave-wall paintings, the Milk Paint formula has been used in the restoration of original Colonial or Shaker furniture, for making antique reproductions, and in historically inspired interior design. Sold in powder form, all you have to do to prime your paint is add water and stir—no toxic ingredients or fumes whatsoever. ($30 per gallon, The Old Fashioned Milk Paint Co.) |
 So good you can eat it on its own? While definitely not for anorexic bank accounts, Anna Sova’s luscious line of paints are 99 percent composed of food-grade ingredients and contain no VOCs. (The company wants you to think of a gallon of its paint as 12 pounds of vanilla truffles—”a bargain!”) A small premium allows you to mix in aromatherapy scents that can have your walls smelling of fresh lemons, creamy vanilla milkshakes, or sandlewood for six months to a year. ($59 per gallon, Anna Sova Luxury Organics) |
 Aglaia Natural Paints, produced by German manufacturer Beeck’sche Farbwerke, are 100 percent natural and are derived from plants and minerals. Free of any chemical solvents, the paints are made from ingredients such as beeswax, carnuba wax, chalk, citrus peel oil, clove oil, mica and talcum. In the interest of full disclosure, Aglia also provides a detailed list of its ingredients on its Web site. ($51.95-$87.55 per gallon/white, Aglaia Natural Paints) |
 Eco-friendly paints, stains, finishes, and cleaners contribute to what BioShield considers a healthy home. Its low-environmental-impact paints are 98 percent made from renewable and naturally-derived raw materials such as citrus peel extracts, essential oils, seed oils, tree resins, inert mineral fillers, tree and bee waxes, lead-free dryers, and natural pigments. ($40 per gallon, BioShield) |
 YOLO Colorhouse’s palette of designer, zero-VOC paints recalls the hues of nature with collection names such as “Air” and “Leaf.” Founded by artists and self-proclaimed “color nerds” Virginia Young and Janie Lowe only a year ago, YOLO is Green Seal-certified, which automatically qualifies their paints for LEED-certified projects. (Update: In late 2006, YOLO released a line of baby-friendly colors, created with young families in mind. Called Little YOLO, you get the same zero-VOC, Green Seal-certified paint, with soft, dreamy palettes for the nursery crowd.) ($37 per gallon, YOLO Colorhouse) |
 Manufactured by a company on a mission to eliminate toxic chemicals and reduce offgassing to a minimum, AFM Safecoat products have a history of use even by the chemically sensitive. Its paint formula also acts as a sealer to thwart any off-gassing beneath the surface from previous coats of paint or building materials. (From $32.90 per gallon, AFM Safecoat) |
 Inspired by ancient Mayan techniques, Green Planet Paints uses renewable, non-toxic clay and mineral pigments, along with a soy-based resin, to create a zero-VOC paint that is as sustainable as it is socially responsible. ($38.50 per gallon, Green Planet Paints)
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Special bonus material:
1. Live in Chicago? You have your own green building-supply company.
2. For natural, soy-based stain removers, paint strippers, wood sealers, stain removers, and cleaners, look to SoyClean’s range of non-toxic products.
3. So you don’t feel left out, New Zealanders and Australians should check out Bio Paints.
The Worsted Witch » Maybe Baby said,
May 9, 2006 at 11:40 pm
[...] 2. Use VOC-free paints. [...]
The Worsted Witch » Color Me Bad said,
November 13, 2006 at 2:31 pm
[...] Next: Low-VOC solutions that won’t paint you into a corner (hur, hur). [...]
The Worsted Witch » Blog Love: Ideal Bite said,
November 13, 2006 at 2:41 pm
[...] Related articles: 1. Mail Call: Nontoxic Shower Curtains 2. Mail Call: Toxic Wood 3. Sleep Tight, Don’t Let the PBDEs Bite 4. Color Me Bad 5. Color Me Better [...]
The Worsted Witch » Sustainable Paint Updates said,
February 16, 2007 at 6:24 pm
[...] I’ve just updated my post on low- or zero-VOC paints to include Green Planet Paints and YOLO Colorhouse’s new baby line. [...]
The Worsted Witch » Oh Baby! Natural Baby Nurseries said,
June 13, 2007 at 7:38 pm
[...] Related posts: 1. EllaRoo Baby Carriers 2. Mail Call: Used Baby Bottles 3. An Eco-Friendly Nursery is a Healthy Nursery 4. Chemical Pollution Harms Kids’ Brains 5. Maybe Baby: Chemicals & Kids 6. Color Me Bad and Color Me Better: Eco-Friendly Paint [...]
Lucy said,
December 4, 2008 at 3:20 pm
Listen, I know this post is old, but I need to tell someone! I do a lot, and I mean a lot, of shopping online. Anna Sova has the WORST e-commerce experience I have ever encountered. Nothing is ever in stock; just try to order a complete set of anything and dress your bed. Utter frustration! When I finally did put a look together and in the sizes I needed, the web page threw me off and declared and error when attempting to finalize the transaction. Did I buy something or did it not go through? I called “Sean” the only person you can get in touch with and after many attempts to reach him, he finally answered and yes, my order did go through. Great. 4 days later, “Uh, Sean, did my order get shipped? I received no email confirmation about anything.” His response, “It appears it was picked, let me go see if it is sitting in back waiting to go out, I’ll call you back.” 3 days later, “Uh, Sean (again to voice mail agent) it’s me again. Did my order go out? I’m going out of town and will need to know what’s up.” 2 voice mails later, “…yes it was shipped. Here is the tracking number.” Input tracking number into UPS search thingy, “INCORRECT TRACKING NUMBER!!!” I called him yet again, and was emailed the correct number indicating it would now be another 10 days before delivery was expected. This on top of numerous errors on the web-site. Honestly, either offer online shopping or don’t, but DO NOT operate your business like this. I will not do any shopping for Anna Sova again, it is simply to difficult, unprofessional and I have a very bad impression of them.