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Architectural CoatingsGreen TechnologyFinished ProductsFinishing Articles

New Paint Company Offers Biodegradable, Vegan and 100% VOC-Free Products

Finished Products
April 2, 2012
Unearthed Paints, a fresh new natural paint company brings a new vision and sustainable reinterpretations to the paint industry with its selection of eco-friendly paints. Crafted with minimally processed natural ingredients such as clay, chalk, lime and Italian marble the paints are biodegradable, vegan and 100% VOC-free.

All Unearthed paints are tinted with earth and mineral pigments; Ochers, Sienna, Umbers, Ultramarines and Spinels. These pigments give the paint a depth and radiance that cannot be achieved by the chemical colorants used in conventional paints. Pigments are shipped in a powder form, extending the life period of the paint and eliminating any chemical preservative. Simply add water and mix. While the pigments are brilliant on their own, they also mix and match with truly inventive and inspiring results.

In keeping with Unearthed Paints’ philosophy to help educate consumers on the benefits of using natural paint, the company is making a bold move by providing full ingredient disclosure for all of its products. While the industry standard is to keep paint formulas and their chemical ingredients top secret, Unearthed products come with a full ingredient list on the front of the labels. A risky move for a small start-up in an industry in which paint formulas are carefully guarded as trade secrets or consist of patented mixes? Maybe. But, it’s a risk that Unearthed is willing to take to remain true to its ideals. Not unfamiliar with the strategies companies employ to profit from their intellectual property, Unearthed Paints owner and attorney Jessica Pfohl insists that these profits come at the consumer’s expense: “You can’t legitimately seek to patent knowledge that has belonged in the public domain for thousands of years. And you can’t expect consumers to believe you when you tell them your product is sustainable and non-toxic if you aren’t willing to tell them what’s in it.”

Clay Paint

Natural white clay provides an exquisite finish using earth and mineral pigments that are blended to create a robust palette that is odorless, non-toxic and 100% VOC-free. A wide spectrum of extraordinary hues can be achieved by mixing the 12 available clay colors or by tinting the white Clay Paint with Unearthed pigments. Clay Paint colors are premixed with pigments and can be used pure for rich, deep colors or mixed in Natural White Clay Paint for subtler, lighter shades. Individual Clay Paint colors can also be mixed together to create shades that are exclusively yours.

Clay Paint contains vegetable casein (vegetable protein) and white clay as binding agents. The combination of these binding agents combines high durability of the coating with a velvet matte surface. Primarily developed for indoor applications, the Clay Paint matte finish is suitable for use on absorbent surfaces such as plaster, stone, concrete, wallpaper, drywall and fibrous plaster boards. Clay Paint is not recommended for certain permanently humid surfaces, including kitchens and bathrooms.

Vega Paint

Redefining traditional milk paint, Vega Paint is made with vegetable casein directly derived from plants, rather than milk casein. Still based on ancient milk paint recipes, Vega Paint has been refined to be dairy free, making this paint more ecological and odor-free compared to traditional milk paints. Made from natural, non-toxic ingredients and 100% VOC-free, Vega Paint is a vegan paint also shipped as a dry powder, is easy to use, wipe-resistant and provides excellent coverage.

Primarily developed for indoor applications, the Vega Paint matte finish is suitable for use on absorbent surfaces such as plaster, stone, concrete, wallpaper, drywall, and fibrous plaster boards. Vega Paint is not recommended for certain permanently humid surfaces, including kitchens and bathrooms.

Lime Paint

Unearthed Paint leverages the natural multiple personalities of limestone with their Lime Paint option. With a proprietary manufacturing process, Unearthed Lime Paint has excellent adhesion and binding compared to other lime paints, essentially becoming a layer of limestone as it hardens on the painted surface. As with all Unearthed products, Lime Paint is made with pure, non-toxic ingredients and 100% VOC free.

Unearthed Lime Paint embraces limestone's versatility with finishes that can work together or stand alone. Lime Paint alone has high light reflecting power, while tinted Lime Paint typically has slight variations in color following the direction of application, creating slightly cloudy look. Lime paint can also be soaped with Marseille Soap following application, creating a slightly glossy surface with increased dirt and water resistance. Lime Paint is also highly alkaline and therefore naturally resistant to fungus and mold growth, making it ideal for bathroom and kitchen applications.

Gecko Paint

Similar to the tropical lizard it is named after, Gecko Paint’s distinctive feature is its ability to cling to almost any smooth surface. Gecko Paint is based on a mixture of waterglasses, commonly referred to as "liquid glass." If exposed to air, it takes carbon dioxide out of the air and literally petrifies onto the surface you applied it to. The specialty of Unearthed Gecko versus any other purely mineral paint is that it can stick to nearly any surface, even glazed tile, thanks to the special mixture of a variety of waterglasses. No other natural paint is as universal, durable and strong as Gecko.

So how does it work? In essence, the binder in Gecko Paint is such a flexible material, that it flows into every little crevice and forms around every unevenness, no matter how small of the surface you paint it on. It develops such a huge contact area that physical adhesion forces bind the materials together permanently. With the same harmonious earth and mineral pigment color palette available as the Vega and Lime Paint collections, with the versatility to mix pigment colors to create a hue uniquely yours. Gecko Paint can be used on a wide variety of interior applications, including kitchen and bathroom, creating a dramatic twist to surfaces.

Plant Glue Paint

Based on traditional distemper recipes, Plant Glue Paint is the most economical choice for low traffic areas, producing a breathable finish that contributes to a positive room climate, in addition to being made with natural, nontoxic ingredients and 100% VOC-free. What's the catch? Plant Glue Paint can easily be washed off the wall again. This is often desired for historic properties, where layers and layers of paint would otherwise hide the intricate Stucco work. For walls that will stay dry, Plant Glue Paint is a very economical and ecological choice. It is available in natural white, which can be tinted with any of the available earth and mineral pigments.

To learn more about Unearthed Paints and its full line of products visit www.unearthedpaints.com.

KEYWORDS: Green Technology Low-VOC

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