High-quality paint that’s better for the planet

Paint Zero

This fossil-fuel-free paint comes as a powder, reducing waste and unnecessary plastic packaging

Spotted: Many people do not give much thought to the sustainability of the paint on their walls, but perhaps they should. Although the use of lead binders in paints was phased out beginning in the 1960s, in many paints lead was replaced by fossil-fuel-based plastic (acrylic). This has resulted in a number of environmental issues, including chemical outgassing and microplastics leaching into soils and water from paint waste.

Paint Zero has developed a solution that resolves the three most serious problems that arise from every repainting project: harming the climate, harming human health, and polluting land and sea. The company’s paint is 100 per cent toxin- and fossil-fuel-free. It uses a plant-based formula and is shipped as a powder, reducing the weight, size, and waste associated with traditional liquid paints by around 75 per cent.

To use the paints, users simply mix the powder with tap water.  Users are able to mix only what they need, reducing waste and cans of half-used paint hardening in sheds and basements. Mixing only what you need also ensures fresh, consistent colour and makes it easy to adjust the viscosity for different surfaces and application methods. The powder will last for years and comes in more than 80 colours.

Shipping paint as a powder also allows for compact packaging, simplifying logistics and storage. Any leftover liquid paint can be mixed with absorbent materials like cat litter or sawdust and it will bio-compost with garden or household waste. The packaging is resealable, recyclable, and biodegradable, and uses a vegetable-based plastic lining.

Recently, Paint Zero was chosen to join the Amazon Sustainability Accelerator, a 10-week programme including expert-led workshops, mentorship, a €12,000 equity-free grant, and $10,000 in AWS Activate Credits. Creative Director Claire Cunningham told Springwise that the company is also working closely with bio-tech and health research centres to “expend the benefits of Paint Zero in improving air quality and cutting the transmission risks from pathogens, viruses, and bacteria.”

Written By: Lisa Magloff