Colorshop Color Consultancy Product Advice Blog

Eco-Friendly Paints? How to Ask the Right Questions

Article 1 of 6 in the series "Sustainable Color" by Dr. Katrin Trautwein

Nicht nur schön, auch gesund und ökologisch - Farbe als Haut der Architektu

Every year, the global construction industry processes 25 million tons of paints and coatings. Despite the thin layers, paints and coatings define the appearance and impact the ecological footprint of the architecture. They affect maintenance cycles and the service life of building components, so they should be included in any holistic sustainability assessment.

Paint Colors as an Underestimated Aspect

Current sustainability assessments focus on insulation, energy supply, lighting, window quality, and load-bearing structures. Paints and coatings, on the other hand, are usually considered incidental, with thin layers and no structural relevance. However, this view is too narrow because colors and coatings are ubiquitous. They are used on facades, interior walls, furniture, wood, and metal surfaces. They structure rooms, create contrasts, influence how people move, use, and redesign the spaces. They are much more than mere decoration and their impact on ecology is generally underestimated.

Paints and coatings influence physical properties, such as:

the indoor climate,

moisture build-up and mold formation,

lighting requirements;

surface temperature;

seepage water;

soil quality;

maintenance cycles;

the service life of components;

renovation cycles;

the CO2 footprint.

Paints and coatings are not just trim; they are the skin of the architecture. One example: superior exterior paints promote biodiversity in topsoil through low-emission formulations that balance the acidity of the soil by virtue of alkaline binders, such as lime or water glass.

Titanfreie Fassadenfarben leuchten mehr udn sind nachhaltiger als konventionelle Mineralfarben

Tip: Choose paints made without titanium dioxide

Despite its significant environmental disadvantages, titanium dioxide remains the most widely used pigment worldwide for economic reasons. Even small amounts create an unnaturally bright, flat surface, and its production and disposal significantly impact the environment.

Titanium-free paint formulations such as the one shown here have a deep, luminous appearance indoors and out. Facade paints based on these formulations evenly chalk over decades, and alkaline binding agents improve the soil quality. Repainting is often only necessary after decades. This approach is not only more environmentally friendly, but also makes economic sense in the long term. Our kt.KALK and Emulsion Titanfrei formulations are always titanium-free formulations.

Pigments Matter!

Do you know which pigments are in your paints? They account for 80% of the dry paint volume, but they are almost never specified. Manufacturers use terms such as inspired by nature or organic pigments in their advertising. But what's in the pail? It's worth taking a closer look.

Inspired by Nature is a marketing phrase that indicates that the HUES imitate nature. The PAINTS are not natural.

Organic Pigments sound great - but they are petrochemical products with a high CO2 footprint, not eco-friendly pigments at all.

Mineral paints contain inorganic, synthetic color pigments. Even if it sounds like it, mineral paints and mineral pigments are not natural pigments at all.

Paint made with tints and mixing machines ALWAYS process only synthetic, industrial pigments. They are standardized and generally require biocides that damage the environment.

Ocker bietet seit Menschengedenken Schutz und Schönheit

Tip: Choose paints made from natural pigments

Paints made from raw earth pigments and semiprecious stones, such as natural ochre, will always look harmonic - like wild flowers - and be safe in terms of health and the environment. If you prefer stronger, less earthy colors, mineral pigments are useful and eco-friendlier than organic pigments. If you give preference to paints made by hand in an artisan venture, the will be free of microplastics, forever-chemicals and biocides, since kt.COLOR and other artisan paint manufacturers use raw, dry pigments, not standardized tinting mixes.

Transparenz und Offenheit prgen die Arbeit und die Haltung bei ktCOLOR

However, many companies falsely claim to be artisan manufacturers. Check their websites. Photos of smiling men in aprons holding lids next to cans on a conveyor belt are sure indications of industrial, tinted mixtures. Natural pigments do not work with automated tinting equipment or large batches, such as the ones that require conveyer belts for filling tins. Ask about ingredients. If someone tells you that it is proprietary know-how, do not buy it. Buy local. Be informed. You are going to be living in those walls for a long time.

Paint: Small Volume, High Impact

Although paints and coatings account for only a small proportion of building materials in terms of volume, their environmental impact is significant:

Preservatives enter wastewater through abrasion, leaching, or evaporation.

Forever chemicals (e.g., PFAS) accumulate permanently in the environment. They are in many designer paints. There are no labeling requirements.

Biocides in facade paints disrupt sensitive ecosystems via rainwater and impair soil quality.

Solvent-based coatings emit VOCs, which damage the atmosphere. Less well known is that acrylic binders and organic pigments are based on petrochemical hydrocarbons that cause emissions during disposal. Most premium paints are based on these chemicals (which is why they are so keen to declare themselves “inspired by nature”).

Green? Or Greenwashing?

In the paint industry, terms such as eco-friendly, bio and natural are not legally protected. Anyone can use them regardless of the product's actual composition. Therefore, it is important to ask questions. Choose manufacturers in your region who are transparent, provide expert information, and are willing to tell you about or show you the raw materials they use. If your questions remain unanswered, then it's time to switch manufacturers.

General Guidelines:

Lime, Glue and Silicate paints do not contain biocides and are most sustainable. Shown: kt.COLOR silicate paint Cyprus Umber 272 Medium

Paints made from raw, dry pigments can be produced without biocides. They are ideal for allergy sufferers but cannot be stored. Ask us for a quote!

Ask whether the manufacturer tints or hand-crafts the paints using dry pigments. Tints are always made with synthetic pigments.

Diffusionsoffene Wände, leuchtende Flächen, dauerhatfe Schönheit mit der richtigen Farbe

Our Commitment to Natural Pigments

in der Farbmanufaktur ktCOLOR werden Farben wie Gourmet-Gerichte hergestellt

Our products meet the highest aesthetic and ecological standards. All of our paint colors are zero- or low-emission, microplastic-free, and free of "forever chemicals." They can be used for children's rooms and for toys. They are hand-crafted for the simple reason that natural pigments cannot be standardized. Upon request, we will produce our Emulsion and Satinée paints from scratch without biocides or titanium dioxide. kt.KALK (lime paints) and our Silikat paints are made with no added biocides (preservatives).

Transparency is part of our philosophy. Anyone interested in learning how our paint colors are made on-site in Switzerland is welcome to join our free factory tours, which include a color-talk by our founder, Katrin Trautwein. We look forward to introducing you to the world of natural pigments and paint colors.

Katrin Trautwein

Published June 2025

Shopping Cart