6 eco-friendly paint brands for every home project

Last updated: August 27, 2024

I recently moved to Maine and worked on a home restoration project, which was a lot of work. Our house has a tradition that goes back about 200 years, and it was definitely a fixer-upper.

I removed a lot of wallpaper and ended up with a lot of trash bags full. However, despite the waste, we were able to keep the renovation as sustainable as possible by choosing second-hand furniture and repairing and upcycling many items.

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One thing I often used to transform a space was paint. Did you know that most paint fumes can contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs)?These are chemicals that evaporate easily at room temperature and remain in the air for up to 1 hour after the paint dries. Days may remain toxic.

VOCs increase air pollution and can contribute to petrochemical smog. VOCs can also cause health problems such as headaches, dizziness, and respiratory problems.

If you have a choice, considering VOC-free paints is a good place to start. However, it’s important to know that these paints may still contain other potentially harmful chemicals.

Here are some of my favorite eco-friendly paint options that are not only good for your health but also for the environment.

Which paint is the most environmentally friendly?

The most environmentally friendly paints are those that do not contain VOCs or other harmful chemicals.

Most conventional paints contain VOCs. Below are some common VOCs found in paints.

These are ingredients and chemicals that cause VOCs, so be sure to check the ingredient label and avoid them as much as possible.

If you can’t avoid VOCs for some reason, here are some safety tips.

Make sure the area you are painting is properly ventilated. Open the windows and use a fan. Consider wearing a mask designed to filter out VOCs while painting. To avoid harmful paint fumes, avoid the room for at least 2 to 3 days and up to 72 hours after painting.

Why are paints environmentally friendly?

Whether a paint is environmentally friendly depends on whether it contains natural materials such as chalk, clay, or vegetable oil. Adding color using vegetable dyes and pigments is even more effective.

Many indigenous peoples have used a variety of natural materials to make paint for their homes and cave paintings. Also for body paint. For example, ocher is a traditional medium used by Aboriginal people for 60,000 years.

Ocher is a clay rock that softens with water and produces colors such as brown, yellow, red, white, and orange.

While some eco-friendly paint brands use natural pigments and clays, many are still mostly synthetic (acrylic-based).

However, simply avoiding harsh chemicals such as VOCs can make your paint more environmentally friendly.

In addition, reusing paint you already have or that you have acquired second-hand is an environmentally friendly way to avoid waste. You can also check your local thrift stores to see if they sell used paint at a discount.

Paint brands that use sustainable recycled materials in their packaging are also environmentally friendly.

How bad is latex paint for the environment?

Although latex paints are less harmful to the environment than oil-based paints, they can be toxic to aquatic life and wildlife if flushed down storm drains. It can also contaminate groundwater if dumped on the ground.

It is best to choose water-based paints whenever possible, as they are the best option for the environment.

However, this doesn’t mean you can’t use latex-based paints (there are several eco-friendly paint options that utilize latex). That means you should consciously dispose of latex-based paints by following the steps below. Do not dispose of it in drains or on the ground.

How do I dispose of leftover paint?

No matter what type of paint you use, it’s important to consciously dispose of leftover paint.

One great option is PaintCare, an organization that manages local paint recycling programs in 13 different states. You can bring your leftover paint to a drop-off location or request a drop-off. Separated for reuse, recycling, energy recovery, or safe disposal.

If you don’t live in the PaintCare state, you can consider donating unused and unopened water-based paint to Habitat for Humanity Restore. Habitat for Humanity Restore sells carefully used, discounted construction materials, including paint, from Habitat projects across the country.

Although household paint is not considered hazardous waste, many hazardous waste disposal sites remove paint to ensure proper disposal. For more tips on properly recycling paint, be sure to check out Earth911, which provides helpful recycling guides.

Environmentally friendly paint with GZW approval seal

Here are some brands that sell eco-friendly paints and have earned the Going Zero Waste seal of approval. Some of these brands use recycled content in their packaging or have sustainable certifications.

While we have highlighted some of the key characteristics of each brand, this is not an exhaustive list. Be sure to check out their website for more information.

This is a brand that my interior designer loves and trusts. You can read an interview with her here.

So, what do you think about these eco-friendly paint brands? Let us know in the comments.