When an internal or external gallery space needs a new coat of paint, you should be as mindful of what – and from where – you buy as you are when sourcing water colours and the like.  Standard paint emits 25 million tons of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the atmosphere annually due to its chemical make-up, and its waste/leftovers are not particularly environmentally friendly either.

Celtic Sustainables is a supplier of eco-friendly paint as well as natural and sustainable decorating and building materials (and energy-saving products).  The many products it stocks include the clay-based Earthborn Claypaint for walls and ceilings, which is free of VOCs and other harmful emissions; the chalk-based Earthborn Ecopro Matt Emulsion; and the vegan-friendly Auro 321 White Natural Economic Emulsion (see below for more on Auro).

Ethical paint and wallpaper brand Little Greene’s range includes oil-based paints that use vegetable oils without compromising on quality, and wallpaper sourced from certificated sustainable forests with solvent-free paste and non-toxic pigments.  Its paint tins are made using at least 50% recycled steel and can be re-recycled, and the company sources as locally as possible in order to lessen its environmental impact.

General sustainable goods retailer Greenshop has a paint section that features some of the brands listed above as well as its in-house Greenpaint Emulsion, which is made in The Cotswolds from a soya alkyd and is designed for interior walls.  It also stocks Earthborn Casein Paint, which is highly breathable and helps regulate humidity.

Auro, meanwhile, is a paint brand with a corporate philosophy based on ‘future chemistry’, where natural base ingredients are used, rather than harmful ones such as petroleum.  Its natural paints for all decorating applications are made from sustainable ingredients such as castor oil and mineral pigments.  Its tools, such as brushes and dust sheets, are likewise low-carbon-footprint, with the latter being oxo-biodegradable.

Other suppliers include eco-award-winning natural and organic paint brand Lakeland Paints, whose products are not tested on animals and whose users include Greenpeace and the Louvre.

Finally, Natural Paints Online shuns refined oil and materials such as acrylic and latex in favour of the sustainable alternatives, stocking brands including: mineral and renewable crop based Aglaia; mineral silicate based Beeck; and Cornish Lime Limewash.

When an internal or external gallery space needs a new coat of paint, you should be as mindful of what – and from where – you buy as you are when sourcing water colours and the like.  Standard paint emits 25 million tons of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the atmosphere annually due to its chemical make-up, and its waste/leftovers are not particularly environmentally friendly either.

Celtic Sustainables is a supplier of eco-friendly paint as well as natural and sustainable decorating and building materials (and energy-saving products).  The many products it stocks include the clay-based Earthborn Claypaint for walls and ceilings, which is free of VOCs and other harmful emissions; the chalk-based Earthborn Ecopro Matt Emulsion; and the vegan-friendly Auro 321 White Natural Economic Emulsion (see below for more on Auro).

Ethical paint and wallpaper brand Little Greene’s range includes oil-based paints that use vegetable oils without compromising on quality, and wallpaper sourced from certificated sustainable forests with solvent-free paste and non-toxic pigments.  Its paint tins are made using at least 50% recycled steel and can be re-recycled, and the company sources as locally as possible in order to lessen its environmental impact.

General sustainable goods retailer Greenshop has a paint section that features some of the brands listed above as well as its in-house Greenpaint Emulsion, which is made in The Cotswolds from a soya alkyd and is designed for interior walls.  It also stocks Earthborn Casein Paint, which is highly breathable and helps regulate humidity.

Auro, meanwhile, is a paint brand with a corporate philosophy based on ‘future chemistry’, where natural base ingredients are used, rather than harmful ones such as petroleum.  Its natural paints for all decorating applications are made from sustainable ingredients such as castor oil and mineral pigments.  Its tools, such as brushes and dust sheets, are likewise low-carbon-footprint, with the latter being oxo-biodegradable.

Other suppliers include eco-award-winning natural and organic paint brand Lakeland Paints, whose products are not tested on animals and whose users include Greenpeace and the Louvre.

Finally, Natural Paints Online shuns refined oil and materials such as acrylic and latex in favour of the sustainable alternatives, stocking brands including: mineral and renewable crop based Aglaia; mineral silicate based Beeck; and Cornish Lime Limewash.