Vegan Paint

By Chloe Bullock of Materialise Interiors

When buying paint, I’m sad to say that you need to check whether both the end product AND its ingredients are tested on animals (yes ­ it’s STILL happening). And frustratingly, some manufacturers say their paints are vegan ­ but when you ask if that covers the ingredients as well as the end product, it can be difficult to get a straight answer.

These are the questions I ask; ­they aren’t difficult, but not all companies can answer them.

• Is the product tested on animals?

• Are the ingredients of the product tested on animals?

• Are there animal products in this paint?

• Does the owning company test other products on animals?

Some paint suppliers might say they are vegan but work to their own definition of vegan ­usually that the end product is not tested and contains no animal­-derived ingredients. It can be difficult getting a clear answer as to whether the ingredients are tested on animals or not. I’m all for working with manufacturers to change their ways rather than wagging my finger at them, but I really don’t like dishonesty. We don’t accept animal-tested ingredients in our toiletries and cleaning products, so why should we in paint? My background is in designing for The Body Shop head office during the Anita days, so you’ll understand why I am so passionate about it.

Then there’s the issue of the use of petrochemicals. If this is a concern to you, there are suppliers you can use, but it starts to get limited and colour­-matching can get a bit long­-winded. It is possible (by sending a sample in to the head office), but ifyou are in a hurry you will be working to the standard colours available.

If you’re interested in the circular economy, there are great initiatives like recycled paint available, diverted from landfill. Don’t forget that you can recycle metal paint cans at most household waste recycling centres, so that might influence your decision when looking at paint in plastic containers.

Resources: I use the The Good Shopping Guide and I’m lucky to have people I can collaborate and share my findings with. Ethical Consumer magazine are doing a feature on paint in their April/May issue, which should also give excellent guidance.

That last thing to thing to consider is brushes. Just as the use of animals is out­moded in other areas like fabrics, we don’t need wool or mohair rollers or animal hair brushes for product performance. I spoke to a salesperson at a local trade paint counter, and he confirmed this. Pay more and you get better quality, but synthetic alternatives are just as good ­- in fact better, as they are easier to clean and are cruelty­free. SM

About Chloe and Materialise Interiors

Chloe Bullock is a BIID Registered Interior Designer® at the British Institute of Interior Design – the pre-eminent professional organisation for interior designers in the UK. She is the first interior designer in the UK to be VEGANDESIGN. ORG CERTIFIED™ - the global accredited course and community set up by Deborah DiMare. In 201 8, she won the Women in Property’ Business Women Excellence Awards, Sussex. Materialise Interiors supports UK businesses and residents in ethical builds and redesigns with a focus on the following: cruelty-free, sustainable and locally sourced, vegan products and the WELL building standard (for spaces designed with health, wellbeing and performance in mind).

Chloe’s career passion was ignited by a post-university experience interning with the visionary Anita Roddick during the heyday of The Body Shop. Anita’s personal ethos imbued in her the original values of what was, at the time, the iconic ethical brand in retail. This lead to 1 0 years of working for the company on ethical global store concept projects globally and an ongoing commitment to environmental awareness, sustainability and cruelty-free materials, which Chloe has translated into her interior design business.

Contact Chloe

materialiseinteriors.com

Phone: (+44)1273 699922

Email: chloe@materialiseinteriors.com

Address: 70 Bonchurch Road, Brighton, BN2 3PH, UK facebook.com/MaterialiseInteriors instagram.com/materialise_interiors