WHY WE REMOVED THE TERM ECO FROM OUR PRODUCT NAMES (BUT ARE NO LESS SUSTAINABLE)

You may have noticed. A while ago we removed the word 'ECO' from the product names of LAB PAINT. However, we remain a sustainable paint label, just as you are used to from us. Why did we change the name and what does it mean in practice? In this blog we explain it.

LAB Wallpaint in Limited Jade no. 479 , Epic Tiger no. 246 and Soft Pillow no. 264 . Photo: @studio22.haarlem

LAB PAINT is a sustainable paint line, developed and produced in the Netherlands. Our paint meets the requirements of various sustainability characteristics. For example, LAB Wallpaint is a matt water-based wall paint that is extremely suitable as a sustainable finish for walls and ceilings that have to meet high quality requirements. The recipe meets the requirements of the French A+ label and the sustainability label BREEAM (HEA 9), which guarantees a clean indoor climate. This makes it safe enough to use in children's rooms and hospitals. Our paint also meets the requirements of the HACCP quality mark, meaning it can be used safely in kitchens. LAB Wallpaint has the following quality marks: Scrub class 1, French A+ label, HACCP quality mark and EN Toys quality mark.

In addition, LAB Wallpaint helps neutralize and significantly reduce formaldehyde levels (a harmful substance in the air). We deliver our paint in recyclable cans and use solar panels during the production of almost all of our paints. This wall paint meets scrub class 1, which makes it long-lasting. In the meantime, we continue to investigate how we can reduce our footprint.

When is something ecological?

Ecological means that a product is in accordance with the natural relationship between an environment and the organisms that live in it. This goes further than just being environmentally friendly. 'Eco' has become a kind of general term that is used by many companies to demonstrate that something is sustainable. By using this term, you quickly give the impression that a product is truly ecological. But if you do further research, it turns out that this word is often used incorrectly. In recent years, we have also learned more about the meaning ourselves and, due to increasing insight, it no longer feels right to use this term. We are now much deeper into the subject than before and are able to make our own judgment. With the knowledge we have now compared to when we first launched LAB PAINT, we would no longer choose to use the label ecological. Despite the fact that nothing has changed in our recipe.

Ensuring quality

In order to guarantee quality, certain additives are added to paint. Think of preservatives to prevent paint from becoming moldy. In addition, certain products contain raw materials to guarantee quality. In LAB Binnenlak, for example, an additive is added to make the paint more resistant to skin grease. Previously, this was a common complaint with water-based paints.

LAB PAINT is also coloured with pigments. These not only ensure the right colour, but also long-term protection of the surface. Synthetic pigments are the most common and are built up from artificial production. The major disadvantage of natural pigments is that they do not last as long and that it is difficult to guarantee a stable colour. The pigments that we use to colour LAB PAINT are extremely durable and colourfast, but not ecological. We are consciously choosing this at the moment, because as a high-quality paint label we want to be able to guarantee consistent quality. Our customers must be able to rely on receiving the LAB COLOUR that they have ordered and that the paint does not discolour.

Because the lifespan of paint with natural pigments is shorter, it needs to be repainted sooner. If you look at what is needed for this (from new paint and painting supplies to the necessary transport movements), this does not benefit the sustainability of the product. As long as natural organic pigments cannot yet meet the quality and properties of our current pigments, they are not yet suitable as a sustainable alternative in our opinion.

LAB Wallpaint in Ibiza Rush no. 966 and Golden Leaf no. 752 . Photo: @atelieroost.amsterdam

How we want to make LAB PAINT even more sustainable

The paint market is very much in motion in the area of ​​sustainability. We believe it is important to continue to make progress in this area and are constantly investigating how this can be done without compromising the quality of the products. Sustainability also means that products last a long time. The new LAB outdoor line is a good example of this. All these products are produced in the Netherlands and have been specially developed for the Dutch climate. As with the rest of the LAB PAINT range, no concessions have been made to quality, so you can expect an extremely sustainable result.

LAB Exterior Paint is modified with a UV filter for maximum gloss retention and weather resistance. This has been achieved by a significant reduction in organic fossil raw materials. The product has a long lifespan; the paint is expected to have a maintenance cycle of approximately ten to twelve years.

We are already well on our way, but we want to continue to develop ourselves and be transparent about the sustainable steps we are taking. It is an ongoing process in which we must always look at how we can become more sustainable, without making concessions to the quality of the paint. We find it important to look at the entire chain and opt for a complete approach from manufacturer to delivery to the customer. We are constantly learning, which helps us to reduce our footprint even further.

Corporate Social Responsibility

LAB PAINT's vision is 'paint your house, colour the world'. We believe it is important to not only colour the world with paint, but also to really contribute to a more beautiful world by doing more. We do our best to do business in a socially responsible way and believe that everyone has a place in society. We consciously choose to outsource certain activities to people with a distance to the labour market, such as filling our sample jars.

To prevent waste and to minimize the waste stream of paint, we occasionally release LAB Second Life. By mixing paint that is left over from, for example, painting color samples and paint that went wrong during mixing, we create a limited edition LAB COLOR and this paint literally gets a second life. So doubly sustainable!

In addition, we try to make a difference worldwide with the LAB PAINT FOUNDATION . For every can of LAB PAINT that is sold, part of the proceeds goes to the foundation. With this we want to make clean and safe (drinking) water accessible to thousands of people by making water installations and the associated infrastructure available in developing countries. We also work on behavioral change, so that the problem is tackled at its core. We do this together with specialized organizations that know the area well and know what is needed locally.

Also read: The self-designed concrete-look shelving unit by Marjolein Bouhuijzen