"My liking for bright colours proved to be a bit of a disadvantage on the paint front. Most 'green' paints, which avoid the petrochemical solvents that give off toxic emissions, come only in earthy colours, albeit lovely ones.
But Nutshell Paints has a linseed and citrus peel-based oil glaze, all natural, in some bright shades. The children’s bathroom has a sea-like effect on the walls and ceiling, which I think is wonderful. And I have some royal blue pigment still waiting to be used on one of the bedrooms."
Julia Hailes MBE is an environmental and sustainability consultant. She is writing The New Green Consumer Guide, to be published next year.
Beautiful eco paints and wood finishes, such as ……… Nutshell paints (www.nutshellpaints.co.uk), are far healthier and can also lower your carbon footprint by as much as 30 kg in comparison to using normal paint.
Red Pepper Guerilla Guides
"I suffered no allergic reactions whilst applying the paint or afterwards and I am prone to headaches and other allergy symptoms when using conventional paints."
Sally Hall (Building For A Future Magazine, Autumn 1997)
NUTSHELL paints are unlike any conventional paints because they are made from natural plant oils, resins and minerals that are healthier to use and better for the environment. As the NUTSHELL Emulsion Paints are completely free from toxic emissions, they allow surfaces to breath and improve indoor air quality considerably. They are virtually odour free, cover well and look fabulous.
Nutshell Natural Paints is a smaller range, produced in Devon. Although the brand was launched as an environmental alternative to conventional paint, Nutshell's founders attribute its success to its fashionable range of mineral pigments
The Guardian May 2004
“Nutshell ones were particularly fun because they supplied me with paint pigment, which was mixed with a glaze made from delicious sounding ingredients like plant oils and citrus peel. The smell was still quite powerful but the effect in the children's bathroom has appealed to me so much that I have decided to paint my sitting room with paint from Nutshell.”
Julia Hailes MBE November 2005
NUTSHELL Earth & Mineral pigments have a different quality from synthetic dyes as used in conventional paints. They improve colour perceptivity and gives aesthetic pleasure. The subtle variations in colour and light reflectivity create a richer visual experience.
Environmentally friendly: Casein, or milk paint, was used on woodwork and furniture in America in the 16th through 19th centuries. Created by tinting buttermilk or skimmed milk with earth or vegetable pigments and citrus juice, the paint was prized because it dried to a subtle sheen. There are several companies re-creating the old formula. They include the Old Fashioned Milk Paint Co. of Groton, Mass., and Nutshell Natural Paints in England
Los Angeles Times, January 2004
“Conventional paints can emit an alarming array of noxious gases, including known carcinogens such as toluene and xylene.”
Lauren Steadman report: “Glossing over the facts”
Nutshell Natural Paints were identified in this report as among the “overall best buys because they contain no alkyl phenols, acrylic or vinyl”