Green Chemistry Innovation Case Study: Yolo Colorhouse
Virginia Young and Janie Lowe are painters with an innate eye for color and design. But it was the pair’s desire for safer, less toxic paints that made them entrepreneurs. Formed in 2005, their self-proclaimed “indie” Yolo Colorhouse paint company strives for a “more colorful and less volatile” world, with ten employees producing paint that is both eye-popping and environmentally responsible.
Unfortunately, not everyone in the paint world shares this vision. Many paints and coatings contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) like glycol ethers which act as solvents and allow paint to spread more easily. While effective, exposure to VOCs can result in short and long term health hazards ranging in severity from fatigue to cancer. Indoor application of paints containing VOCs multiplies exposure, with concentrations of the dangerous chemical as much as ten times higher in indoor versus outdoor settings according to the EPA.
How green chemistry was used by Yolo:
Virginia and Janie started looking for healthier paint options after experiencing headaches and sore throats on the job. Frustrated by the lack of safe alternatives on the market, they partnered with a university researcher and toxicity consultant to develop their own prototype. That six month collaborative process has turned into a seven year business offering more than 90 different colors. Today, Yolo Colorhouse is fully committed to green chemistry practices that ensure its products are free from VOCs and harmful chemicals like carcinogens and formaldehyde from the very beginning of the manufacturing process.
Benefits of using green chemistry:
Local sales of the environmentally friendly, non-toxic paint line have been strong. However, expanding the scale and reach of Yolo’s market has proved challenging. Like other “green” products, non-toxic paints represent a relatively small share of the market. Janie and Virginia believe that increasing consumer awareness about indoor air quality and the health impacts of toxic chemical exposure are crucial towards strengthening demand for safer, more effective paint products.
As of April 2011, Yolo Colorhouse paints are available through a national home improvement chain’s west coast stores. The profit Yolo makes on these sales will be significantly lower than in specialty retail locations, but Yolo hopes that higher sales volume and access to a national market will be part of the tipping point towards consumers choosing paints that are just as healthy for the heart as they are pleasing to the eye.
