The daughter of a multidisciplinary artist, Maya was immersing herself in weekly art classes at the New York Academy of Art when the pandemic struck. In the midst of this health crisis her curiosity led her to question the ingredients in paint as she considered repainting her home. This inquiry would ultimately alter her future path. Maya and Price first met at a wellness retreat in the remote mountains of New Mexico, bonding over their love for art, design, biophilia, color theory, naturopathy and a shared belief in the transformative power of creativity and innovative thinking. When Maya sought a co-founder to shape Alkemis Paint’s creative vision, Price was the natural choice. United by their commitment to creating healthier homes and a healthier planet, they embarked on this journey together – laying the foundation for Alkemis Paint.

Alkemis Paint is the first wellness paint to be available in North America. Can you share what inspired you to focus on wellness and sustainability in the development of your paint formulations?

As conscious consumers who care deeply about the planet, as well as our own health, we had already been making thoughtful choices around eating organic food, using clean skincare and non-toxic products in our homes. After 3 ½ years of research and development, the deleterious aspects of the existing paint industry became incontrovertibly clear, including harmful production practices, dependency on petroleum products, negative environmental and health impacts, plus an end product that is difficult to dispose of, recycle and store. Additionally, we learned that paint is the largest contributing source of microplastics in the world’s oceans and waterways, 1.9 million tons of paint end up in our oceans and waterways annually (outweighing all other sources of microplastics), plastic-based paint makes up approximately 95 percent of the global market and paint production uses over 90 million metric tons of petroleum per year. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has ranked indoor air pollution among the top 5 environmental threats to health. The EPA evaluates that the average person receives 72 percent of their chemical exposure at home. Interior paint is one of the most significant sources of indoor air pollution. We knew that we had to do better!

Many paints on the market contain harmful chemicals and plastics. Please share how you’ve successfully created a completely non-toxic paint, free of VOCs without using synthetic pigments, plasticizers or preservatives?

We did many years of research and development, hiring chemists, feasibility experts and chemical engineers to understand how to bring a best in class, hand-crafted, premium mineral paint to market. The fundamental difference and way to measure the quality of a paint is its binder. The binder in particular divides the world of paints into two fundamental directions: mineral and petrochemical technology. The latter uses binders based on polymers, i.e., plastics, which are produced from crude oil in environmentally harmful and energy-consuming synthesis processes, while Alkemis uses sustainable raw materials and clear quartz as its foundational layer, with proprietary mixes of artist-quality earthen pigments. These pigments harken back to, utilize and celebrate some of the original earthen pigments – including ochres, oxides, lazurite (ultramarine), cobalt, spinel and antimony – that have been used since the dawn of paint creation and artistic practices. The microcrystalline surface creates a luxurious velvet matte finish with an incredibly high light reflective value that uniquely interacts with light throughout the day. Our hand-crafted mineral-based paints are unique in that they are free from toxic synthetic pigments, Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), Hazardous Organic Pollutants (HAPs), Alkylphenol Ethoxylates (APEs), Prop 65 ingredients, plasticizers/phthalates, preservatives, biocides/fungicides/mildewcides and solvents – making the product safe for all living beings.

Gaining certifications such as Cradle to Cradle is a significant achievement. Can you tell us what other certifications you have and what they mean for Alkemis Paint? We'd also love to know which ones you hope to gain in the future, and how it sets you apart from other paint brands?

As one of the only Cradle to Cradle Certified® paints in North America, Alkemis Paint adheres to a green business model by sourcing sustainable ingredients from a 350-mile radius and purposely minimizing waste. Our company is committed to the use of environmentally-friendly, healthy and recyclable materials, a climate-friendly and responsible production process, and the use of renewable energy, while providing elevated quality that contributes to the health of the consumer and our home planet. Unlike other certifications, which tend to focus on a singular measure of sustainability, Cradle to Cradle Certified® assesses all aspects of product design and manufacturing by evaluating a product’s performance across five categories: Material Health, Product Circularity, Clean Air and Climate Protection, Social Fairness, and Water and Soil Stewardship.

In addition, Alkemis Paint is one of the only paint companies in the US that fulfills all five covenants of the Mindful Materials Common Materials Framework and the American Institute of Architects Materials Pledge. Due to Alkemis’s stringent environmental standards, the products are contributory to LEED Certification Points, WELL Building Standard Points and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and are certified by Parsons Healthy Materials Lab, meeting their rigorous product evaluation requirements. We are also compliant with the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and South Coast Air Quality Management District (South Coast AQMD). The company is proudly women-owned, made in the USA, the products contain no PROP 65 ingredients and the manufacturing process is 100 percent emission-free.

You’ve mentioned that Alkemis Paint incorporates holistic design principles such as color theory and neuroaesthetics. Could you explain how these elements are reflected in your color palette and why they’re important for wellbeing?

Our core collection has 119 unique colors, plus an Interior Mineral Primer. Our color palette is broken down into ‘Elemental’ collections, inspired by four elements of earth, water, air and fire, which are a central part of alchemy and the classical elements of nature. With a comprehensive palette spanning the spectrum of possible colors made solely from all-natural, mineral-based artist-quality crystalline pigments, Alkemis Paint offers an array of luminous and pleasing colors from whites and neutrals to calm, muted hues and intensely concentrated, bright pigments. Each of the colors, tints and shades has been hand-selected and curated based on our combined color theory experience and the latest in interior design trends and neuroaesthetics, while also focusing on filling in gaps in the interior paint market. Our functional wellness pigments (including hematite, goethite and chromite) may help raise the vibration and improve the air quality inside one’s home, absorb and neutralize chemicals, emit positive ions, reduce stress levels and boost one’s mood.

In addition to being non-toxic, Alkemis Paint also offers practical benefits like being UV stable, weather-resistant, and mold-resistant. Can you explain how these features contribute to creating healthier living environments?

Alkemis Paint’s mineral formula is vapor permeable and naturally high in pH, which makes it virtually impossible for mold and fungi to grow without the need for chemicals like fungicides and biocides which are commonly found in conventional paints. Often mold forms in homes because we effectively wrap our walls with an impenetrable barrier of plastic paint. Mold spores can trigger asthma, MCS, allergies, other respiratory and health issues, and compromise indoor air quality. Additionally, all of our paints use mineral pigments that are UV stable and resist fading, discoloration, and breakdown when exposed to sunlight. This not only keeps walls looking fresh for many years but it also prevents the release of microscopic particles or fumes that can occur when degraded paints start breaking down. Alkemis Paint does not off-gas during the application or curing process, unlike conventional pants which can off-gas for up to 10 years.

Sustainability is clearly central to your mission. Could you tell us more about the materials and production used in Alkemis Paint, such as using the raw materials and clear quartz as its foundational layer and adding pigments, and how the brand addresses both environmental concerns and durability?

We always say… would you rather paint your home with plastic or rock? It seems intuitive which will last longer and be better for the environment. Our paint will last 20+ years, double the amount of time as the average conventional acrylic latex paint. Longer renovation cycles don’t only contribute to cost savings but also lower environmental impact associated with manufacturing, transporting, and applying paint repeatedly over the years. It is also Class A certified fire resistant because rock doesn’t burn. Alkemis’s formula comes from the same minerals that make up the crust of the earth, they are both plentiful and abundant. Conventional paints use 94m metric tons of fossil fuels on an annual basis. That’s an awful lot of fossil fuels to use just to paint your walls.

Feature Image: Custom Color courtesy of Alkemis Paint

Photography: Alkemis Paint, Joe Kramm