Frequently Asked Questions

Benefits of Natural Earth Paint

Who would benefit from using Earth Oil Paints?

- Oil painters who are sensitive to, or simply want to avoid exposure to solvents (white spirit, mineral spirits, turpentine), heavy metal toxins, petroleum-based pigments, and toxic preservatives.
- Students and teachers in schools and colleges where the practice of oil painting is prohibited because of the terrible-smelling solvents and the heavy metal toxins notorious in readily available paints such as Lead White or any of the cadmium colors.See our Safety page.
- Artists working in shared studio space where the buildup of solvent fumes could lead to an acutely dangerous concentration of vapors.
- Artists who work within a small home environment and wish to reduce the odor of oil painting.
- For travelers, Natural Earth Paints are easy to transport on airplanes since they come in convenient packets of powder that pack easily. Make sure the walnut oil isn't in your carry-on bag, or purchase it separately at a grocery store at your destination.
- Anyone wanting to paint without harming the earth.
-Artists who want more vibrancy and luminosity in their paintings without fillers and preservatives to dull the color.

Why mix your own paint when you can buy pre-made containers of paint?

We believe that the extra step of mixing the powdered paint is well worth the peace of mind of knowing you are using the safest and most sustainable paint on the market. Our children's paint has only 4 ingredients, and the powdered pigments in the oil paint kits contain only one ingredient. Most pre-made paints on the market contain a variety of chemical stabilizers, petrochemicals, fillers, and preservatives. That's the "fast food" approach that the mainstream paint industry believes that consumers demand.

What makes Natural Earth Paint more eco-friendly than conventional paints?

Our Ingredients: We source our pigments and natural ingredients from businesses across the globe, but they have plenty in common—each one is small, family-owned, and harvests its ingredients sustainably.
Our Safety Testing: Our paints, pigments, and supplies have been tested by government-certified labs and are third party tested. They are labeled in accordance with ASTM D4236-94(2021). We take every precaution in selecting safer alternative ingredients when formulating our paints.
Our Packaging: We use 100% post-consumer recycled packaging, home-compostable pigment pouches, and recyclable glass and aluminum bottles for our products.
Our Facilities: We operate out of a solar-powered facility in Southern Oregon that also serves as a community drop-off site to reuse packaging materials. Additionally, all our kit boxes are created in a wind-powered facility.
Our Certifications: We’re committed to a truly eco-friendly business model as reflected by our prestigious Gold certification from Green America, the highest rank for a green business.
Our Contributions: We believe being eco-friendly means not only creating a sustainable business, but also a sustainable world.

Safety & Quality

Do the Children’s Earth Paints wash off of skin, furniture, clothes, etc.

YES! Our paints wash off of skin very easily. It's also easy to clean hardwood floors, even over a month-old spills (you can imagine how we know this). The red colour contains iron oxides that leave light pink stains on white clothing. The paints wash off of skin and furniture so well that I let my child paint without clothes and don’t put down anything to protect the floor or table since it wipes up in a few seconds.

Where do you find the ultramarine blue and ultramarine purple pigment?

The blue and purple pigments are the only colours that have been fired and manipulated to get this vibrant colour. It is composed of 90% earthen clay and 10% man-made, non-toxic minerals, and it is heated in an oven to a high temperature. Throughout history, blues in nature were very rare and usually made with precious stones like Lapis Lazuli. These stones are now unsustainably harvested in Afghanistan, so we have found this beautiful and non-toxic alternative.

Where are your paints made?

We purchase our pigments from small quarries all over the world (U.S., France and Italy) - depending on where that colour pigment is prevalent in the ground. We manufacture our paints in Ashland, Oregon.

Have these paints been tested for health safety?

Yes, all of the paints and pigments have been tested by government certified toxicologists and certified completely non-toxic. See our Health & Safety page.

Do you have a non-toxic fabric paint that is permanent and won’t wash out?

We do not at the moment, although many people buy our pure, natural pigments and mix them with clear acrylic medium (although acrylic medium is not natural at all) for a permanent fabric paint. Our children’s paint works great on fabric but will wash out.

Do you have a non-toxic varnish?

We have a Natural Beeswax Varnish recipe for painted wood items (not oil paintings) - blog link here. We are in the process of formulating our own Natural Varnish recipe for oil paintings - coming soon!

What is the Titanium Dioxide made of?

Titanium dioxide occurs in nature as the well-known mineral, Rutile. Rutile is the second most abundant mineral sand. It has been processed to extract the pure white mineral that we use in our paint kits.

Is it toxic to breathe the pigment dust before mixing it into oil paint?

It is not healthy to breathe any type of dust into your lungs, even if it is non-toxic and natural, like our pigments or even dust from a dusty, dirt road. Avoid creating clouds of dust when mixing your paint. If you simply scoop out pigment onto a palette and mix with oil, no dust will be created. Some people who are extra sensitive or concerned about dust can wear a Niosh certified mask and that will protect you completely.

Are your products free of nuts, dairy or gluten for people with allergies?

None of our products contain gluten. Most of our products do not contain nuts or dairy. The bottles of refined walnut oil for oil painting kits is made from nuts but it is not processed in our facility. The Earth Flag Craft Kit contains dairy (milk-paint) but can be made vegan if requested.

Can you eat them?

Our paints are not intended for consumption.

Are your products vegan?

Yes, all of our products are vegan except for the Natural Face Paint which contains organic beeswax and the Earth Flags Craft Kit which contains milk paint.

Where do your pigments come from?

Visit this link for detailed information about each pigment

How To Use

Can you paint on metal, concrete or exterior surfaces?

For metal, there are several possibilities, you can use an oil based primer on the surface first or prepare the metal in a certain way but there are many opinions on this topic online if you do a quick search. Our oil paints behave exactly like conventional artist oil paints so it’s easy to find info. For concrete, you would also need a proper primer before painting with oils. Once again, a quick google search will give you lots of opinions on this topic. Our paints are not meant for exterior surfaces. They will not hold up to regular rain unless sealed. We do not know of a non-toxic, exterior sealer at this time.

Can I paint my walls with Earth Paints?

Yes, you can paint murals or decorative art on your walls with both the Children's paint and the Earth Oil paint. Remember that the Children's paints are water-soluble, so wet kids' fingers will smear it. Our recommendation is to mix the powdered Earth pigments with wheat paste as the binder. You can see our recipe here. You can also make your own Clay House paint using natural pigments. The step by step tutorial can be found HERE.

Can I dye my clothes?

Yes, some colours are strong enough to dye fabric but dyes require a mordant to set the colour to the fabric and not wash out, many of which are toxic.

Can I paint wooden toys with your paints?

Yes! You can either use the Children's Earth Paint or the Earth Oil Paint. The Children's Earth Paint is a water soluble paint that dries quickly. It is not a professional paint however, so it's not a solid, opaque paint like acrylic but still beautiful. Also, it would need to be sealed with a natural oil/ beeswax varnish since it will rub off if gotten wet. The recipe for the varnish is on our blog. Another option is using the Earth Oil Paint. This will make a very archival, beautiful, professional, non-toxic paint BUT it's oil based so takes 3-4 days to dry to the touch so keep that in mind. Many people use both methods.

How long do the children's paints last once mixed?

Good question! The Children’s Earth paints are best used fresh. We recommend that you mix only as much as you need for one painting session. The paints stay good at room temperature for several weeks if kept in a sealed container (although they will stay good longer if refrigerated).

Can I use Earth Paints as face paint?

Earth pigments have been used by most indigenous cultures to paint their faces and bodies for thousands of years. Native Americans mixed earth pigments with bear fat or other binders. Our Natural Face Paint kits are made with a cosmetic-grade pigments and organic ingredients. However, the Children's paints contain gum arabic and corns starch and they may be drying or irritating to the skin. Some customers still use the children's paints on skin though. Use at your own discretion.

How do I store mixed oil paints & how long do they last once mixed?

For several options, read our blog post on the subject

What is the difference between the Children’s Earth Paint Kit and the Earth Oil Paint Kit?

The Children’s Earth Paint Kit is water soluble, meaning you mix the powdered paint with water, and it cleans up with water. It is intended for children of all ages and adults who enjoy craft projects. The Earth Oil Paint Kit and Complete Eco-friendly Oil Paint Kit are for oil painters. Visual artists and professional artists mix these pure, powdered earth pigments with oil to create essentially the same oil paint that Rembrandt used before tubes of paint were invented.

USING OUR WEBSITE

I know what I want, how do I find a product quickly?

You can use our search bar by typing key words, the name of the product or even the product code (SKU). As soon as you enter more than 3 letters you will start seeing a few relevant results. If you hit the enter key after you entered the search term, you will land on the search results page that shows all relevant products.

Does your website have wish-lists or shopping lists?

Yes. Once logged in you can create shopping lists by going to "My account" then click "Shopping List" to create your first list. From here you can create new lists or view/edit existing lists. Once you have created your list, you may browse for products and add them to the respective list for future reference.

Are your product reviews from real people?

Absolutely, all reviews you can see on our website come from real people that previously bought from us or have used our products beforehand. We promise there are no fake reviews here and you can trust what other shoppers are saying.

PRODUCT AVAILABILITY AND BACKORDERS

The product I would like to buy is out of stock. Can I still buy it?

We like things to be transparent and therefore do not offer the option to buy products that we don't physically stock. This prevents disappointment and frustration. However you may sign up with your email to get a notification once a product is back in stock.

If you are currently logged in, simply go to the products detail page then click the button "Notify me when available". If you are visiting as a guest or are not logged in, please provide your email address then click the button to get notified once a product is back in stock.

I am looking for a product that I can't find on your website

We are always extending our range and are trying to source more environmentally friendly products that fit our eco-ethics.

You might know of products that we are not aware of and we encourage you to let us know about them. Simply get in touch and let us know what they are and we'll try to add them to our website.

ORDERS & PAYMENTS

Which payment methods to you accept?

You can pay for your order by:

- Credit Card. Your payment is securely processed offsite by STRIPE - We don't store any of your card details on our site.
- Poli Payments. This is like bank transfers in real time and requires you to log into your own bank account during checkout
- Afterpay. Allows you to buy now and pay in four instalments over 6 weeks. No interest. Use online and in-store. No fees when you pay on-time.
- PayPal. Can securely process your Credit Card details or you may quickly check out if you already have an existing PayPal account (not required).

Can I change my order after it's been placed and paid for?

Sorry, in general this is not possible. However if you used Credit Card payments through STRIPE and you call us and ask very nicely, we might be able to amend your order :)

Where can I view my previous orders?

If you registered an account with us, you find your previous orders under "My Account" then "Order history and details". Click "Details" to see items contained in your order (you might have to scroll down to see this).

SHIPPING & DELIVERY

When will you dispatch my order?

We aim to dispatch your order the next business day.

How long until I will receive my order?

We make every effort to get your order out as quickly as possible. We use different couriers, depending on where you live. Usually it takes a day or two but please allow up to 4 working days for delivery of your goods within New Zealand.

How much does delivery cost?

Shipping rates

Nationwide: NZ$9.90

FREE SHIPPING for all orders over NZ$130. (Minimum order total needs to be at least $130 inc. GST and exclusive of any discounts. The offer only applies within New Zealand and excludes rural addresses)!

A surcharge of NZ$5.70 applies for all rural deliveries and Waiheke Island (on all orders with a rural delivery address).

Do you offer pick-ups?

Yes. You may select "Local Pick up (from Ngātīmoti, near Motueka, Tasman)" in the checkout process. But please contact us prior so we can let you know when and where your order is ready to be picked up.

How long does it take to ship internationally?

International orders usually take 1-2 weeks for delivery but it varies greatly because of customs – we never know how long packages will be kept in customs. The average shipping time is 5 days-2 weeks.

RETURNS AND REFUNDS

I have received the wrong product(s), now what?

In the unlikely event (we are all human who occasionally make mistakes) we have sent you the wrong product(s), you may return them by visiting our returns and refunds page where everything is explained in detail.

I accidentally ordered the wrong product / size / colour. Now what?

If you ordered the wrong product or you ordered a product in the wrong size/colour by mistake, you may return it by visiting our returns and refunds page where everything is explained in detail.

Who will pay for shipping of return items?

This depends on where the mistake happened:

If you ordered the wrong product or you ordered a product in the wrong size/colour by mistake it is up to you to cover the shipping costs to return the item(s) to us.
For all other cases, we will cover shipping costs and we will email you a return label.

REGISTRATION, LOGIN, ACCOUNT

How do I change or update my address?

First you need to log in then go to "My Account" by clicking on your name (top right). From here, click on "My addresses" to manage your delivery and/or invoice address.

Can I have more than one delivery address on my account?

Yes. You can have more than one delivery address if needed, but make sure you choose the correct one in the checkout process.

Where can I change my password?

Go to the "My account" page, then click on "My personal information" From there, tick the box "I want to change my password".

You will then be prompted to enter your existing (current) password and enter a new one. Make sure you choose a password that is secure, hard to guess and yet easy for you to remember.

What happens if I forgot my password?

If you have completely forgotten your password, you can request it to be reset. To do so, click "Login" top right corner then click "Forgot your password?" You will then be prompted to enter the email address you used to sign up with us then click the "retrieve password" button.

This will then send an email to the provided email with a confirmation link. Once you click that link, a new temporary password will be generated and you will receive another email containing your new password.

You may then change your password to something else, as described in the article above.

Where can I update my personal details (name, email subscription)?

Login to your account, then click "My account". Now go to "My personal information" from where you can change your name and choose if you would like to subscribe to our newsletter.

Do you have wholesale rates?

Yes, contact us for wholesale rates.

LOYALTY AND REWARD POINTS

What are loyalty points and how do I get them?

We have set up a reward points system to appreciate returning customers. For every dollar you spend on our website, you will earn 1 loyalty point*.

The more you buy the more points you earn. You may collect your points and save them up or use them straight away on your next purchase.

*(Points are given based on the product price inclusive of GST, no points are awarded for Gift Vouchers, points are valid for 1 year after a purchase).

More details can be found by clicking here.

What are Product Reviews Rewards and how do I get them?

You may earn rewards by submitting reviews of your purchased products. After approval we will send you a NZ$1 voucher for each submitted review.

This voucher code can then be used on your next purchase (valid for 90 days after your review has been approved).

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