Q: Congratulations on an interesting web-site and thank you for recommending us to PaintPlus and Resene Paints for colour charts, etc.  But while reading through your reply to our e-mail the question came to us “Why did you set up the web-site if you are not able to supply eco friendly paints yourself?

A: I set the site up to help get the message out there about the benefits of using eco friendly paints and to mention that there was a paint manufacturer allowing the wool to be pulled over consumer’s eyes when it came to marketing their paints under the "Eco" label.  However that was many years ago now and since then paint manufacturing, across the board, has come a long way, (and that particular paint manufacturer as well!).  In fact, it has come to the point where applying paint is so much safer now than ever before, so we are keen to point people in the right direction and answer any questions about bio/eco paints.  Where once upon a time Nelson was the place to go to get safe paints, these days they are found mostly everywhere (not including the "backyard distributors" in that statement either!).  The 'Environmental Choice Tick' is a good indication of what to look out for if one is in doubt.                                                                                                            

Footnote
In speaking about any paint manufacturer who sells conventional paints as found anywhere in the marketplace, I must point out that their products are very good overall, we are using a variety of them all the time, mainly in the commercial driven market and quite a bit of domestic to. Whenever the opportunity presents itself though, I do indeed look forward to applying biodegradable paints from the Eco Range and so do the team, there’s just something about them that can convert even the 'hardest, 'die-hard' oil base paint user' over to using them!  

But when the client/customer gives us a paint specificaion and whatever brand of paint specified is on it - then that is what we apply.  Even going so far to assure the customer that when we purchase from the 'Brand Name' of whatever paint is specified, that we do not go to a pet paint supplier with another paint company’s colours but instead go to that company that is named in the specification.

Sorry to drag this answer out but it was a good question and I just wanted to be broad with the answer for the benefit of others who read it.

Q: Why is it you only endorse two N.Z. paint companies, surely other paint companies on the N.Z. market have the same "Eco Quality Products" as you call them, and surely the quality of one or two other paint manufacturers is equal to the "Tick" companies, so "why" the only reference to the two you mention?

A: I appreciate the question and yes you're quite right, other companies out there are producing very good paint products that are equal in lasting, opaciity and colourite qualities as Resene or PaintPlus, however it really comes down to who has the lowest toxicity level.  That "costs", Resene and PaintPlus are willing to pay those costs to assure the customer that if they're going to use paint then their's is the 'safest' around.  So, let the others do that, and then they'll get the "Tick" certificate to back them up for doing their best they can to help the environment.