Colormaker Sustainability

Zali Steggall congratulates Colormaker Industries on their 2 Year Solar Anniversary.

Reducing Our Environmental Impact

Colormaker is committed to supporting the environment and to the continual improvement of its environmental performance.

The business employs a number of measures to reduce the environmental impact of the surface coatings it produces. These include an increasing focus on the development of solvent free, water-based and low-VOC paint technologies and a significant commitment to invest in the research and development of eliminating harmful chemicals from their products.

Manufacturing Environmentally Responsible Products

Colormaker’s PERMATONE® textile screen printing inks were Approved by the Soil Association of the UK under the Global Organic Textiles Standards (GOTS) 6.0 for use in Organic Textile processes. In 2012, PERMATONE® became the first ink from outside the UK to receive such Approval. The entire family of PERMASET® textile printing inks does not contain ozone-depleting chemicals such as CFCs and HCFCs, aromatic hydrocarbons or any volatile solvents. They don’t contain lead or any heavy metals. PERMASET® inks do not contain any toxic chemicals at all, not even white spirits like other water-based inks on the market. PERMATONE® inks are also safe to use on underwear, swimwear and even baby clothes.

Reduction in Water Use & Waste sent to Landfill, Use of Renewable Energy

Other Colormaker environmental initiatives include:

• The use of LED lighting throughout the warehouse and office complex,
• The treatment of waste water,
• Recycling of paper, board and scrap metal,
• Red Energy contract for renewable electricity & the installation of Solar power generation on our roof
• Natural light throughout the factory and warehouse areas.Colormaker is committed to continually improving performance in this area and has installed 356 solar panels on the roof of our factory and warehouse/office complex.  This solar generated electricity is used to power our manufacturing, with any additional power required being sourced from 100% renewables.  At certain times of the year we export surplus clean energy back to the grid.  Read about the Colormaker Solar Panel Installation.

As at 30th June 2024, Colormaker has saved over 750 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions from going out into the atmosphere.

REVOLVE® Solar Storage Battery

Colormaker recently installed a world-first 144 kWh ReVolve® solar storage battery, which is new technology made from 2nd-life Nissan LEAF electric vehicle batteries.  This industrial level of solar storage enables Colormaker to soak up excess solar power that can be used on-site at Colormaker during peak periods, instead of being fed into the grid at a low feed-in price during the day.  Colormaker sees the new ReVolve® battery as a game changer in terms of energy utilization, resilience, self-sufficiency, and alleviating strain on the grid.

Eliminating Harmful Chemicals & Raw Materials from our Manufacturing

Colormaker’s solid commitment to research & development in eliminating harmful chemicals is testament to this continuing company objective. Our eco-responsible low-VOC technologies, utilised in the ACRYLMERIC® construction products and Colormaker House Paint ranges, are examples of our company values which mirror the increasing demand for environmentally sustainable paints in response to growing public awareness and concern over the world’s ecosystem.

An example of Colormaker’s raw material improvements is the eradication of plastic microbeads from all paints and coatings to ensure these products don’t make their way into rivers and oceans.  These microbeads function like miniature sponges, absorbing pesticides and chemical runoff. Clouds of discarded microbeads make up a toxic debris that settles on river and ocean floors. Marine worms ingest these toxins and then, when they’re eaten by fish or other predators, the fish gobble up microbead poisons along with the worms. Then if people eat those poisoned fish, they’re at serious risk of falling ill from the toxic residue.

EVs for Local Deliveries and Staff Commutes

Colormaker has a fleet of EVs for local deliveries and staff commutes, powered by its solar array. The business has also installed EV charging points for staff to recharge their car batteries during the day.

Colormaker Community Support

Colormaker Industries is passionate about supporting community, donating to community and environmental causes such as Saint Augustine’s College at Brookvale for their mural project, Saint Luke’s Bayview Campus, Katherine Regional Arts Centre NT, the Lismore NSW art community, “Shitbox Car Rally” for the Cancer Council, and QLD Country Women’s Association whilst donating to underprivileged communities in Sydney, regional and remote Australia and overseas.

Support of Janakpur Women’s Centre, Nepal

Colormaker Industries supported textile artist Nellie Rose in her collaboration with the Janakpur Women’s Development Centre. Nellie Rose was awarded the British Council Artists International Development Award and has used her experience to teach screen printing workshops to Janakpur female artists in Nepal.  Colormaker provided Nellie Rose and the Janakpur Women’s Development Centre with inks for these important community workshops.

Community Impact: Free the Reef Campaign

As part of our commitment to help save the earth and Australia’s natural wonders, since 2015 Colormaker Industries has supported the Free the Reef campaign to raise awareness about the threats to the Great Barrier Reef.  Colormaker provided our eco-friendly PERMASET® inks to the Free the Reef team to print their t-shirts on their live screen printing tour around Australia.

Free the Reef started in 2015 as a live screen printing tour using the power of art to raise awareness and the vital funds needed to support the protection of the ‪Great Barrier Reef. Rallying businesses, artists and the community, the campaign aimed to strongly influence decision makers to create future proofing legislation that will free the reef from negative human interventions‬. This included threats such as illegal fishing, climate pressure, marine debris, agricultural runoff, rapid industrialisation and inadequate legislation.

What’s Next in Colormaker’s Sustainability Journey

The business is employing a range of measures to reduce their environmental impact; including an increasing focus on the development of solvent free and water-based technologies and significant investment in R&D to eliminate harmful chemicals from all products.  Colormaker has improved the energy efficiency of their production through the installation of equipment to reduce energy consumption and is evolving changed work practices. Colormaker recently introduced rPET packaging, recycle paper, board and scrap metal and have an electric vehicles exclusively charged using their own clean solar power.

However, Colormaker’s climate action plan doesn’t stop there. In the pipeline is also a carbon farm where carbon can be sequestered in soil and they can plant native trees to offset carbon emissions.

“Our planet is very fragile and we haven’t got a moment to lose. Sustainability is something that we care deeply about. We’re delighted that, with our solar array, there’s now a little bit of Australian sunshine in every drop we make” advised MD, David Stuart.

Colormaker Industries is targeting carbon neutral by the end of 2025.

To purchase Colormaker House Paints or Construction Coatings, find your closest stockist or shop online here.