The 10 Best Nontoxic House Paint Brands

Many conventional house paints on the market are made with toxic ingredients like VOCs, which can off-gas chemicals that are not only harmful to the environment but also harmful to human health. Fortunately, there are plenty of companies making nontoxic paint that is safe enough to use in any room of the house. Here are our picks of the best brands making nontoxic house paint.

The 10 winners of this Green Matters Approved contest are listed below. Read more about our Green Matters Approved contests here.

ECOS Paints makes paints, primers, stains, and varnishes for interior and exterior use. Its paints are nontoxic, water-based, and zero-VOC. The company's Lullaby line is manufactured with a different resin to be more durable in children's nurseries, but it is also nontoxic, water-based, and zero-VOC. ECOS Paints do not have a vegan certification but it does not use animal products in its paints.

Alkemis Paint makes mineral-based interior paint and primer. The company produces 119 colors and is vegan and cruelty-free. Alkemis Paint is Cradle to Cradle certified, contains zero VOCs, odors, solvents, or fungicides, and is non-flammable and non-combustible. The use of Alkemis Paint contributes to LEED certification points and Well Building Standard points.

Healthier Homes makes a range of nontoxic home items, including paint but also decor, lighting fixtures, furniture, and more. Its primer is nontoxic and zero-VOC. Additionally, Healthier Homes is partnered with Ocean Co. to collect 100 bottles of ocean-bound plastic for each gallon of paint sold, and aims to collect 7 billion ocean-bound plastic bottles by 2025.

AFM Safecoat makes primers, paints, stains, sealants, plant-based wood oils, and more, all designed by doctors for chemically or environmentally sensitive people. Safecoat paint is zero-VOC and nontoxic. AFM's other lines including SafeChoice and AFM Naturals are also designed with the planet in mind.

U.K.-based company Farrow & Ball makes paints, finishes, and wallpapers. All the Farrow & Ball finishes are water-based, low-VOC, low-odor, and quick-drying. The company is cruelty-free, and its Dead Flat, Modern, and Estate ranges are certified toy-safe. Only two of Farrow & Ball's finishes (Soft Distemper and Casein Distemper) contain animal-derived ingredients; the rest are vegan-friendly.

Benjamin Moore makes interior and exterior paints, primers, stains, and specialty paints. The Eco Spec line is the only line with zero VOCs, and it is tinted with Benjamin Moore's Gennex zero-VOC colorant system. The company has expressed its intent to continuously reduce its environmental impact by doing things like adding solar energy systems to its facilities and recycling over 725,000 gallons of paint.

U.K.-based brand Coat makes interior and exterior paints. The company is a Certified B Corp, and its paints are low-VOC, water-based, and 100 percent solvent-free. All paints are certified child-safe, vegan, and cruelty-free. Coat makes pre-painted Peel & Stick paint testers that are 100 percent adhesive-free and made of recyclable PET material. Coat's paint supplies are made from bamboo and its paint tins are recyclable.

Behr makes interior paints, primers, sealers, undercoaters, wood stains and finishes, floor coatings, and more. Behr's Pro i300 Interior Paints line is nontoxic, zero-VOC, and sold exclusively at The Home Depot. However, over 100 Behr and Kilz products are Greenguard Gold Certified for low-VOC. Behr paint cans are also 100 percent recyclable — products with the Simple Pour Lid and packaging are made from post-consumer recycled plastic.

U.K. company Little Greene makes paint and wallpaper. The company's Child Safe line of paints is nontoxic, as are the company's sustainable wallpapers. Little Greene's eco-friendly paint finishes meet a European environmental standard and are water-based and "virtually zero" VOC. Additionally, Little Greene paint tins are made with over 50 percent recycled steel and can be recycled when finished. The company's Re:Mix line is made with upcycled paint to prevent waste.

U.K. company The Organic & Natural Paint Co. carries paint, wood finishes, wood oils, and waxes. The Organic & Natural Paint Co. was founded in 2012 to move customers away from chemical-based products and carry low or zero-VOC products. Many of the paints are also vegan. The company's paint tins are recyclable and made using 80 percent recycled materials.