An accidental discovery led to the creation of what is the first temporary paint you can peel off the wall.
For builders and contractors involved in finishing out interiors, painting those spaces was always subject to client’s ever-changing opinions and whims. Now that could be a thing of the past.
A Colombian company called Glasst Innovation had developed Unpaint, a peelable paint that adheres to any surface and can be removed without any tools or chemicals – and without any lasting residue on those surfaces. Fast Company magazine reports that the product was developed accidentally when researchers at the company were working on a biodegradable substitute for single-use plastics. Instead they developed a liquid plant-based polymer that is the basis for Unpaint.
Juan Camilo Botero, CEO of Glasst Innovation, told Fast Company that Unpaint works like regular paint. “One of the biggest challenges of Unpaint was balancing durability and peel-ability,” he said. The paint needed to stick well enough to surfaces like wood, metal, and drywall, yet remain easy to remove without damaging those surfaces.
After extensive research and development, he claimed to the magazine, “It adheres securely to the surface and will not peel off without deliberate effort, but it can be removed with ease when the time comes.” Botero says that Unpaint is environmentally friendly—a byproduct of the original product development mission. Right now it is only designed for interiors use though it is working on a product for outdoors as well. Unpaint retails for $60 for a gallon, directly from Glasst, in dozens of colors with the option to mix many more. And they all can be removed easily if they aren’t right.
Image: Glasst Innovation Company
