The story of the Terre et Lumière (in English: Earth & Light) breathable lime paints goes back to 1958 when a family of Italian cabinet makers and decorators founded a small artisanal paint company. By the early 1990s, prompted by occupational health concerns, the company embarked on a significant transformation, shifting its focus to bio-eco-compatible paint finishes while preserving their artisanal roots.
Their journey led them to the rediscovery of ancient natural paint recipes and their application, tailored for old and historic buildings. They pioneered the development of paints free from petrochemicals and harmful substances, using only natural, ecological, and non-toxic ingredients.
Made from the finest seasoned limes, the paints incorporated natural ingredients such as milk, egg, wax, oils, fibres, and vegetable gums. The pigments were derived from earth minerals, oxides, and plants, while essential components like carbonates, sands, cellulose and vegetable solvents enhanced their quality and durability.
At the core of their philosophy lies a deep respect for the environment, ensuring no pollution during the production of raw materials and finished products. They were equally committed to protect the health of their users, with special attention to children, the elderly, pregnant women, and those with chemical sensitivities or allergies.
The lime paints are breathable and healthy. They can deal with dampness problems and are fantastic for mould prevention and elimination. Thanks to the use of natural ingredients, they do not release harmful volatile substances (no VOCs).
100,000 ordinary homes, large construction sites and countless heritage buildings—including historic monuments, castles, palaces and churches—still flawless after many years, stand as testament to the quality of these paints.
In the restoration and conservation of Italy’s historic centres, the use of these paints is legally mandated, as conservation regulations uphold the use of materials that respect traditional architecture and preserve its authentic colours.
The story then continues in France. In 1997, a family-owned paint shop opened in the historic centre of Bordeaux, specialising in natural earth pigments for lime paints. Their mission was to revive ancient painting techniques in a world increasingly dominated by petrochemical-based paints.
This marked the launch of COLOR-RARE, a team of “colour artisans and pigment mixers” who, over the next two decades, have developed an unparalleled colour palette for natural lime paints—the Colour Bar—featuring 1001 shades, from soft pastels to vibrant, glittering hues.
By combining the ultra-high quality natural lime paints bases with COLOR-RARE’s nearly infinite pigment range, the TERRE ET LUMIÈRE (Earth and Light) exclusive collection of natural and eco-friendly lime paints was born.
Terre et Lumière continues to seamlessly blend tradition, innovation, and sustainability in every product.
As part of their range, they also offer a selection of products, which may contain 2 - 5% synthetic resins, allowing technical performance that is not yet possible with purely natural components. All ingredients are fully disclosed on the labels and technical sheets, in line with their commitment to transparency.
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