Spring is on its way, and with that comes spring cleaning and redecorating. Many people choose to refresh their home with a new coat of paint. But which paint to choose? How about one that was developed utilizing your soybean checkoff funds?  

“When looking at being indoors during the winter and doing some painting projects, you’re looking for paints with low VOC (volatile organic compounds), and soy-based paints fit right in with that,” said Mike Youngerberg, senior director of product management and commercialization with the Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council (MSR&PC). “Parents want to make sure products are safe for use around kids, pets and themselves.”  

The use of soybean oil in paint dates back to the early 1900s, when Sherwin-Williams was already trying to find an alternative for their current oil-based paints. At that time, linseed oil was used. Now, oil-based paints typically use petroleum.   

In 2011, Sherwin-Williams won the Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award for its work with water-based acrylic alkyd paints using soybean oil. This paint combined performance benefits of oil-based (alkyd) paints, like film formation, gloss, flexibility and cure, and the low VOC content of acrylics. In one year, Sherwin-Williams eliminated over 800,000 pounds of VOC solvents with these soy paints.  

Today, there are numerous options for soy-based paint. Not only does Sherwin-Williams offer options, but so does Dunn-Edwards and Soy Technologies. When looking for these paints, look for water-based alkyds with a low VOC content. Soy-based paint is available both commercially and to individual consumers.  

MSR&PC supports the development and promotion of new use products by investing checkoff funds with companies that can bring these products to market.