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World's First 'Unicorn' Paint Developed by Alora Paints
Singapore-based paint company Alora Paints has recently announced the release of what it’s calling the world’s first “Unicorn” colored paint. The “new product” was announced on April 1, also known as April Fool’s Day.
According to Alora Paints, the unique, water-based coating can be applied with either a brush or roller and is zero VOC, zero lead and has easy water cleanup properties. However, painters will have to act fast, as the Unicorn paint has a quick dry time of about five minutes after application, where it will then turn into a rainbow of colors.
Formed in 2020 as a direct to consumer and applicator paint venture with the aim to simplify the shopping experience for paint, Alora Paints is noted to have several other innovative offerings, such as removable paint swatch-stickers, which can add features like antibacterial and antifungal with one click.
Despite the company only being two years old, Adrian Kok, the company’s CEO said, “We have been working on creating a unicorn color for 18 years, testing it in kindergartens, day-care centers and kids’ bedrooms. One request we could not achieve—which many six-year-olds were requesting—is to make it smell like unicorn poop. Alas, all our paints are also low odor.”
The company has produced 42 liters of the unique paint, which can be purchased on the brand’s website, here.
2021 April Fool’s
Last year, scientists employed at global coatings manufacturer AkzoNobel (Amsterdam) announced that they had developed a first-of-its-kind paint that shifts color with your mood.
Also announced on April Fool’s Day, the company release reported that the coating worked by “lifting your spirits when you feel down, boosting your creativity when you feel bored and energizing you when you’re ready to celebrate.”
In cracking the code to MoodPaint, experts from AkzoNobel point to the use of biomimicry, a unique formulation that contains modified thermotropic liquid crystals that respond to pheromones given off by people nearby. Scientists explained that as the crystals move, they absorb and reflect different wavelengths of light, resulting in a paint that changes color in real time.
“Adding new and improved functionality to our paints and coatings is a priority when it comes to innovation,” said Safir Pollo, AkzoNobel’s Managing Director Color Innovation, at the time. “MoodPaint opens up a whole world of possibilities for adaptive coatings. All the colors you need to create a colorful space that’s always right for the occasion are contained in just one can of paint.”
When first applied, the coating appears as a smooth, eggshell white, however, within hours the MoodPaint is activated, seamlessly shifting color whenever people are present. AkzoNobel notes that the color-changing paint could help people find more balance at home, as well as in common public spaces.
“Research has long shown the effect color can have on human emotion and behavior,” added Joke Crabbe, Color Scientist at AkzoNobel. “Soft blues can have a calming effect, energizing yellows can stimulate your appetite, grounding neutrals like our Color of the Year 2021 Brave Ground make you feel more comfortable. Now you don’t have to choose just one color for your space—with MoodPaint, your walls will always follow your lead.”
