Since the company was first established in 1963 Lascaux has grown into one of the world’s leading manufacturers of artist’s colours, with the emphasis always on water-based systems. Lascaux sets great store by the quality and provenance of its high-quality raw materials, which is why the vast majority is sourced in Europe. Our suppliers manufacture these raw materials in accordance with European directives. All the materials are tested and certified to the most stringent standards, in compliance with the latest environmental protection standards. It has been a conscious policy decision on the part of the company to dispense with low-cost raw materials from Asia, where little consideration is given to regulations pertaining to environmental safety and to occupational health and safety.
Lascaux paints and mediums are registered with the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health. In the US the products are certified in accordance with ASTM standard D-4236. With very few exceptions (such as cadmium paints) Lascaux Colours all comply with European standard EN 71-3 on the Safety of Toys. The company is happy to provide safety data sheets for each product on request. Lascaux also largely dispenses with secondary packaging.
As water is used exclusively for the cleaning process involved in production, Lascaux has installed a water treatment plant of its own design to prevent contaminated water from being discharged untreated into the mains. The plant releases more than one million litres of clean water per year. As a member of CEPE, the European Council of the Paint, Printing Ink and Artists’ Colours Industry, Lascaux complies with global safety requirements and quality standards, and advocates clear, unambiguous product labelling. Moreover as a member of ECO SWISS, the organisation of the Swiss economy for the protection of the environment, occupational safety and health protection, Lascaux makes use of the platform to find new and innovative solutions in the areas of occupational safety, health protection and environmental protection.