Everyone is talking about the glitter shortage right now, questioning where all the world’s glitter is going. Many people believe it’s being used in boat paint. As marine paint manufacturers, we thought it was time to step in.
In answer to the question raised by the glitter shortage, no, we don’t put glitter in our boat paint. And for good reason. Before we explain further, let’s look at why are people talking about glitter boat paint in the first place.
What is the Glitter Shortage?
The great glitter shortage conversation has come to light following an article in the New York Times with Lauren Dyer, a company manager at Glitterex – one of the largest glitter producers in the world. Although the article was first published in 2018, it’s recently resurfaced in a big way with thousands of people talking about it once again.
In the article, Dyer confirmed their largest client bulk buys glitter but absolutely must remain anonymous, as they wouldn’t “want anyone to know that it’s glitter”. In fact, she wouldn’t even confirm the industry their client works in.
She also deepened the mystery by saying what they use it for doesn’t look like glitter, which has led to an abundance of conspiracy theories. They range from military use to enhancing the appearance of luxury beaches
The top theory suggests that glitter boat paint is the main source of disappearing glitter. As expert paint manufacturers, we wanted to have our say and confirm that we don’t use glitter in our marine paints.
Why We Don’t Make Glitter Boat Paint
At Black Country Paints, we’re pleased to say our extensive range of marine paints isn’t contributing to the glitter shortage. We don’t use glitter in our manufacturing process, and here’s why.
Glitter is a sparkly form of microplastic with damaging consequences for the environment. One study in 2020 found the particles are small enough to become airborne and fall back to earth in the rain. This means protected places are now becoming contaminated by glitter.
Unexpected places glitter has been found include:
- Embedded in the sea floor
- Core samples of Arctic ice
- A whale’s stomach
While glitter is certainly bad for the environment, many people desire a luxurious lustre for elements of their boats. Fortunately, there are other manufacturing methods to achieve the wow factor without harming the planet and all those who live on it.
How To Recreate the Effect of Glitter Marine Paint
For an eco-friendly alternative, some paints may contain pearl mica powder. Mica is a natural mineral which is ground down to create an ultra-fine shimmery powder. You can use it to create that desirable soft lustre effect without harming the environment or adding to the glitter shortage.
Boat paints need to withstand the harshest environments and protect the underlying substrates. With input from an expert chemist and products manufactured in Britain, you can rely on BC Paints for the highest quality boat paint on the market.
Contact us today to find out more.
