In 2020, Samhwa Paints launched 'iLUX,' a new eco-friendly architectural paint brand. The 'i' in iLUX stands for eco-friendliness—'safe to use even in spaces where children are present'—while 'LUX' conveys the meaning of 'realizing high-quality value.' iLUX is organized by application into: △iLUX Multi Flat for painting interior walls, △iLUX Multi Eggshell for wood surfaces such as restroom and bathroom doors and furniture, and △iLUX Hi-Chroma, which achieves vivid, high-saturation colors. In particular, 'iLUX Multi Eggshell' has an everyday water-resistant function, so when applied to wooden doors in areas where water is used, it prevents moisture-induced rot and warping, and its easy-cleaning function makes it resistant to soiling. 'iLUX Hi-Chroma' can be applied both indoors and outdoors, and its colors can be selected from the 950-color chart provided by NCS Colour.
'iLUX' has earned not only the Eco-Label certification but also certification from the Korea Asthma Allergy Foundation (KAF), and it contains no formaldehyde or heavy metals, which are major causes of sick building syndrome. An official from Samhwa Paints said, "With the new iLUX product, we plan to expand our brand lineup as a specialized interior and exterior paint and steadily increase our share in the professional construction sector."
In addition, Samhwa Paints has drawn attention as the first company in the paint industry to enter the 'petterior' market. Samhwa Paints' strategy is to find a breakthrough through marketing differentiated from other companies by fostering new businesses. This is because the company has focused on the bright growth prospects—with the proportion of domestic households raising companion animals approaching 30% and the related market growing at an average annual rate of 15%—as well as the rising awareness of the importance of dedicated spaces for companion animals. According to Euromonitor International, Korea ranked 15th among pet care–consuming nations last year, and the total amount spent by all pet owners on pet care (feed, treats, and pet supplies) was around 1.8 trillion won. Accordingly, Samhwa Paints views users as having welcomed companion animals into their living spaces as family members, and has strengthened its research on pet products and colors as well as its market development. In Korea, most indoor residential spaces are finished with wallpaper, but considering the scratching behavior of cats and dogs, a paint finish rather than wallpaper is safer for pets' health and more economical for maintaining and repairing home interiors. The 'Pet Love Color Palette' is offered so that dedicated pet spaces can be decorated with color groups (yellow and blue tones) within the range of vision that companion animals can see.
To provide the 'Pet Love Color Palette' as a safe product, Samhwa Paints obtained Pet Product Safety Certification for 14 interior and 10 exterior architectural paint products. The Korea Kennel Club introduced the pet product certification system to secure the reliability and stability of pet care products and to guarantee the health and safety of companion animals; the test items and certification standards applied in this process follow the safety standards for children's products. By obtaining pet product certification for 24 products that passed these standards—the first in the paint industry to do so—Samhwa Paints has proven that its products are safe even when applied to spaces where companion animals live. 1544-5357
