As we strive to find ways of living that are better for the planet and its people, the colours and textures we intuitively surround ourselves with are changing too.

The test of time

With architects and designers looking for new ways of doing more with less – of creating buildings and products that touch more lightly on this earth while withstanding tougher demands – Axalta tuned in to the natural world to inspire a new collection of highly protective finishes.

Natural Crafts is one of four complementary themes in Axalta’s new ICONICA range of super durable powder coatings. Developed in close collaboration with international colour forecasting agency Francq Colors Trend Studio, the collection reflects carefully evaluated underlying trends in our collective psychology as societies respond to global events including climate change and the pandemic.

ICONICA - Natural Crafts

People and place

The ancient and harmonious coexistence of natural elements and human craft is the inspiration behind Natural Crafts, with the theme evoking the eternal qualities of materials that have weathered slowly over time. Within the palette, vernacular building traditions in textured materials such as stone, ceramic and slate are subtly referenced in finishes that include Brown Slate, Beige Limestone, Earth Clay and Grained Stone.

Patina

Alluding to the natural chemical alchemy of patination, Natural Crafts’ colours, textures and finishes include Verdigris and Nordic Lichen to reflect naturally occurring pigments like chlorophyll, organisms like lichen and processes like oxidisation. Elsewhere across the four complementary ICONICA themes, further metal-based patina inspirations include Timeless Rust, Cast Iron and Noble Bronze.

Performance and sustainability

Designed to extend the life cycle of architecture and products, ICONICA coatings are based on Axalta’s Alesta® SD benchmark – a super-durable polyester resin system combining higher-grade pigments and stabilisers for outstanding exterior durability.

Containing no solvents and releasing negligible amounts of VOCs into the atmosphere, Axalta’s powder coatings are a more sustainable coatings choice – with the potential to contribute towards a building’s LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) credits.

To find out more about Natural Crafts and ICONICA click here.