UNDERSTANDING VOCS IN THE MATERIALS AROUND US

Let’s talk about “non toxic,” “eco friendly,” and “natural”.

These words are everywhere right now.

And they sound great. They’re meant to feel reassuring. But the truth is, most of them are not standardized or tightly regulated.

So a product can say “low VOC” and still be off gassing. It just means it falls under a certain limit, not that it’s free of chemical emissions altogether.

That’s usually the disconnect.

It’s not that brands are trying to mislead people. It’s that the label on the front is often the simplest version of a much more complex material story.

WHAT WE ACTUALLY LOOK AT INSTEAD

When we’re sourcing materials, we’re not making decisions off the front label.

We’re asking:What is this made of?What’s holding it together?What happens to it over time?

Because a lot of the time, it’s not the obvious material that creates the issue. It’s the adhesives, sealers, and binders behind it.

This is where VOCs come in. Volatile organic compounds are released into the air, especially when materials are new or when they start to break down.

So instead of trying to decode every label, we step back and look at the material more holistically.

THE SIMPLEST WAY TO REDUCE EXPOSURE

You don’t need to overhaul everything or aim for perfection.

The easiest shift is choosing materials that don’t require a lot of synthetic chemistry to exist in the first place.

Solid woodStoneCeramicClay and lime based finishesWool and cotton.

If you’ve ever been to Europe and seen marble that’s been there for hundreds of years, or a solid wood table that’s aged perfectly over time… that’s the idea.

Those materials aren’t breaking down the way newer, heavily manufactured ones do. They’re not relying on layers of adhesives and stabilizers to hold themselves together.

They just exist as they are, and they get better with time.

That’s a very different starting point than something that needs a long list of chemistry just to function.

THIS IS NOT ABOUT PERFECTION

This is where I think this conversation can go sideways if it’s not grounded.

Knowledge is power here. The goal is not to create fear or chase some version of a perfectly non toxic home.

It’s to understand what you’re actually building with.

How materials come together, what’s in them, and how they age over time. That’s where the real assurance comes from.

And sometimes, the right decision is not the lowest chemical option.

There are cases, especially in exterior applications or the building envelope, where a material may have a higher chemical makeup but lasts twice as long, performs better, and protects the home more effectively.

That matters.

We’re not sitting on a high horse saying low tox is always the answer. We’re looking at durability, performance, and long term impact alongside exposure.

It’s about making informed decisions and creating a better overall environment, not perfect ones.

HOW WE THINK ABOUT IT AT COMMON FORMME

We don’t approach materials as one off decisions. We look at the home as a system.

Your indoor environment is the result of everything layered together.

Paint, cabinetry, flooring, upholstery, adhesives, sealants. All of it contributes.

So the goal is not to eliminate every modern material. It’s to create a balance where the overall chemical load stays low.

That’s what actually moves the needle.

HOW THIS SHOWS UP IN REAL LIFE

Even in my own life, I’m not trying to control every single variable.

Especially right now with a newborn, that’s just not realistic.

But I am intentional about the spaces we spend the most time in and what we’re surrounding ourselves with.

Because it adds up.

And you can feel the difference.

It’s subtle, but it’s there. The air feels lighter. The space feels calmer. People stay longer without really knowing why.

There’s research around indoor air quality and VOC exposure impacting things like respiratory irritation and cognitive function. But most people don’t need the study to understand it.

You feel it when you walk into a space that’s been thoughtfully built.

WHERE TO START

You don’t need to get overwhelmed or try to find the “perfect” product.

Just start asking better questions.

What is this made of?

What’s in it that I’m not seeing?

And does this choice move the overall environment in a better direction?

That’s enough to change how you approach your home.