Utilizing Breathing Color's "Chromata White" technology, All PureG products are manufactured free of optical brighteners ("OBAs").  OBAs are often called optical bleaches or flourescent whitening agents.  They are fluorescent white dyes that absorb ultraviolet light and emit back visible blue light. This property makes optical brighteners effective at masking any yellowing that may be present. 

OBAs pose a serious threat to the integrity and longevity of a fine art print by accelerating metamerism, color shifting, and yellowing over time.  While OBAs should be avoided with aquoeous fine art prints, OBAs must be avoided with solvent fine art prints.  Our testing has shown that OBAs are significant enough to eliminate the long-term longevity potential of a solvent fine art print entirely.  For more information on our testing process, please visit our print permanence page.     

When OBAs are used in manufacturing they can also be harmful to the environment.  Because the main use of these dyes is in textile finishing and laundry detergents, Optical Brighteners are generally found in domestic waste waters. Optical brighteners are less than benign from an environmental perspective. Many of the chemicals in this category are toxic to fish and other aquatic life. Some are also capable of causing mutations in bacteria. Compounding these problems is the fact that optical brighteners are also very slow to biodegrade into their less harmful component parts. Research is being conducted to determine the extent of optical brighteners in the environment.