Want to develop a lacquer based on food byproducts

Hi Nicole. Lots of coating ingredients are made at least partially from food byproducts, but even lacquers for infant toys are not made exclusively from them. I know very little about organic coatings, but a quick browse through some formulations indicates that most coating materials are comprised of a dozen or more ingredients.

Can you be a bit more specific as to what you want to do ... Lacquer for wood or lacquer for metal or for something else? Must it be waterproof? Must it resist common household solvents like acetone, alcohol, ammonia? Must it be food-safe?

The best start on the project may be a very carefully crafted statement of what you want. Good luck.

Regards,

A. Nicole,
Yes, an excellent lacquer comes from the urushi tree (Rhus vernicifera). This material has been used for thousands of years in Japan and elsewhere as a lacquer and is acquired and processed in a way similar to maple syrup. The lacquer is very strong and durable!